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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead strategic engagement in defence and security using innovative space technology.
- Company: A pioneering UK space innovation organisation focused on national security.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership role, and opportunity to shape national impact.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in defence and security while driving economic growth.
- Qualifications: Strong leadership skills and experience in defence or space sectors.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team with opportunities for professional development and impactful outcomes.
The predicted salary is between 72000 - 108000 £ per year.
Our client is a UK based space innovation organisation operating at the forefront of national security and defence capability. They are seeking a senior Director Defence and Security to lead strategic engagement across the UK defence and security ecosystem. This is a high impact leadership role for an individual motivated by the application of space technology to real world defence and security challenges in the UK and internationally. The role sits at the intersection of space, defence, and government priorities, with a clear mandate to deliver national impact, support sovereign capability, and contribute to economic growth.
As Defence Lead, the successful candidate will shape and deliver defence strategy, build trusted senior relationships across government and industry, and lead initiatives that strengthen national resilience through cutting edge, dual use space capabilities, aligned to the UK National Space Strategy and UK Defence Space Strategy.
Role Purpose
As Director Defence and Security, you will shape and deliver the organisation’s defence strategy, building trusted relationships across the defence and security landscape and ensuring readiness to meet evolving customer needs. You will lead a small team and work across a matrix organisation to deliver high impact outcomes, including mission led programmes. You will also support high potential businesses operating in the defence and space sector, helping accelerate their growth to meet customer demand.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Leadership: Refine and execute the defence and security strategy in alignment with national priorities and defence space policy.
- Demand Creation: Drive opportunity generation and develop a robust pipeline to support sustainable growth.
- Team Leadership: Lead a small core team and coordinate cross functional matrix teams across multiple programmes.
- Delivery Oversight: Ensure effective delivery of defence related activities and strengthen organisational capability to service defence contracts.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Lead senior level customer engagement and build trusted relationships across defence, security, government, and industry.
- Capability Development: Support the development of technical, cultural, and infrastructure capabilities required by defence customers.
- Financial Management: Manage budgets and maintain strong financial oversight to support long term sustainability.
- Performance Tracking: Monitor progress against milestones and KPIs to maintain momentum and accountability.
Skills and Attributes
- Strong leadership, influencing, and communication skills, with the ability to build long term trusted relationships across government, industry, and internal teams.
- Confident public speaker, experienced in presenting to senior stakeholders and diverse audiences.
- Skilled in producing compelling stakeholder presentations and proposals for both technical and non technical audiences.
- Ability to develop creative, client focused solutions to complex problems.
- Comfortable operating at a strategic and conceptual level, articulating clear value propositions.
- Collaborative mindset, with experience horizon scanning emerging technologies and capabilities.
- Ability to co create and deliver joined up market engagement strategies.
- Experience aligning corporate marketing and communications with sector specific messaging to support lead generation.
- Strong focus on measurable impact, revenue generation, and outcomes.
- Effective operator within matrix organisations, leveraging cross functional expertise.
- Proactive in identifying and resolving internal blockers to maintain delivery pace.
- Able to shift between long term strategy and near term operational delivery as required.
- Must hold, or be eligible to obtain, UK Security Clearance, with potential requirement for DV clearance.
Desirable Experience
- Background working with or within defence, space, government innovation bodies, or public private partnerships.
- Understanding of mission led innovation models within defence and space contexts.
- Knowledge of dual use technologies and their role in national resilience and security.
Director of Defence and Security in Oxford employer: Unify
Contact Detail:
Unify Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Director of Defence and Security in Oxford
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the defence and security sector. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out to potential contacts on LinkedIn. Building those relationships can open doors for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Showcase your expertise! Prepare a killer presentation that highlights your experience and insights into space technology and its application in defence. This will not only demonstrate your knowledge but also your ability to communicate effectively with senior stakeholders.
✨Tip Number 3
Be proactive in your approach! Research the organisation and its current projects, and come up with ideas on how you can contribute to their defence strategy. Presenting these ideas during interviews shows initiative and a genuine interest in their mission.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website! We’ve got all the latest job openings, and applying directly can give you an edge. Plus, it’s a great way to show your enthusiasm for joining our team and making an impact in the defence and security landscape.
We think you need these skills to ace Director of Defence and Security in Oxford
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in defence and security. We want to see how your background aligns with the role's focus on space technology and national resilience.
Showcase Leadership Skills: This role is all about strategic leadership, so don’t hold back! Share examples of how you've led teams and built relationships across different sectors. We love seeing candidates who can inspire and influence others.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward. Use clear language to articulate your ideas and experiences. We appreciate a well-structured application that gets straight to the point!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity in the defence and security landscape.
How to prepare for a job interview at Unify
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the latest developments in defence and space technology. Brush up on the UK National Space Strategy and Defence Space Strategy, as these will be key talking points. Being able to discuss how these strategies align with the organisation's goals will show your commitment and understanding of the role.
✨Build Relationships
Since this role involves a lot of stakeholder engagement, think about how you can demonstrate your ability to build trusted relationships. Prepare examples from your past experiences where you successfully engaged with senior stakeholders or led cross-functional teams. This will highlight your leadership skills and collaborative mindset.
✨Showcase Your Strategic Thinking
Be ready to discuss your approach to refining and executing defence strategies. Think of specific instances where you’ve developed creative, client-focused solutions to complex problems. This will illustrate your capability to operate at both strategic and operational levels, which is crucial for this position.
✨Prepare for Financial Oversight Questions
Since financial management is part of the role, brush up on your budgeting and financial oversight skills. Be prepared to discuss how you’ve managed budgets in previous roles and how you ensure long-term sustainability. This will demonstrate your ability to maintain strong financial oversight in a high-impact leadership position.
