Sales Director - Photonics/Optics

Verso Recruitment Group
Southampton
1 day ago
Create job alert

Job Title: Sales Director – Photonics/Optics
Salary/Package: c£100,000 basic + 20% OTE + Share options scheme + benefits
Location: South of England
  
My client is looking for a Sales Director to join their rapidly expanding business. This is a strategic hire for the business and comes on the back of two company acquisitions in the last 12 months.
  
They now have sales functions in the UK, Spain and North America. This role will be responsible for the teams in those locations and for driving sales across the Group.
They currently turnover $14 million as a group and are targeting to double that in the next four years.
  
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate that they’ve grown sales in a similar way.
  
This role will involve travel to their Southampton HQ and their offices in Spain and North America. Being based in the South of England would be helpful, but you could be based anywhere as long as you can come to Southampton, circa once a week, to begin with.
  
This will suit someone with Sales Director-level experience already, or someone in a Sales Manager function at larger companies looking to move into a smaller company and have more overall control of sales.
  
You will have experience in the Photonic/Optics industry, ideally in material science. You don’t need to have spent your whole career in this sector, but you will have some experience with this technology.
  
Operating at the forefront of photonics technology in markets including Defence, Scientific Instrumentation, Aerospace, and Quantum applications, this is your opportunity to drive transformative change in a high-growth, technology-rich environment.
  
Sales Director – Photonics/Optics responsibilities will include:

Lead, mentor, and grow a high-performing technical sales team across the UK, US, and Spain.
Integrate and optimise sales teams and systems following recent group expansion.
Develop and execute a global go-to-market strategy to achieve ambitious revenue targets.
Build lasting relationships with Government, OEM, and Academic clients worldwide.
Represent our brands at international industry events and conferences. Sales Director – Photonics/Optics – Skills/Experience.

Strong commercial experience in B2B and/or B2G sales with experience in technology solutions.
Proven track record of multimillion-dollar sales growth.
Expertise in change management within commercial teams.
Ability to translate complex technical solutions into compelling business value propositions.
Strategic, data-driven mindset with strong negotiation skills. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a cash-rich business with an exceptional leadership team already in place. And take full responsibility for their sales functions and growing sales whilst being supported by the existing leadership team.
  
If you have any specific questions about this Sales Director – Photonics/Optics opportunity, please contact David on (phone number removed). Apply with your CV to (url removed)

Related Jobs

View all jobs

Estimator

Technical Sales Manager - Photonics and Imaging

Credit Control Manager

Optical Technician

Research Engineer, Cryogenics

Research Engineer, Cryogenics

Subscribe to Future Tech Insights for the latest jobs & insights, direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you agree to our privacy policy and terms of service.

Industry Insights

Discover insightful articles, industry insights, expert tips, and curated resources.

What Hiring Managers Look for First in Quantum Computing Job Applications (UK Guide)

Quantum computing is one of the fastest-evolving fields in technology, blending physics, mathematics, computer science and engineering. Roles in this space — from Quantum Algorithm Developer and Quantum Software Engineer to Quantum Research Scientist and Quantum Hardware Specialist — are highly sought after, and hiring managers are exceptionally selective. Because quantum computing is complex and multidisciplinary, recruiters and hiring managers look for clear, concrete evidence of relevant expertise and impact right at the start of your application. They often decide whether to read your CV in detail within the first 10–20 seconds, based on a handful of high-value signals. This guide breaks down exactly what hiring managers look for first in quantum computing applications, how they assess CVs and portfolios, and what you can do to optimise your application to get noticed in the UK quantum job market.

Riverlane Jobs in Quantum Computing: UK Guide for Job Seekers (2026)

If you’re looking for Riverlane jobs in quantum computing, you’re aiming at one of the most important layers in the quantum stack: quantum error correction (QEC). In simple terms, Riverlane focuses on the software, methods & tooling that help quantum computers produce reliable results despite noise. That matters because as quantum hardware scales, the ability to correct errors becomes the difference between “interesting experiments” and “useful quantum computing”. This guide is written for UK job seekers who want to understand: what Riverlane does (in job-seeker language) the roles they hire for the skills that map best to their work how to tailor your CV & LinkedIn how to prepare for interviews how to find & land Riverlane vacancies in the UK You do not need to be a quantum PhD to have a realistic pathway in. But you do need to understand the problem they’re solving & position your experience around it.

The Skills Gap in Quantum Computing Jobs: What Universities Aren’t Teaching

Quantum computing stands at the frontier of technological innovation. Promising breakthroughs in areas as diverse as cryptography, materials discovery, optimisation and machine learning, quantum technologies are shifting from academic research to early commercial deployment. Governments, defence organisations, finance firms and tech innovators around the world — including in the UK — are investing heavily in quantum talent and capability. Yet despite this surge in interest and investment, employers consistently report a troubling trend: Many graduates with quantum computing qualifications are not prepared for real-world quantum computing jobs. This isn’t a reflection on students’ intelligence or effort. Rather, it reveals a persistent skills gap between what universities teach and what organisations actually need. In this article, we’ll explore that gap in depth — what universities do well, where programmes fall short, why the divide persists, what employers actually want, and how jobseekers can bridge that gap to build successful careers in quantum computing.