Careers

Current opportunities

 

Role: Business Development Lead - Supportability Engineering

Department: Supportability

Location: CDS Defence Support CHELTENHAM/BRISTOL

Applications to: frazer.ross@cdsds.uk

Reporting into the Business Development and Sales Director, your primary role will be to feed the Supportability Engineering Business Unit a challenging flow of attractive and winnable opportunities, developing the company’s Supportability Engineering offer.  You will target areas and opportunities for consolidation, innovation, disruption and growth, as well as developing business opportunities externally.  You will also generate draft written material for bid and tender submissions, ensuring they meet both customer specifications and company standards.

 

Main responsibilities

Specifically, you will:

• Focus on Supportability Engineering, Through Life Support and all elements of ILS
• Develop business in UK defence Land and Maritime domains, and potentially in the cyber arena (not essential) to drive a strong future pipeline of work, growing sustainable revenue and profits
• Manage the Supportability Engineering contribution to the CDS DS research and business planning process to ensure delivery against key performance metrics, with a strong emphasis on new business sales (client, competition and market)
• Meet or exceed agreed order intake, turnover and profit, as well as return on business development investment activity
• Provide market intelligence, strategic options and sales pipelines and forecasts into annual business planning activities, including near, mid-term and strategic opportunities
• Reinforce long-term client relationships spanning multiple service offerings
• Stimulate and review new market opportunities and identify market trends
• Seek and build new client relationships to ensure the business has a diverse and resilient client-base, encouraging enduring engagement to CDS DS
• Cross-sell and leverage business from new and established client relationships, facilitating client introductions
• Generate short-term results while maintaining a long-term perspective to maximise overall revenue generation
• Contribute as a member of the Business Unit management team, building and sustaining strong client relationships and work streams
• Ensure operationally viable, creative and innovative solutions that reflect good practice and value for money are used to develop business
• Maintain oversight of bidding activity and bid quality in the Business Unit area to promote a consistent message and ensure conformance to customer specification
• Maintain an overview of planned project resourcing activity to ensure that client expectations can be suitably managed and balanced with the company’s own need for resourcing flexibility
• Maintain oversight of project delivery activity and quality ensure client expectations are suitably managed
• Maintain the high professional reputation of CDS DS and a strong external company profile

 

The ideal candidate will have a comprehensive background in Supportability Engineering, in a highly complex, defence and security facing industry or the MoD.  Technically qualified and current, you will have a deep understanding of ILS, and a proven track record of managing and delivering supportability engineering programmes for complex platforms and capabilities.  Importantly you will be able to demonstrate the wherewithal, drive, self-confidence and talent for business development and consultancy/professional services, potentially breaking away from the more technical role you may be in now.  You will also:

 

• Have 7 to 10 years of supportability engineering related experience at an appropriate managerial or technical level
• Preferably DV cleared, if not SC, with appropriate professional qualifications 
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate information technically and creatively
• Have outstanding interpersonal skills with a high degree of commercial awareness
• Have an existing network of senior contacts and leading industry players to further influence and expand
• Have the clarity of thought, able to formulate winning strategies, spotting and developing competitive advantages for the company
• Have the ability to develop convincing relationships with senior stakeholders
• Have the personal drive and appetite to grow a successful business further, able to achieve stretch targets and business development goals
• Have a working knowledge of Defence Standards for Supportability Engineering and related specifications
• Be an exemplar of the company values
• Be qualified to degree level, with appropriate professional accreditation
• Be a team-player, committed to success through nurturing the success of others
• Be emotionally intelligent, with a sociable and engaging personality, able to quickly win influence, energise contributions from others, build relationships and develop value propositions
• Be flexible, adaptable, and tenacious in seeking opportunities and following them through
• Be polished, professional and credible, ready to take on new challenges
• Be able to demonstrate the fundamentals of business development processes and opportunities in the defence and security sectors

In return CDS DS will offer you a competitive salary to reflect your knowledge, skills and experience in the Supportability Engineering arena, incentivised through an additional commission and team bonus framework.  This is enhanced through a generous benefits package including a car allowance. CDS DS is a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award winner.

 

Role: Business Development Lead - Training

Department: Training

Location: CDS Defence Support CHELTENHAM/BRISTOL

Applications to: frazer.ross@cdsds.uk

Reporting into the Business Development and Sales Director, your primary role will be to feed the Training Business Unit a challenging flow of attractive and winnable opportunities, developing the company’s training offer.  You will target areas and opportunities for consolidation, innovation, disruption and growth, as well as developing business opportunities in adjacent markets.  You will also generate draft written material for bid and tender submissions, ensuring they meet both customer specifications and company standards.

Main responsibilities:

• Develop training business in UK defence and security sectors, primarily but not exclusively in the Land and Maritime domains, to drive a strong future pipeline of work, growing sustainable revenue and profits
• Manage the training contribution to the CDS DS research and business planning process to ensure delivery against key performance metrics, with a strong emphasis on new business sales (client, competition and market)
• Meet or exceed agreed order intake, turnover and profit, as well as return on business development investment activity
• Provide market intelligence, strategic options and sales pipelines and forecasts into annual business planning activities, including balanced near, mid-term and strategic opportunities
• Reinforce long-term client relationships spanning multiple service offerings
• Stimulate and review new market opportunities and identify market trends
• Seek and build new client relationships to ensure the business has a diverse and resilient client-base, encouraging enduring engagement to CDS DS
• Cross-sell and leverage business from new and established client relationships, facilitating client introductions
• Generate short-term results while maintaining a long-term perspective to maximise overall revenue generation
• Contribute as a member of the Training Business Unit management team, building and sustaining strong client relationships and work streams
• Ensure operationally viable, creative and innovative solutions that reflect good practice and value for money are used to develop business
• Maintain oversight of bidding activity and bid quality in the Business Unit area to promote a consistent message and ensure conformance to customer specification
• Maintain an overview of planned project resourcing activity to ensure that client expectations can be suitably managed and balanced with the company’s own need for resourcing flexibility
• Maintain oversight of project delivery activity and quality ensure client expectations are suitably managed
• Maintain the high professional reputation of CDS DS and a strong external company profile

The ideal candidate will have a comprehensive background in the Defence Systems Approach to Training with experience delivering highly complex, training and educational transformational change.  Technically qualified and current, you will have a deep understanding of tri-Service training, and a proven track record of analysing, designing, delivering and assuring training and education systems and interventions.  Importantly you will be able to demonstrate the wherewithal, drive, self-confidence and talent for business development and consultancy/professional services, potentially breaking away from the more technical role you may be in now. 
 
You will also:
• Have 5 to 10 years of Defence Systems Approach to Training related experience at an appropriate managerial or technical level (Training Manager, Learning Development Advisor, Personnel Training Officer or as an experienced Training Analyst)
• Preferably SC
• Have excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate information technically and creatively
• Have outstanding interpersonal skills with a high degree of commercial awareness.
• Have an existing network of senior contacts and leading industry players to further influence and expand
• Have the clarity of thought, able to formulate winning strategies, spotting and developing competitive advantages for the company
• Have the ability to develop convincing relationships with senior stakeholders
• Have the personal drive and appetite to grow a successful business further, able to achieve stretch targets and business development goals
• Have a detailed knowledge and understanding of knowledge of the Defence Systems Approach to Training, technology enhanced blended learning and contemporary adult learning techniques
• Be an exemplar of the company values
• Be qualified to bachelor’s degree level (desirable) or master’s level (desirable), with appropriate professional accreditation
• Be a team-player, committed to success through nurturing the success of others
• Be emotionally intelligent, with a sociable and engaging personality, able to quickly win influence, energise contributions from others, build relationships and develop value propositions
• Be flexible, adaptable, and tenacious in seeking opportunities and following them through
• Be polished, professional and credible, ready to take on new challenges
• Be able to demonstrate the fundamentals of business development processes and opportunities in the defence and security sectors


In return CDS DS will offer you a competitive salary to reflect your knowledge, skills and experience in the Supportability Engineering arena, incentivised through an additional commission and team bonus framework.  This is enhanced through a generous benefits package including a car allowance. CDS DS is a Defence Employer Recognition Scheme Silver Award winner.

Role: Safety/Environmental Engineer
Department: Supportability
Location: CDS Defence Support CHELTENHAM/BRISTOL
Reports to: Head of Supportability
Salary: £30k - £45k (depending on experience)
Applications to: Ebenezer.Igunnu@cdsds.uk

We are looking to employ a knowledgeable Safety/Environmental engineer with previous experience of working as safety/environmental personnel in the defence sector/high-risk industry.

Job Purpose

To support the business functions in the provision of safety and environmental management services to CDS DS clients, specifically in the development of all aspects of safety and environmental artefacts provided by CDS. The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate and apply both the knowledge and skills required to provide these services independently.

Core Competencies:

The Safety/Environmental engineer is required to be:

•  An experienced engineer able to compile safety/environmental cases
•  Familiar with the latest defence standards and MOD Acquisition Safety and Environmental Management System (ASEMS)
•  Able to analyse system risks and hazards
•  Capable of understanding safety and environmental standards (including legislations)
•  Able to facilitate good communications between company and clients
•  Self-motivated, totally reliable, hardworking, flexible, able to work independently, and able to multi-task and work to deadlines
•  Excellent with numeracy, analytical, organisational, motivational, team-working and communication skills, both written and oral

Primary Activities
The Safety/Environmental engineer is expected to carry out the following:
•  Follow the procedures in the CDS Safety Management System to the level of quality described in the Quality Management System.
•  Prepare for Project Safety and Environmental Panels (PSEPs) with agendas, meeting arrangements and precursor hazard reviews.
•  Facilitate and deliver PSEPs and respond to outcomes.
•  Support the creation and update of Legislation Register
•  Create and update hazard logs
•  Advise on aspects of complex functional safety and environmental management
•  Produce Safety and Environmental Management Plan (SEMP) for various projects
•  Review safety/environmental documentation
•  Write Safety and Environmental Case Reports (SECR)
•  Update SECRs to reflect changes identified in design updates or during safety meetings

Performance Measures
The Safety/Environmental engineer is expected to deliver all outputs and artefacts to a high level of quality and to meet deadlines. More experienced Safety/Environmental engineers are expected to lead (with support) small teams and act increasingly as task managers for specific tasks in preparation for the role of Senior engineer. 

Underpinning Knowledge
The Safety/Environmental engineer is required to have knowledge and familiarity of the following aspects:
•  MOD Acquisition Safety and Environmental Management System (ASEMS)
•  Defence standards, regulations and guidance e.g. Def Stan 00-51, Def Stan 00-056
•  UK Legislative statues
•  System safety engineering and associated practises
•  Risk assessment, evaluation and management
•  Hazard Identification, Analysis and management
•  Environmental management and assessment
•  Cost Benefit Analysis
•  Fault Tree Analysis
•  ALARP Principles
•  Risk Acceptance

Qualifications

Required:

•  Engineering/Science background
•  Academic qualification e.g. HND/BSc/BEng/MEng level qualification and/or relevant defence engineering experience
•  Capable of achieving a minimum of SC Clearance
•  Computer literate/proficient with MS Office tools, Word, Excel etc.
•  Willing to travel, UK and international, 5-10%

Desirable:
•  Safety experience - Hazard analysis, ALARP, Safety and environmental Case development at a system / system of systems level.
•  Experience in the use of Risk Management software e.g. e-Cassandra, ASCE, BowTieXP.
•  Professional Registration / Membership
•  Defence sector experience / High risk industry experience e.g. Oil and Gas, Precision Engineering, Explosives, Nuclear etc.
•  Systems Safety Management Training
•  POEMS Training

Benefits
•  Competitive remuneration package
•  25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)
•  Flexible working hours
•  Pension scheme
•  Life Assurance Scheme
•  Childcare voucher scheme
•  CDS cycle to work scheme
•  Career progression plan

 

As part of our Whole Force Approach, we are always interested in hearing from people who are due to leave their current positions in the Armed Forces.

To find out more about working at CDS DS, please send your CV and a few lines about yourself to Cheltenham@cdsds.uk