Business Development Manager - EU
Avon Protection · Remote, US ·
- Work mode
- Remote
- Employment
- Contract
- Category
- Sales
- Experience
- 7+ years
Job Title: Business Development Manager - EU
Location: Remote
Business Unit: Team Wendy/Avon Protection
About Avon Technologies:
We are a world leader in protective equipment, with a reputation for innovative design, high-performance quality and specialist materials expertise. Our two brands, Avon Protection and Team Wendy, supply our respiratory and head protection portfolio to custo mers across the globe from our manufacturing sites in the UK and North America. With over 900 talented people our shared purpose and core beliefs are to be #FIERCE about Protecting Lives. It's why we come to work - and it's what motivates us, every day, to do the best work we can
Position Summary
The Business Development Manager – Europe is responsible for growing Team Wendy’s presence, brand awareness, and revenue across European defense and law enforcement markets. Reporting to the Senior International Business Development Director, Europe & Middle East, this role provides dedicated, in-region engagement with NSPA, NATO, national military organizations, law enforcement agencies, distributors, and end users.
The role exists to close a critical market coverage gap, ensure Team Wendy engages early in procurement and modernization cycles, influence future requirements, and build long-term customer relationships that position Team Wendy head protection solutions as the preferred choice across Europe.Key Responsibilities
Market Development & Strategy
- Develop and execute a European business development plan aligned with Team Wendy’s international growth strategy and annual sales targets.
- Identify, qualify, and prioritize opportunities across NATO member states, national ministries of defense, special operations forces, and law enforcement agencies.
- Monitor procurement timelines, modernization programs, and tender activity (including NSPA and national programs) to ensure early engagement and positioning.
- Gather and share market intelligence on customer needs, competitor activity, pricing trends, and emerging requirements.
Customer & Stakeholder Engagement
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers, program offices, procurement officials, and end users across the region.
- Educate stakeholders on Team Wendy products and capabilities to influence requirements early in the acquisition cycle.
- Lead customer meetings, product demonstrations, user evaluations, and field trials.
- Provide responsive, in-region support to customers and ensure customer feedback is captured and communicated to internal teams.
Sales Execution & Channel Management
- Manage the full sales cycle from lead generation through proposal, negotiation, and contract award.
- Coordinate tender and bid responses in partnership with internal sales operations, contracts, engineering, and product management teams.
- Recruit, develop, and manage in-country distributors, agents, and partners as appropriate.
- Maintain accurate pipeline, forecast, and customer activity records in the CRM system.
Brand Representation & Collaboration
- Represent Team Wendy at defense and security trade shows, conferences, and industry events across Europe.
- Partner with Marketing to support regional campaigns and ensure messaging reflects local market needs.
- Collaborate with Product Management and Engineering to communicate customer requirements and support product development.
- Ensure all business activities comply with export control regulations (including ITAR/EAR), anti-bribery and corruption laws, and company policies.
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Qualifications
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, International Relations, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
- 7+ years of business development or sales experience in the defense, security, or law enforcement sector, with a proven record of winning new business.
- Demonstrated experience working with NATO, NSPA, European ministries of defense, or national procurement agencies.
- Strong understanding of European defense procurement processes, tenders, and acquisition cycles.
- Established network of contacts within European military and/or law enforcement communities.
- Experience managing distributors, agents, or channel partners.
- Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
- Ability to work independently in a remote environment and manage a large geographic territory.
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Willingness to travel extensively across Europe (approximately 50%+), with occasional travel to the US.Valid passport and ability to travel freely within Europe and to the US.
Skills & Competencies
- Prior military or law enforcement service, or direct experience as an end user of protective equipment.
- Knowledge of personal protective equipment, ballistic protection, or head-borne systems.
- Fluency in one or more European languages in addition to English (e.g., French, German, Polish, Spanish, or Italian).
- Familiarity with export control regulations (ITAR/EAR) and EU defense trade requirements.
- Experience using CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) for pipeline and forecast management.
- Ability to obtain or hold a security clearance.
- Strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen and a customer-first mindset
What We Offer:
- Flexible Schedule
- Competitive Compensation Package
- Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
- 401k Matching
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Learning and Development Initiatives
This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with this job. While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the job requirements, management reserved the right to modify, add or remove duties from particular jobs and to assign other duties as necessary.
Responsibilities of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.
U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum (but excluding persons in nonimmigrant status such as H-1B, L-1, F-1, etc.) or non-U.S. citizens.
To comply with these laws, and in conjunction with the review of candidates for those positions within Avon that may present access to export controlled technical data, Avon must assess employees' U.S. person status, as well as citizenship(s).
The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only. Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position. The decision whether or not to file or pursue an export license application is at Avon's sole election.
U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum (but excluding persons in nonimmigrant status such as H-1B, L-1, F-1, etc.) or non-U.S. citizens.
To comply with these laws, and in conjunction with the review of candidates for those positions within Avon that may present access to export controlled technical data, Avon must assess employees' U.S. person status, as well as citizenship(s).
The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only. Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position. The decision whether or not to file or pursue an export license application is at Avon's sole election.
Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without a sponsorship for employment visa status (e.e. H1B status).
The anticipated salary range for candidates who will work in Cleveland, OH is $109,000 to $186,000 Annually. The final salary offered to a successful candidate will be dependent on several factors that may include but are not limited to the type and years of experience within the job, type and years of experience within the industry, education, etc.
EOE, Including Vet/Disability