Managing Consultant - Public Services - Defence

Company Description

PA Consulting is a leading international consulting firm known for delivering innovative solutions that drive positive change for our clients across various sectors, such as Defence and Security. The D&S sector is a core part of our business, ever since our first client engagement in 1943. With a longstanding and close partnership with defence, security, law enforcement and justice communities, our clients trust us to deliver critical programmes that strengthen national security, protect the public and, most importantly, save lives. We achieve this by helping government organisations do things differently to counter threats and keep people safe. We help industry anticipate and meet their clients’ needs. We work with clients to overcome some of their most difficult challenges.

With a rich history of excellence, thorough industry knowledge and a commitment to making a difference, we work closely with organizations to tackle complex challenges and achieve sustainable results. Our team of diverse professionals embodies creativity, expertise, and passion for making an impact.

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced Managing Consultant to join our Public Service and Defence team in the Netherlands. With all the threats and developments in the world on the security front, we are keen to support Defence so that they can protect what we hold dear. That is why we are expanding our team and looking for an experienced MC. In this role, you will lead engagements with defence and are responsible for business development. Using your network and experience you provide strategic guidance and drive the implementation of innovative solutions.

Of course we expect a lot from you, but fortunately you are not on your own. We are investing significantly in an excellent NL team of professionals with deep sector knowledge. You will also work closely together with our international colleagues to leverage the knowledge and innovative approaches as developed in the UK and Nordic countries and use that to build out our work in the Netherlands.

Topics you should be familiar with are related to the strategic (operational) challenges, such as reimagining the future of operations, strategic mission capability planning, integrated multi-domain information driven actions, HR transformation, complex systems procurement, building ecosystems, improving operational readiness or becoming a more responsive / agile organisation.

As an expert in one or more of these areas you have a clear vision and are able to lead teams to drive the required transformations. You have worked in or for organizations in the Defence & Security field.

Within PA the Managing Consultant (MC) role represents a top tier appointment in the organisation, with MCs typically serving as our business development, thought and team leaders. With one foot in the operation, one foot in the strategic and a head for business and proposition development, this role is highly varied and calls for someone who is autonomous and a self-starter.

As a Managing Consultant you also contribute to Thought Leadership, with the aim of further developing competencies and propositions that help to acquire new assignments and to carry them out successfully.

Responsibilities

• Lead consulting engagements with defence organizations, overseeing project delivery from conception to implementation
• Provide strategic advice and insights to clients on defence policy, capability development, and operational efficiency
• Conduct comprehensive analysis of client requirements, challenges, and opportunities, and develop tailored solutions to address them
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to design and implement strategies, processes, and technologies that optimize defence capabilities
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders within client organizations, fostering trust and credibility
• Stay abreast of developments in defence policy, technology, and security threats, and advise clients on potential implications and responses
• Mentor and coach junior consultants, providing guidance and support to facilitate their professional growth and development
• Develop commercially viable consulting market offerings, and work with PA teams to refine existing offerings, including taking these to new markets
• Work with PA’s international Go-To-Market and other specialist teams to develop propositions, develop existing client accounts and build new accounts
• Lead and deliver large scale and complex projects
• Work within mixed consulting and client teams, planning, managing and delivering work.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; advanced degree preferred
• Minimum of 10 years of defence industry experience, with a preference for the Ministry of Defence / Armed Forces or management consultancy firms
• Demonstrated track record of leading (consulting) engagements and delivering impactful results.
• Deep understanding of defence policy, strategy, and operations, with knowledge of relevant regulations, frameworks, and best practices
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to translate complex information into actionable insights
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively engage and influence diverse audiences
• Proven leadership abilities, with experience in managing teams and fostering collaboration
• Fluency in Dutch and English; additional language skills are a plus
• Willingness to travel as needed for client engagements
• Dutch nationality, due to national security vetting requirements.

Additional Information

In addition to a competitive salary, we offer, among other things:

• 35 vacation days (including public holidays)
• Possibility to buy additional vacation days (maximum 7)
• Performance Bonus
• Pension scheme (with fixed percentage of personal contribution)
• Possibility to acquire PA shares
• Lease car arrangement / travel allowance
• Fun, collaborative and inclusive work environment that values diversity and innovation
• Meaningful work that contributes to the advancement of public service organizations and national defence

Hybrid working - our approach is to be in the office or on client site a minimum of 2 days per week. However, the actual time you spend and where you spend it will vary by role or assignment, including up to 5 days per week on a client site.

Inclusion and diversity

We are convinced that diversity makes us a stronger company and are happy to hire people from diverse backgrounds. Diversity fosters a rich, creative environment, in which our people develop, and our customers achieve lasting results. We are committed to recruiting, promoting and rewarding our people based on their ability to contribute to PA's goals, regardless of their gender, race, disability, religion, national origin, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or marital status. We welcome international applications, but we cannot offer sponsorship for work permits, so you must have the full right to live and work in the Netherlands. Unfortunately, your application will be automatically rejected if you do not have these rights. It is a requirement to master the Dutch language at B1 level.

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