Plexal operates at the intersection of government, industry and emerging technology — helping organisations turn innovation ambition into practical capability, adoption and measurable impact. National Security is a core growth area for Plexal’s Innovation Services business, where we support government clients to adopt new technology, build innovation ecosystems and respond to emerging threats and opportunities.
The National Security Senior Lead will drive commercial growth and strategic client engagement across the North West’s National Security landscape. You will lead Plexal’s engagement with our National Security clients in the region, convert existing relationships into sustained revenue, diversify Plexal’s client base, and shape new opportunities in a rapidly evolving market.
This is a senior, hands‑on commercial role suited to a growth‑minded consultant who thrives on building relationships, enjoys operating in low‑structure environments, and wants to influence how emerging technology is adopted across secure‑government markets.
Strategic Account Leave, National Security (Manchester)
Manchester
Full-time
Permanent employee
80,000 - 100,000 £ per year
The Role's Purpose
What You'll Do
- Lead strategic client relationships across the North West’s National Security and adjacent secure‑government markets, ensuring strong partnerships throughout the full lifecycle of engagement — from prospecting and opportunity shaping to delivery oversight and customer satisfaction.
- Act as the senior account lead for Plexal’s National Security clients in the NW, maintaining a visible presence to strengthen Plexal’s brand, reputation and trusted‑partner status.
- Drive significant revenue growth, converting existing opportunities into sustained pipeline and bringing on new relationships, revenue streams and multi‑year engagements.
- Diversify Plexal’s NS client base, expanding engagement across customer business units and building new lines of effort that deliver meaningful commercial growth.
- Expand partnerships with suppliers and ecosystem organisations across the NW, shaping collaborative commercial opportunities, consortium bids and new routes to market.
- Act as an ambassador for Plexal within the NW’s National Security and Defence ecosystem — including academia, industry and innovation partners — strengthening Plexal’s reputation and identifying new collaborators.
- Develop and refine propositions that respond to client needs, market trends and emerging technology opportunities, working closely with the wider National Security & Defence team.
- Provide insight into market trends, procurement behaviours and customer priorities to inform Plexal’s National Security account strategy and support strategic campaigns across the NS & Defence portfolio.
- Contribute to the evolution of the GTM function, supporting process improvements, commercial maturity and scalable growth practices.
Your Experience
Essential
- Proven track record of relationship‑based sales, winning new business and shaping commercial opportunities.
- Experience working directly with National Security or adjacent secure‑government clients (e.g., Defence, Policing, Secure GovTech).
- Strong consultancy background, with the ability to operate across strategy, delivery oversight and hands‑on opportunity execution.
- Strong understanding of government procurement, commercial processes and how secure‑government organisations buy and adopt technology.
- Ability to operate autonomously while collaborating effectively across GTM, delivery and regionally dispersed teams.
- Experience supporting technology adoption, innovation ecosystems or organisational change within government.
- Demonstrable experience shaping and delivering strategic bids, consortium partnerships or multi‑stakeholder commercial opportunities.
- Success securing and growing £1m+ contracts or multi‑year engagements.
- Existing knowledge of National Security market dynamics, customer priorities and supplier ecosystems in the North West.
Who You Are
- Highly relational, with excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust quickly.
- Strategic thinker able to understand long‑term client trends and translate them into credible propositions.
- Growth‑minded — motivated by building new opportunities, expanding relationships and shaping commercial direction.
- Comfortable taking ownership and driving outcomes independently.
- Collaborative, supportive and aligned to Plexal’s culture of partnership and innovation.
- Candidates must be eligible to undergo security clearance or hold current security clearance. (See more on clearance eligibility.)
Why us?
We thrive in a dynamic and fast-paced work environment dedicated to empowering innovators. We embrace individuals who leverage technology and creativity to tackle our greatest challenges head-on. We strongly advocate for maintaining a harmonious work-life balance, our goal is to ensure every member of our team can authentically be themselves and live their best lives. We firmly believe that innovation and creativity flourish when we cultivate a diverse workforce, comprising highly skilled individuals with a wide range of perspectives to contribute.
In return we will offer you:
In return we will offer you:
- Salary: Up to £80,000 - £100,000 depending on skills and experience
- Annual bonus scheme
- A generous pension scheme (with a company contribution of up to 10%)
- Private healthcare, life assurance and critical illness cover
- 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
- Volunteering day
About us
Plexal is the innovation and growth company helping to strengthen the UK’s technology capabilities through collaboration.
With teams in London, Manchester and Cheltenham, we work closely with government, industry, startups and academia to drive economic growth and reinforce national security.
Founded by Delancey in 2017, Plexal delivers four core services: creating workspaces for innovators, running innovation programmes and consultancy, building regional tech clusters and helping SMEs scale strategically.
By closing the gap between early-stage and established organisations – across the public and private sectors at home and abroad – we’ve impacted over 1,200 businesses, added £731m to the UK economy and helped create 9,400 jobs.
Headquartered at Here East on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Plexal partners with organisations including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the National Cyber Security Centre, Airbus, Amazon, Barclays Eagle Labs, Google Cloud, TfL, The Alan Turing Institute and the University of Oxford.
With teams in London, Manchester and Cheltenham, we work closely with government, industry, startups and academia to drive economic growth and reinforce national security.
Founded by Delancey in 2017, Plexal delivers four core services: creating workspaces for innovators, running innovation programmes and consultancy, building regional tech clusters and helping SMEs scale strategically.
By closing the gap between early-stage and established organisations – across the public and private sectors at home and abroad – we’ve impacted over 1,200 businesses, added £731m to the UK economy and helped create 9,400 jobs.
Headquartered at Here East on the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Plexal partners with organisations including the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, the National Cyber Security Centre, Airbus, Amazon, Barclays Eagle Labs, Google Cloud, TfL, The Alan Turing Institute and the University of Oxford.