Head of MSU in Stevenage

MBDA has created its Corporate University, called the "Missile Systems University" (MSU), to sustain and further develop core capabilities for its domestic and export customers. The MSU defines and executes MBDA's contractual obligations in transferring Weapon Systems Knowledge and Technologies to its customers and partners.

MBDA is seeking an experienced and strategic leader to head the UK arm of our Missile Systems University (MSU) - a unique organisation responsible for transferring critical weapon systems knowledge and expertise to customers and partners around the world. Reporting to the Group Head of MSU, you will lead the UK strategy, oversee the delivery of contractual commitments, support international export campaigns, and drive the development of innovative training and knowledge-transfer solutions. You will play a key role in protecting MBDA's brand, financial margins and reputation, ensuring customer satisfaction, and supporting business growth across global defence programmes.

What you'll be doing:

• Leading the UK Missile Systems University strategy in alignment with MBDA's global vision.
• Supporting export contract wins through compelling Transfer of Knowledge solutions.
• Ensuring successful delivery of customer commitments, delivering realistic bids and risk assessing while protecting financial performance.
• Identifying and mitigating contractual and delivery risks to avoid non-acceptance and penalties.
• Proactively escalating financial and reputational risks with mitigation or recovery plans.
• Developing new learning and capability-building offerings for international customers.
• Managing and developing a small specialist team and external partners.
• Representing MSU UK in HR, workforce planning and governance bodies ensuring MSU constraints, risks, and priorities are visible and arbitrated.
• Acting as the official MSU UK representative towards UK export customers and partners, ensuring credibility, consistency, and professionalism.
• Developing and managing strategic partnerships with UK academic institutions, military organisations, training authorities, and research bodies, in line with Group MSU objectives.
• Ensuring external engagements and partnerships do not introduce uncontrolled contractual, IP, export, or reputational risks.

What we are looking for:

• Significant leadership experience within defence, aerospace, engineering, or another highly regulated environment with direct accountability for delivery and teams.
• Proven success in programme delivery, customer engagement, and team leadership.
• Experience working on export programmes, international customers, and complex contractual frameworks.
• Track record of contributing to business development, bid activities, or contract capture.
• Experience managing financial risk, margins, and penalty exposure in contract execution with excellent commercial awareness.
• Ability to build strong relationships with customers, academic institutions, military organisations, and industry partners.
• Ability to travel extensively internationally, both in Europe and rest of the world is required. Travel could be for up to a week every month depending on requirements of business and customer.

This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of defence knowledge transfer on a global scale, working at the intersection of strategy, innovation, customer engagement, and capability development within one of the world's leading defence organisations.