Location:
Remote working with travel for events, to partner sites and meetings – primarily in London and the South and more occasionally to other regional centres.
About Ploughshare:
At Ploughshare, we turn cutting‑edge defence and security research into real‑world solutions. We work with scientists, engineers and innovators to bring new technologies to market through licensing, spin-out creation and strategic partnerships.
This is a 12 month fixed term opportunity to join our growing market capability. This role sits at the heart of driving commercial outcomes – owning relationships with key stakeholders, shaping how innovation is surfaced and taken to market, and directly influencing the conversion of opportunity into impact across our core business.
Our work is fast‑moving, meaningful and contributes directly to national security, industry growth and wider societal benefit.
About the role:
As our Marketing Manager, you will lead the development and execution of marketing and go-to-market activity across two critical fronts:
Internally (MOD): building strong working relationships with the Ministry Of Defence communications, Intellectual Property and Science & Technology stakeholders to drive awareness, engagement and increased disclosure of innovations in a co-ordinated cohesive plan.
Externally (market): developing and executing best-practice approaches to engage SMEs, entrepreneurs and industry to drive demand and support successful licensing outcomes, and in support of new business development for Ploughshare’s consulting services offer.
The role connects the flow of innovation from source to market – ensuring high-quality opportunities are surfaced, positioned and converted – working closely with the Commercialisation team and Content Marketing Manager to deliver integrated campaigns including digital, events, social media and partnerships.
Key responsibilities:
MOD Engagement & Internal Campaigns (Supply Creation)
- Build trusted relationships with MOD communications teams, Intellectual Property team and Science & Technology stakeholders.
- Plan and deliver structured internal campaigns to inspire and increase invention disclosures, across relevant MOD channels (e.g. intranet, team briefings, events, leadership touchpoints).
- Translate Ploughshare’s value clearly to MOD audiences, ensuring understanding of the appropriate routes to disclose innovations.
Market Activation & SME/Industry Engagement (Demand Creation)
- Ensure each new licence opportunity is represented effectively across our digital channels, from website to digital licencing.
- Develop and execute go-to-market strategies targeting SMEs, entrepreneurs and sector-specific audiences.
- Apply light account-based marketing approaches for priority opportunities, identifying and targeting high-potential organisations or segments with tailored outreach and engagement.
- Design outreach programmes that generate qualified interest in licensing opportunities.
- Ensure alignment between marketing activity and commercialisation pipeline priorities.
Campaign Delivery, Best Practice & Insight
- Lead the development and delivery of integrated marketing campaigns in close partnership with the Content Marketing Manager, ensuring clear, compelling and audience-specific messaging across both MOD and external audiences. Campaigns will also include targeting Industry clients with our consulting services in support of new business development.
- Take a cross-portfolio view of technologies and clients to identify and embed repeatable best practice approaches to market engagement, working closely with the Commercialisation team to refine how opportunities are positioned and taken to market.
- Capture insight from campaigns and engagement activity, using data and feedback to continuously improve targeting, messaging and conversion.
- Track and report on campaign effectiveness, engagement levels and pipeline contribution, clearly articulating marketing’s impact on commercial outcomes.
What success looks like:
- Support the increased volume and quality of disclosed opportunities.
- Improved engagement with MOD, the IPG Group and S&T communities.
- Deliver clear campaign plans, aligned to MOD priorities.
- Increased demand for licensing opportunities.
- Conversion from marketing activity into commercial pipeline.
- High-quality, targeted and credible campaign execution across MOD and external audiences.
- Defined and evolving GTM playbooks, informed by real campaign insight.
- Improved efficiency, consistency and effectiveness of campaigns over time.
- Strong alignment between marketing and commercialisation functions.
- Clear evidence of marketing contribution to licensing pipeline and outcomes.
What you will bring:
- Experience operating across both internal engagement and external market activation.
- Strong stakeholder management within complex organisations (e.g. government, defence, or regulated sectors).
- Ability to translate technical innovation into compelling, market-facing propositions.
- Experience engaging SMEs, startups or innovation ecosystems.
- Collaborative mindset with ability to work cross-functionally (especially with commercial and content teams).
Our values:
At Ploughshare, our values guide how we work, collaborate and make decisions:
- Collaboration
Building trust, alignment and shared purpose across diverse stakeholders.
- Integrity
Operating with professionalism, discretion and accountability.
- Innovation
Supporting creative approaches that help to unlock system‑level impact.
- Analytical
Uses data and insight to inform decisions and improve commercial outcomes/results of campaigns.
Our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion:
We are committed to building a diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. We know that diversity fuels innovation, and we actively encourage candidates from underrepresented groups in STEM, commercialisation and defence‑related fields to apply. If you need adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process, we will support you.
How to apply:
If this opportunity excites you, please submit your CV via the form below. For any questions, please email HR@ploughshare.co.uk
