At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead high-velocity delivery for defence projects and shape market opportunities.
- Company: Join Zaizi's innovative Club JURA, focused on tech-led solutions.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous leave, professional development, and health perks.
- Other info: Enjoy a supportive culture with hybrid working and personal growth opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on critical projects that enhance the UK's digital infrastructure.
- Qualifications: Experience in defence sector and strong portfolio management skills required.
The predicted salary is between 85000 - 115000 € per year.
The Mission
Club JURA is Zaizi’s dedicated high-assurance delivery arm for Defence. We are moving away from traditional, slow-moving consultancy structures toward a tech-led, high-velocity delivery model.
Reporting to the Club Exec, you will be the operational anchor and growth catalyst of Club JURA. You will oversee the deployment, cadence, and commercial execution of our high-assurance portfolio, while actively collaborating with our sales & marketing teams to shape upcoming market opportunities. You will ensure that our high performing teams are structurally positioned to deliver mission advantage on time and aligned with emerging MoD requirements, built on balanced financial foundations.
Key Skills & Competencies
- Opportunity Shaping & Capture Strategy: Skilled at translating early-stage MoD problem spaces into defined, deliverable software workstreams during pre-sales and discovery phases.
- Engineering Partnership: Ability to co-lead the club with the Head of Engineering, balancing the demand for "Wartime Pace" velocity with strict systems engineering and safety-critical assurance.
- Portfolio & Programme Governance: Masterful command of complex project lifecycles within defence contexts, aligning delivery directly to the MoD's long-term sovereign strategy.
- Commercial Framework Navigation: Highly conversant in MoD commercial gateways, frameworks, and supplier risk factors (e.g., DIPS 2.0, TS4, DOSBG, DASA).
- High-Velocity Methodology Orchestration: Ability to overlay traditional systems engineering lifecycles (V-Model) with agile software delivery, DevSecOps, and GDS standards to operate at "Wartime Pace".
- Executive Stakeholder Diplomacy: Exceptional gravitas; the ability to gravitate effortlessly between technical engineering specialists, Tier 1 Prime partners, and senior military/civilian stakeholders (3*/4* level).
A Day in the Life of the Head of Delivery
- AM – The Unified Battle Rhythm: You kick off the morning alongside the Head of Engineering. Together, you review the portfolio dashboard across JURA's Strategic Pillars. You check in on the squad's velocity and ensure your delivery leads are unblocked on client milestones.
- AM – Pre-Bid Problem Shaping: You and the Head of Engineering huddle with the sales & marketing team and key ecosystem partners, potential or established, to review new capability gaps identified by customer segments of interest. You help shape the operational delivery approach for the upcoming bid, ensuring our proposed software architecture is realistic, high-velocity, and highly secure.
- AM – Framework Opportunity Mapping: You meet with commercial leads to map out our capture pipeline for commercial frameworks i.e. DIPS 2.0 or R&D focussed initiatives in the mould of DASA Cycles. You ensure we are proactively structuring our delivery models to target the MoD's mandated SME spend requirements.
- PM – Cross-Cabinet Alignment: You sit down with the internal Heads of Engineering and Delivery at Zaizi. Your focus is to ensure that technology innovations generated within JURA are cross-pollinated company-wide without creating technical debt or violating strict security protocols.
- PM – High-Level Executive Briefing: You join the Club Exec to brief senior stakeholders on our progress on multiple opportunities exploration. You translate technical portfolio data into clear operational advantages and "Command Intent" executive summaries.
- PM – Financial Floor & Board Reporting: You close the day compiling the monthly portfolio health and revenue forecast report for the Management Board, proving how our opportunity-shaping activities are actively mitigating framework delays and de-risking the club's financial floor.
Requirements & Background
- Clearance: Active UK Developed Vetting (DV) is mandatory.
- Domain Experience: Deep background within the UK Defence and National Security sector is essential.
- Operational Pedigree: Military operational context and/or significant defence domain experience is essential. The successful candidate will bring a first-hand understanding of command structures, joint-theatre data requirements, and defence procurement complexity, combined with a proven corporate track record in Portfolio Management (P3O/MoP/MSP/PRINCE2 Agile) and pre-sales opportunity shaping.
Salary: £85,000 - £115,000
SC Clearance: Zaizi works with UK Central Government departments on a range of projects. To be able to work on our customer projects, employees must be Security Cleared to a standard acceptable to our Government customers. Due to this restriction we can currently only recruit candidates who have the right to work in the UK without sponsorship and who have lived in the UK for the last 5+ years continuously.
Compensation
- Competitive Pay: Salaries reviewed annually to ensure they reflect your performance and market value.
- Loyalty Pension: We invest in your future. Starting at a 5% employer contribution, we increase this by 0.5% every year after your third anniversary, up to a maximum of 8%.
- Protection: Comprehensive Group Life Assurance for peace of mind.
Purpose & Culture
- Real Impact: Work on mission-critical projects that secure and improve the UK's digital infrastructure.
- Autonomy: A culture that empowers you to make decisions, prototype rapidly, and iterate towards success.
- Service & Community: We support those who serve. 10 paid days for Reservist Military Service.
Work / Life Balance
- Time Off: 25 days annual leave + Bank Holidays, with the flexibility to Buy/Sell additional days to suit your lifestyle.
- Giving back: 2 paid volunteering days per year.
Development & Growth
- Master Your Craft: Fully funded professional certifications (AWS, GCP, Agile, etc.) supported by 5 days paid study leave.
- Expand Your Horizons: An additional £500 annual "Personal Choice" fund to learn whatever inspires you—work-related or not.
- Support: Access to 1-2-1 professional coaching and team training to accelerate your career.
Health & Balance
- Premium Health: Vitality Private Medical Insurance (includes Apple Watch, gym discounts, and rewards).
- Flexibility: Genuine hybrid working with a WFH equipment allowance to perfect your home setup.
- Wellbeing: Cycle to Work scheme and a commitment to sustainable, healthy working practices.
Head of Delivery employer: Zaizi Ltd
At Zaizi, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, particularly for the Head of Delivery role within Club JURA. Our commitment to a tech-led, high-velocity delivery model fosters a dynamic work culture that empowers employees to make impactful decisions while working on mission-critical projects for the UK Defence sector. With competitive salaries, comprehensive benefits, and a strong focus on professional development, including fully funded certifications and personal growth opportunities, we ensure our team members thrive both personally and professionally in a supportive and innovative environment.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Delivery
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with folks in the defence sector. Attend industry events, join relevant online forums, and don’t be shy about reaching out on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by doing your homework. Understand Club JURA’s mission and how your skills align with their high-velocity delivery model. Be ready to discuss how you can shape opportunities and navigate commercial frameworks effectively.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your operational pedigree! When chatting with potential employers, highlight your military experience or any significant defence domain work. They want to see that you understand the complexities of defence procurement and command structures.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the StudySmarter family and contributing to impactful projects.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Delivery
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application:Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight how your experience aligns with the key skills and competencies mentioned in the job description. We want to see how you can bring your unique background to the Head of Delivery role!
Showcase Your Defence Experience:Since this role is all about the UK Defence sector, don’t hold back on sharing your relevant experiences. Whether it’s military operational context or defence procurement, we’re keen to see how your background can contribute to our mission.
Be Clear and Concise:When writing your application, clarity is key! Use straightforward language and get straight to the point. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications and fit for the role.
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 the role. Plus, it’s super easy to do!
How to prepare for a job interview at Zaizi Ltd
✨Know Your Defence Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of the UK Defence and National Security sector. Understand the current challenges and opportunities within this space, especially those related to MoD requirements. This will help you demonstrate your expertise and show that you're the right fit for the Head of Delivery role.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in high-pressure environments. Highlight your experience in balancing speed with safety-critical assurance, as this is crucial for the role. Be ready to discuss how you can foster collaboration between engineering and delivery teams to achieve 'Wartime Pace' results.
✨Master the Commercial Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with MoD commercial gateways and frameworks like DIPS 2.0 and DASA. Be prepared to discuss how you've navigated these in past roles and how you plan to leverage them to shape upcoming market opportunities at Club JURA.
✨Engage with Executive Stakeholders
Think about your approach to engaging with senior military and civilian stakeholders. Prepare to share strategies you've used to communicate complex technical information clearly and effectively. This will showcase your ability to translate operational advantages into compelling narratives for executive briefings.
