Deputy Director

Working Pattern: As this role is deployed to MOD DNE, we defer to their local location strategy and operational demands. Office attendance and hybrid working patterns will be aligned with the host department's specific requirements. Office attendance expectation: 3-4 days a week regular with UK and international travel as required. Relocation costs will not be reimbursed. This is a pivotal time to join the Defence Nuclear Enterprise (DNE) within the Ministry of Defence. You will operate at the centre of national security, delivering one of the Department's highest-priority defence programmes. The DNE oversees all nuclear activity, working with partners including the Royal Navy, Submarine Delivery Agency, UK Strategic Command, AWE, and key industry suppliers such as BAE Systems, Rolls-Royce and Babcock. An opportunity has arisen in DNE Commercial following the expansion of our portfolio, with a focus on the Nuclear Fuels Programme (NFP). NFP's purpose is to secure end-to-end nuclear fuel capability to meet the UK's defence requirement, including the supply of both Low and Highly Enriched Uranium for the submarine programme. This work underpins the UK nuclear deterrent and represents one of the most complex and high-profile programmes within the DNE. We are seeking a driven and highly capable Deputy Director to operate at pace in a demanding environment. The role requires strong stakeholder management and negotiation skills, alongside the ability to lead and motivate a small, expert commercial team delivering complex procurement and acquisition activity. The post offers significant access to commercial and professional development across the Defence Nuclear Enterprise. The role is based in MOD Main Building (London) or MOD Abbey Wood (Bristol) at least four days per week, with travel between London, Bristol, Reading, and internationally as required. The position requires Developed Vetting (DV) clearance or a willingness to undergo the process prior to appointment.,

• Own and drive the NFP industrial and commercial strategy, mobilising industry, public sector bodies, and allies to deliver programme outcomes.
• Act as a senior commercial lead for key relationships with industry, allied nations, and public bodies, and as a key interface between MoD and commercial partners.
• Lead the structuring and negotiation of major infrastructure and construction programmes, including the use of bespoke and non-traditional procurement, commercial acquisition, and corporate finance solutions.
• Oversee and contract-manage multi-billion-pound infrastructure and construction programmes, securing value for money and embedding secure-by-design principles.
• Develop the programme's commercial R&D and intellectual property strategy as part of the wider industrial approach.
• Provide clear leadership to and drive culture in the programme's commercial team, working closely with UK Government Investments' corporate finance function and contributing to the leadership of the wider DNE commercial community.
• Act as the conduit between the programme and DNE's wider industrial strategy and strategic engagement with industry.
• Serve as a member of the DNE Commercial Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Commercial Director for Fuels and Warhead., We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:
• Analyses short and long-term commercial impacts to guide strategic decisions. Objectively weighs risks and benefits, taking accountability for results to consistently deliver efficient, confident outcomes.
• Ability to successfully lead multiple complex, high value commercial negotiations simultaneously and to demanding timescales. Transactions are likely to require bespoke, non-traditional procurement approaches and/or corporate finance solutions.
• Able to clearly identify and articulate key strategic commercial goals for the programme. Drives the delivery of these goals by ensuring buy-in from the programme team and senior departmental stakeholders to achieve successful outcomes.
• Expert at building senior-level relationships, including with Ministers and Permanent Secretaries. Skilled at presenting with authority to diverse audiences, engaging internal and external stakeholders to drive successful programme outcomes.
• Proactively identify commercial risks by analysing data across a range of sources. Adept at communicating mitigation strategies to stakeholders at all levels, ensuring value for money and alignment with commercial objectives.
• Ability to define the industrial and commercial strategy for the programme and to organise and galvanise industry, public bodies, and allies to deliver it.
  
  Exceptional resilience, operating effectively in a high-pressure national security environment and delivering against some of the UK's most critical priorities.
• Proven capability to develop and execute industrial and commercial strategies, including non-traditional approaches such as mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and equity-based models.
• A strong track record leading complex, high-value commercial transactions, delivering to demanding timescales through the effective leadership of interdisciplinary teams.
• Significant experience providing strategic oversight of concurrent large-scale construction and infrastructure programmes, with the ability to identify issues early, take corrective action, and engage effectively with stakeholders across all tiers of the supply chain to ensure value for money and on-time delivery. Experience developing, placing, and managing contracts using industry best practice, including both bespoke and standard forms (e.g. NEC and JCT), is essential.
• An experienced and credible negotiator, with a demonstrable record of securing outstanding outcomes while maintaining strong senior-level customer and supplier relationships.
• Experience and/or a strong understanding of the defence sector, including relevant national security considerations.
• Excellent communication skills and presence, with the credibility to engage at Board, Permanent Secretary, Ministerial, and C-suite levels, and the ability to navigate complex stakeholder environments to drive decisions and approvals.
• Strong leadership capability, with a clear record of building, motivating, and sustaining high-performing, resilient programme teams through clear direction and a defined culture.
• Experience operating in technically complex industries, working closely with subject-matter experts in areas including R&D, manufacturing, safety and security regulation, and environmental compliance.
Eligibility and requirements:
• This role is reserved for British nationals and requires Developed Vetting (DV) and additional security clearances, including engagement with classified communities.
• Ability to attend the London or Bristol office at least four days per week to work on classified programmes.
• Willingness to travel internationally to engage with suppliers and visit industrial sites
  
  The Government Commercial Organisation (GCO) has been established as a unified employer for senior commercial professionals deployed across departments, leading the UK's most complex and innovative projects. As part of the Civil Service, both the GCO and the Government Commercial Function (GCF) operatefrom the Cabinet Office, working collaboratively to deliver exceptional results.
Our expertise spans a diverse range of categories and sectors, encompassing procurement, contract management, market analysis, and the development of strategic commercial solutions. We are dedicated to ensuring high-impact outcomes, whether it's delivering clean and secure energy or procuring cutting-edgetechnology for NHS hospitals. Public procurement across the UK - in England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland - involves working with a wide spectrum of suppliers, from small and medium enterprises to large corporations and social enterprises. Our teams operate across all four nations, committed to safeguarding our security, protecting the environment, and enhancing public services that millions rely on daily. The GCF brings together commercial professionals and specialists from various disciplines, all united by a shared goal: making a meaningful difference for the UK. We are committed to securing value for taxpayers' money and delivering innovative solutions for the nation. Join us on our journey to establish the UK's premier Commercial Function. Together, we can shape a better future for the country.