Business Development Director — Defence (UK MoD / National Armaments Director Group)

Whitespace Global Limited is a Belfast-headquartered sovereign AI company building the infrastructure governments, public sector organisations and regulated industries need to deploy AI safely and securely. Our core platform, Collective, is an AI operating system purpose-built for sensitive, high-assurance and regulated environments. Our customers span central government, law enforcement, defence, financial institutions and critical national infrastructure. We work through an expanding partner ecosystem of global systems integrators, specialist technology firms and channel partners. This is not another SaaS company: what we build helps the organisations that keep people safe harness AI responsibly. If you want commercial work that genuinely matters, this is the place.

The MoD's April 2025 Defence Reform created the National Armaments Director Group (NADG), consolidating DE&S, Defence Digital, DSTL, DIO and Defence Support, alongside commercial, international collaboration and exports, under a single four-star-equivalent National Armaments Director. The Group owns industrial strategy, the end-to-end acquisition system, exports and international partnerships, and is mid-transition to a portfolio-based operating model in which 13 capability portfolios each sit under a two-star Portfolio Director. This is the most consequential shift in UK defence procurement in a generation, and it is happening now. We are hiring a Business Development Director to own Whitespace's relationship with the NADG and convert that access into funded programmes.

On 30 June 2026 the government published the Defence Investment Plan, replacing the Equipment Plan and setting out priorities to 2029/30, with autonomous and AI technologies underpinning much of it. Eight procurement budgets are being consolidated into a single Invest budget under the NAD, and the department is moving off the annual cycle onto a ten-year plan. The money is now named, sequenced and pointed at what we build. We are not a hopeful entrant. We already have AI applications deployed operationally with the UK MoD, we are embedded on a number of MoD projects, and we are closing a Series B to scale against exactly this opportunity. The job is to convert a strong position into a dominant one as the NADG portfolio model beds in.

We are looking for a Business Development Director to own Whitespace's commercial relationships and pipeline across the UK Ministry of Defence, with the NADG at the centre. This is a senior individual contributor role covering the breadth of the defence acquisition system: NADG portfolio teams, DE&S delivery teams, Defence Digital, DSTL, DIO, UK Defence Innovation (UKDI) and the Front Line Commands. This is not account management. You will be personally accountable for pipeline creation, capture strategy and contract signature against a defence revenue target. You will be the primary commercial point of contact for the NADG, working with our Head of Defence and National Security, Defence BD team, partnerships team, technical and operations colleagues, and bid function to turn opportunities into contracts.

The right person will have genuine sector credibility: an understanding of how defence procures technology, who the decision-makers are, and what matters to operational, technical and commercial leaders. You will be as comfortable shaping a problem statement with a Portfolio Director as navigating a single-source approvals chain.

What You'll Do

• NADG relationship ownership: Own the NADG relationship end-to-end, building senior-level engagement across NADG portfolio teams, DE&S, Defence Digital, DSTL, DIO and UKDI (now including DASA). Build multi-threaded relationships engaging operational leads, technical authorities, commercial functions and senior leadership. Act as primary commercial point of contact, protecting and growing revenue across existing and new programmes. Run strategic reviews to surface evolving requirements and expansion opportunities.
• New business and pipeline: Identify, qualify and progress opportunities from horizon-scanning to signed contract, with personal accountability for a revenue target. Shape, don't just respond, engaging upstream at problem-statement and pre-market stage so our capability is understood before requirements harden. Build and maintain a qualified pipeline in HubSpot with rigorous stage management and accurate forecasting. Execute targeted outreach combining direct approaches, partner introductions, events and sector campaigns. Work with Marketing on collateral and case studies tailored to defence audiences.
• Routes to market, capture and bids: Select and exploit the right route: the Procurement Act 2023 regime, single-source (SSCR/DEFCON, with SSRO exposure), framework call-offs, UKDI/DASA and other innovation lines, Crown Commercial Service agreements, direct award where justified, and OEM/prime subcontract routes. Lead capture strategy, win themes, pricing posture, teaming and partner selection. Qualify against clear bid/no-bid criteria and present recommendations to commercial leadership. Lead and support bid, RFP and ITT responses with bid, technical, delivery and commercial colleagues. Contribute to pricing strategy and commercial structuring.
• Partner and ecosystem: Work with our partnerships team to leverage existing relationships and co-develop opportunities. Collaborate with primes, systems integrators and technology partners on joint pipeline, co-selling and partner-led bids. Build the wider ecosystem across primes, SMEs, academia and, where relevant, NATO and Five Eyes counterparts. Maintain visibility of partner-sourced and partner-influenced pipeline.
• Translating the technology: Articulate what our technology does, and does not do, to technical, commercial and one- and two-star military audiences. Engage credibly on assurance, safety, data, model provenance and responsible-AI questions. Support demonstrations, proof-of-concept engagements and showcases with technical and delivery colleagues.
• Market intelligence: Feed intelligence into product roadmap, investment cases and positioning. Track policy, procurement trends and technology priorities across UK defence; monitor competitors and feed insight to Product, Engineering and leadership. Represent Whitespace at DVD, DSEI, DPRTE, techUK defence forums and equivalent. Maintain sector playbooks and account plans for priority customers.

What We’re Looking For

• Substantial career history inside MoD, NADG, DE&S, Defence Digital, DSTL or DIO, or a senior industry role selling into them over a sustained period.
• Deep working knowledge of UK defence acquisition: Procurement Act 2023 and its defence/security provisions, single-source regulations, the framework landscape, the approvals chain (Delegated/IAC/Treasury), the single Invest budget under the NAD, and how money flows.
• Demonstrable AI, autonomy, data or advanced software experience: enough fluency to hold a technical conversation and be believed in the room.
• Track record of closing complex, long-cycle UK government deals at £2m+ scale.
• Experience progressing complex, multi-stakeholder opportunities from qualification to signature.
• Confident, credible communicator with senior defence leaders at operational, technical and executive levels.
• Commercially astute across contract structures, pricing models, teaming and public sector commercial risk.
• Experienced with CRM platforms (ideally HubSpot) and structured pipeline management.
• Self-starter able to operate without heavy infrastructure or established playbooks.
• SC cleared and DV eligible. Right to work in the UK.
• Experience of the post-Reform NADG operating model and the portfolio transition.
• Exposure to defence exports and international collaboration.
• Understanding of AI assurance, T&E and safety-case expectations in defence.
• Understanding of sovereign AI, secure deployments or high-assurance computing in defence.
• Prior experience taking a scaleup or non-traditional supplier into MoD.
• NATO, AUKUS or Five Eyes programme exposure.
• Experience working with or through systems integrators or primes serving defence.
• Familiarity with structured sales methodologies (MEDDIC, BANT, Challenger).

Working Pattern and Culture

We work hard and we look after our people. We have built one of the most generous working patterns in the industry because sustainable high performance requires genuine rest: Four-day weeks in July, August and December. Every Friday off, all month. No annual leave required. Last Friday off every other month (Jan-Jun, Sep-Nov). Early finish at 3pm every remaining Friday. In total, roughly 22 additional full days off per year, plus the equivalent of a further 8 days in early finishes: about 30 days of extra time back on top of standard annual leave. We trust our people to deliver, and give them the space to recharge.

What We Offer

• Annual leave: 25 days plus bank holidays, plus the working pattern above (approximately 30 additional days per year).
• Private medical insurance.
• Pension.
• Electric vehicle scheme.
• Cycle to work.
• Death in service.

Armed Forces Covenant: Whitespace is a proud signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. We actively welcome applications from veterans, reservists, cadet force adult volunteers, and military spouses or partners, and are committed to supporting their transition into civilian careers. Whitespace Global Limited is an equal opportunities employer, committed to building a team that reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and do not discriminate on any basis.