SALES & COMMERCIAL LEAD

Space & Aerospace | Sales | Commercial | Business Development

Location: Italy

Salary: €45,000 – €60,000 gross per annum + performance-based variable compensation

Employment Type: Permanent

THE OPPORTUNITY

Phoenix SC is supporting a leading organization within the space and aerospace sector in the search for an experienced Sales & Commercial Lead to support continued business growth across its international operations.

This is a commercially focused position combining business development, sales, bid management, proposal strategy and contract negotiation, with responsibility for managing opportunities from initial identification and customer engagement through to successful contract closure.

The successful candidate will work closely with engineering, product, programme management, finance, legal, procurement and supply chain teams to develop commercially compelling solutions for complex, high-value projects.

This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially driven professional who enjoys working within highly engineered, technical environments and can confidently bridge the gap between customer requirements and technical solutions.

THE ROLE

As Sales & Commercial Lead, you will take ownership of opportunities throughout the complete sales lifecycle, while supporting wider business strategy and identifying new opportunities for growth.

Key Responsibilities

- Develop and strengthen relationships with customers and key stakeholders across assigned markets and accounts.
- Manage opportunities from initial qualification through to proposal, negotiation and contract signature.
- Maintain an accurate and healthy sales pipeline, including forecasting, CRM management and regular reporting.
- Represent the business at customer meetings, conferences, exhibitions and industry events.
- Identify new business opportunities and support the development of market and customer strategies.
- Lead the preparation of commercial proposals, ensuring alignment with customer requirements, business objectives and profitability targets.




- Develop pricing strategies that balance competitiveness with commercial return.
- Lead commercial risk analysis and support the identification and mitigation of potential risks.
- Coordinate proposal schedules, deliverables and internal approvals.
- Assess contractual terms and negotiate commercial conditions with customers.
- Drive opportunities through to successful closure while protecting the company's commercial interests.
- Work closely with Technical Proposal Engineers, Engineering, Finance, Legal, Supply Chain, Product and Programme teams.
- Support technical and commercial discussions with customers throughout the pre-sales process.
- Translate customer requirements into compelling commercial solutions and value propositions.
- Identify competitive differentiators and provide market intelligence to support product development and business planning.
- Work with product, engineering and mission design teams to develop feasible and competitive customer solutions.
- Support senior leadership with go-to-market strategies and commercial priorities.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR

We're interested in commercially minded professionals with experience working within technical, project-based or highly engineered environments.

Ideally, you'll bring:

- 5+ years' experience in sales, business development, bid management, sales engineering or a similar commercial position.
- Proven experience managing complex B2B sales cycles, from opportunity qualification through to proposal development, negotiation and contract closure.
- Strong commercial awareness and the ability to understand technically complex products and services.
- The ability to translate customer requirements into clear, compelling commercial solutions.
- Experience working collaboratively with engineering,



product, finance, legal, supply chain and other cross-functional teams.
- Strong negotiation, presentation, communication and stakeholder management skills.
- Confidence engaging with senior-level customers and internal stakeholders.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
- A high level of ownership, accountability and autonomy.
- The ability to work effectively within a fast-paced and international environment.
- Fluent written and spoken English.

Experience within aerospace, space, defense, naval, telecommunications or another high-technology industry would be highly advantageous.

WHAT'S ON OFFER

- €45,000 – €60,000 gross annual salary, depending on experience and location.
- Performance-based variable compensation.
- Meal vouchers.
- Fitness, wellness and wellbeing benefits.
- Access to individual psychotherapy, nutrition and coaching services.
- Flexible welfare benefits.
- Flexible working arrangements and smart-working options, subject to the requirements of the role and team.
- The opportunity to work within an international and multidisciplinary technical environment.
- Significant autonomy and ownership within the role.
- The opportunity to contribute to complex projects within the rapidly developing space and aerospace sector.

Please note: Multiple opportunities may be available within the wider Sales and Commercial function across different levels of seniority. Candidates with varying levels of relevant experience may therefore be considered, with compensation adjusted accordingly.

If you're an experienced Sales, Business Development or Commercial professional with a background in aerospace, space, defense or another technically complex industry, we'd be interested in speaking with you.

Phoenix SC takes a head-hunting approach to specialist recruitment, connecting experienced professionals with organizations across the aviation, aerospace and engineering sectors.

For a confidential conversation about this opportunity, please get in touch with the Phoenix SC team.

📌 Sales Lead (Italia)
🏢 Phoenix
📍 Italia