Business Development Executive

Business Development Executive - Defence Equipment

Are you a commercially driven relationship-builder with a passion for defence, innovation, and manufacturing excellence?
Do you want to play a key role in connecting the world's most advanced defence manufacturers with the exceptional talent they need to stay ahead?

This is your chance to do just that-with one of the UK's most trusted recruitment partners to the global defence manufacturing sector.

Join Morgan Ryder Associates - Building Defence Teams Since 2002

With over 23 years of success, Morgan Ryder Associates is a powerhouse in specialist recruitment for advanced manufacturing-and we're growing fast. Our Defence Division works with some of the most iconic and innovative organisations on the planet, supporting them in sourcing top-tier talent across:

Aircraft & Aerospace Systems
Naval & Land Vehicles
Weaponry, Firearms & Ammunition
Comms, Optics, and Surveillance Equipment
Protective & Tactical Gear

We are proud to have a diverse and established customer base across all defence equipment categories globally, and we're now taking things even further through our partnership with Make UK Defence-bringing exciting new opportunities to collaborate with the UK's most forward-thinking defence manufacturers.

Your Role: The Trusted Link Between Industry and Insight

You will act as a strategic conduit between high-tech manufacturers and some of the most experienced recruitment consultants in the sector, helping businesses solve their workforce challenges with expert, bespoke solutions.

Activities:

Use our cutting-edge CRM system to engage a warm, highly active database of long-standing customers.
Identify and target new business across the defence manufacturing landscape-globally and domestically.
Build real, long-term relationships with decision-makers, understanding their pain points, skills gaps, and hiring roadmaps.
Translate client challenges into solutions by partnering with Morgan Ryder's senior consultants, many of whom have 10+ years' sector expertise average, longest serving is 24 years..
Craft tailored proposals, lead client conversations, and guide the recruitment process with confidence and clarity.
Represent Morgan Ryder in new opportunities through Make UK Defence, driving innovation, networking, and collaboration across the sector.

Who We're Looking For

A veteran of the armed forces with commercial experience, or a proven sales professional with strong ties to the defence/engineering sectors.
Excellent communication and relationship-building skills-you're credible, curious, and confident with all levels of stakeholders.
Highly organised and proactive-able to manage a pipeline, forecast activity, and hit revenue goals.
Strategic thinker-you connect the dots between business needs and recruitment outcomes.
Comfortable with tech-able to use CRM systems, MS Office, and video conferencing tools with ease.

Why Choose Morgan Ryder?

Established client relationships with a 99.6% repeat business rate-most clients feel like friends.
Access to a wide portfolio of recruitment solutions across permanent, interim, and project-based hiring.
Join a high-performing team with an average service length of 10+ years-no egos, just experts.
Thrive in a company that believes in autonomy, trust, and long-term growth-not micro-management.
Gain exposure to the wider defence sector through our partnership with Make UK Defence, positioning you at the forefront of the industry.

Ready to step into something bigger?
Send your CV to Barry McKeown at to arrange a confidential conversation.

This is more than a sales job-it's a career-defining opportunity to make a real impact in a vital sector. Join us. Let's shape what's next.

At Morgan Ryder we can provide you with a full range of employment opportunities from short term and fixed term temporary vacancies to permanent positions.

We recruit for companies that operate in the following industries: Food and Drink Manufacturers, FMCG, Packaging, Engineering, Automotive, Aerospace, Warehousing, Logistics, Waste Management, Petro Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Power & Renewable Energy.

Our commitment:

Equal opportunities are important to us. We believe that diversity and inclusion at Morgan Ryder Associates are critical to our success as DE&I positive company, so we want to recruit, develop, and keep the best talent. We encourage applications from everyone, regardless of background, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability status, ethnicity, belief, age, family or parental status, and any other characteristic.

Please note that calls to and from the offices of Morgan Ryder Associates Ltd. may be monitored or recorded. This is to ensure compliance with regulatory procedures, record business transactions and for training purposes