Strategy Consultant Defence Industry in Manchester

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future. As strategies, technologies, and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity. Our teams of interdisciplinary experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results.

Hybrid working - our approach is to be in the office or on client site a minimum of 3 days per week. However, the actual time you spend and where you spend it will vary by role or assignment, including up to 5 days per week on a client site. This role can be based in our London, Bristol or Manchester offices.

Operating at the leading edge of consulting, we are market leaders in developing actionable strategies that achieve the fastest path to impact. This includes:

• Enterprise Strategy: We help clients develop long‑term business/organisational strategies (private and public sector) to better enable them to deliver against their objectives, including optimising resource distribution and crafting targeted mergers and acquisition agendas.
• Growth Strategy: We help clients better understand market dynamics and create demand‑driven strategies that identify and capitalise on growth opportunities.
• Sustainability: We work with clients to develop credible and targeted approaches to improve sustainability by providing environmental, social and economic prosperity.

We define success as achieving exceptional results that have a lasting impact on businesses, communities and team members. It’s a principle that underpins everything we do. Our clients choose us because we challenge convention to find the solutions that really work – in practice, not just on paper. Then we roll up our sleeves and get the job done.

We operate across a number of industry sectors, providing deep contextual insight and fresh perspectives to our clients. We are growing our teams in London, recruiting talented team members from a range of backgrounds and experience levels into our consulting ranked roles.

You will lead in the development and execution of the latest strategic thinking and have a thirst for insight and problem solving. You will work with CX‑level clients across many sectors to develop and implement strategies to create value and transform their organisations. You will join a people‑oriented team of experienced and inquisitive individuals who help business leaders across many sectors create a lasting impact on their organisations.

We are hiring consultants with at least three years of relevant professional experience in either a consulting role or in industry who are natural problem‑solvers and constantly curious. This role requires a strong foundation in consulting skills combined with deep knowledge of the defence sector.

Attributes and Experience

• Defence Industry Expertise: Experience working in the defence industry, either with a top‑tier consultancy or for a Tier 1 Defence Company, or as a component supplier to larger defence companies. Understanding of topical issues affecting UK and/or European defence supply chains, with emphasis on overcoming barriers to scaling innovation. Ability to apply knowledge of defence supply chain issues when working with MOD and Government clients.
• Strategic and Analytical Skills: Proactivity and strategic thinking, demonstrating experience in logic structure, issue tree analysis, and innovation across complex industry challenges. Experience of hypothesis‑led analytical strategy work and creative problem solving in defence industry or supply chain contexts. Strong commercial awareness, including understanding procurement and regulatory landscapes and leveraging private finance to enable scaling in defence production. Analytically minded with demonstrated competency across different analytical frameworks, including proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
• Client Engagement and Communication: Client‑oriented, able to develop strong relationships and understand client challenges, with opportunities to present recommendations to senior leaders. Ability to simplify complexity, drawn from experience in consulting or commercial roles within industry.

Our consultants are expected to be hands‑on, working together with our clients to bring energy, direction and expertise to help them solve their most pressing strategic challenges. We pride ourselves in partnering alongside clients – the best way to deliver real and long‑lasting value. Our roles often involve on‑site working at client locations and often require regular travel to various client sites. In‑office working is further required and encouraged to support team development and integration with our wider growth strategy team and sector specialists.

In addition to the formal benefits set out below, we are passionate about the personal and career development of all our consultants. Our team is committed to providing the opportunities, support, training and coaching required at all levels to ensure our consultants can all achieve their potential. We know the skill‑gap and ‘somewhat need to tick every box’ can get in the way of meeting brilliant candidates, so please don’t hesitate to apply – we’d love to hear from you.

Please be aware that some of our UK roles at PA Consulting require a UK security clearance. All PA people are required to undergo background checks and to achieve the Baseline Personnel Security Standard; however, some UK roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting, where applicants must have at least 5 years of continuous residency in the UK. We therefore ask that you only apply if you meet the residency requirements (i.e. you are a British citizen or have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years), as this is the prerequisite for a security clearance. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, we encourage you to review the UK Government’s guidance on security vetting before applying.

We are dedicated to supporting the physical, emotional, social and financial well‑being of our people. Check out some of our extensive benefits:

• Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare.
• 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days.
• Generous company pension scheme.
• Opportunity to get involved with community and charity‑based initiatives.
• Annual performance‑based bonus.
• PA share ownership.
• Tax efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn).

We’re committed to advancing equality. We recruit, retain, reward and develop our people based solely on their abilities and contributions and without reference to their age, background, disability, genetic information, parental or family status, religion or belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity (or expression), political belief, veteran status, or any other range of human difference brought about by identity and experience. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

Adjustments or accommodations - Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us on recruitmentenquiries@paconsulting.com.