Sales Director

The Opportunity

We are working exclusively with a specialist high-technology electronics business based in the Swindon-area to appoint a Sales Leader for one of their divisions. The business designs and manufactures advanced optical communications hardware and systems, serving a global customer base across satcom, broadcast, defence, data centres and precision timing applications.

This is a new role, created to bring structure, focus and commercial leadership to a division that has strong technology, a loyal international customer base and significant growth potential — particularly in the US market.

The business forms part of a larger FTSE-listed group, but operates with genuine SME autonomy: entrepreneurial, engineering-led, and close-knit. If you are looking for a role where you can see the direct impact of your work and grow into a senior commercial leadership position, this is it.

The Role

Reporting to the Managing Director, you will take ownership of global sales across the Communications and Test product lines. You will lead a small international Business Development team (UK/EMEA, two in APAC, and a dotted-line resource in the US) and work closely with engineering, operations and finance to drive revenue, margin and customer engagement.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead, coach and develop a distributed international BDM team, setting clear targets, rhythms and accountability.
  
  
• Drive consistent use of Salesforce for pipeline management, forecasting and reporting.
  
  
• Build and strengthen relationships with key accounts through regular site visits, joint planning and field presence.
  
  
• Grow the US market — currently ~$6M — as the primary commercial priority.
  
  
• Redesign and strengthen the global channel and VAR partner network, improving performance and structure.
  
  
• Identify system-level opportunities in collaboration with sister divisions.
  
  
• Explore strategic hiring in Europe and North America to support geographic expansion.
  
  
• Take partial P&L responsibility, influencing pricing, margin and commercial strategy.
  
  
• Travel to 4–5 international trade shows per year plus customer and team visits.
  
  The Candidate
  
  We are open to an experienced Sales Director who thrives in SME settings, or a high-performing sales leader ready to step up into their first Director-level role. What matters most is curiosity, commercial instinct and the energy to be genuinely present and involved.
  
  You will likely bring:
  
  
• 10+ years in technical B2B sales, selling complex products or solutions to engineering-led customers.
  
  
• Experience leading or mentoring a small sales team, directly or indirectly.
  
  
• Background in one or more of: defence, aerospace, telecoms, instrumentation, test & measurement, photonics, industrial networking or adjacent high-technology sectors.
  
  
• Comfort operating in or alongside SMEs — without needing large corporate infrastructure.
  
  
• Strong commercial numeracy: margin, pricing, forecasting.
  
  
• An inquisitive, adaptable mindset — someone who asks good questions and builds credibility through curiosity rather than claimed expertise.
  
  Direct experience of the specific product technology is welcome but not required. The key question is: can you build credibility with technically sophisticated customers within 3–6 months through genuine engagement and application?
  
  The Package
  
  
• Competitive salary aligned with experience, with genuine scope for progression.
  
  
• Bonus scheme.
  
  
• Company car or car allowance.
  
  
• Access to group Share Incentive Plan.
  
  
• Pension plan.
  
  
• Group life insurance (4x salary).
  
  
• Employee Assistance Programme, wellbeing app and retail discount scheme.
  
  
• Cycle-to-work scheme.
  
  
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays, with option to buy/sell