Defence Operations and Programme Director

Location Leatherhead, Surrey Category Logistics & Government Services Job Type Full time Job Id R3001222 Posted Date 11/04/2026

JOB DESCRIPTION

Title:

Defence Operations and Programme Director

At KBR, we deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 37,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 85 countries and operations in over 28 countries. KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results.

Trinzic is the future independent company to be created through the planned spin-off of KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business, expected in January 2027. Our people work at the frontier of what is possible, delivering solutions in challenging environments and advancing some of the world's highest-priority national security and space missions.

Backed by decades of mission success, deep expertise, and trusted partnerships, Trinzic will launch as a global organization with more than 18,000 employees supporting customers around the world. Join us at a defining moment and help shape the future of a company built to tackle complex challenges and make a meaningful impact.

Candidates who join KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business before the spin-off will transition to Trinzic when the separation is complete and will not need to reapply for employment.

The Role

We are seeking an exceptional Defence Operations & Programme Director to play a key role in delivering our Defence portfolio and leading some of the most significant opportunities currently in our pipeline.

This is a strategic leadership position offering the opportunity to influence business-winning solutions, drive complex programme delivery, and ultimately take ownership of major defence programmes from bid through mobilisation and into operational delivery.

As a senior leader within the organisation, you will demonstrate exemplary leadership behaviours, champion our values, and create a culture focused on safety, collaboration, operational excellence and customer success.

What You’ll Be Doing

Strategic Programme Leadership

• Lead complex, high-value, multi-year defence programmes through mobilisation and delivery.
• Take ownership of programme performance, ensuring delivery against cost, schedule, quality, safety and business objectives.
• Establish robust governance, assurance and reporting frameworks.
• Support strategic portfolio decision-making and manage programme-level risk and opportunities.
• Drive continuous improvement through operational feedback, lessons learned and best practice.

Business Winning & Growth

• Work closely with Operations and Business Development teams to understand existing capabilities and identify future growth areas.
• Shape compelling customer solutions and support major bid and pursuit activities.
• Lead the transition of successful opportunities from bid phase through mobilisation into delivery.
• Provide leadership on major pursuits and prepare to take ownership of future programme wins.

Stakeholder & Customer Leadership

• Serve as a senior customer-facing leader for programmes and strategic opportunities.
• Build trusted relationships with customers, partners, suppliers and key stakeholders.
• Lead executive reviews, programme boards and governance forums.
• Manage strategic risks, issues and escalations.

Commercial & Supply Chain Management

• Lead performance across complex supplier and partner networks.
• Manage contractual obligations, change control activities and commercial negotiations.
• Drive value while maintaining safety, quality and delivery excellence.

Leadership & Capability Development

• Inspire and develop multidisciplinary teams across a complex delivery environment.
• Build future leadership capability within the organisation.
• Set clear expectations and create a culture of accountability, collaboration and high performance.

What We're Looking For

Essential Experience

• Significant experience leading large, complex programmes within Defence, Aerospace, Infrastructure or similarly regulated environments.
• Proven success delivering programmes through bid, mobilisation and operational delivery phases.
• Strong experience managing major contracts, strategic suppliers and complex stakeholder networks.
• Demonstrable track record of programme governance, risk management and assurance.
• Experience engaging with executive-level customers and stakeholders.

Desirable Experience

• Business winning and capture experience.
• P&L ownership and commercial accountability.
• Experience managing large-scale transformation or operational delivery programmes.

Qualifications & Skills

Essential

• Strong programme leadership and delivery background.
• Excellent commercial, operational and stakeholder management skills.
• Budget and risk management expertise.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365 and SharePoint.

Desirable

• PRINCE2, APM, MSP or equivalent Programme/Project Management qualification.

Personal Attributes

We're looking for an influential and credible leader who can operate effectively in highly complex and demanding environments.

You will be:

• Strategic, accountable and decisive.
• Comfortable operating in high-risk, high-profile programmes.
• An exceptional communicator with the ability to influence at all organisational levels.
• Commercially astute with strong technical credibility.
• Passionate about safety, quality and ethical delivery.
• A collaborative leader who develops teams and empowers others to succeed.

Security Requirements

Applicants must be eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance for this role. This will require the right to live and work in the UK and, for certain levels of clearance, may be subject to UK residency and nationality requirements, including Sole British National status.

Location

Based in Leatherhead, with regular travel to customer, project and operational sites across the UK as required.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to join a growing Defence business at a pivotal stage in its development. You will have the chance to shape major pursuits, lead significant programmes, influence strategic direction and develop the next generation of leaders, while delivering outcomes that make a real difference to our customers and stakeholders.

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Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.