Sanderson Government and Defence

Interoperability Product Owner/Product Manager Overview We are working with a specialist technology organisation seeking an experienced Interoperability Product Owner/Product Manager to lead the development and delivery of a portfolio of interoperability products and services. This role offers the opportunity to shape product strategy, work closely with customers and internal stakeholders and drive the successful delivery of innovative technology solutions in complex and security-conscious environments. The Role As a hybrid Product Owner and Product Manager, you will be responsible for defining product direction, managing priorities and ensuring successful delivery across a portfolio of products, services and customer-facing programmes. You will work closely with technical leaders, delivery teams and customers to translate strategic objectives and high-level requirements into actionable backlogs, release plans and product roadmaps. Key Responsibilities Support the refinement and execution of the organisation's interoperability strategy Capture and define customer, project and business requirements Translate high-level requirements into detailed deliverables, timelines and goals for engineering teams Work closely with technical and delivery teams to prioritise and manage product backlogs Develop, communicate and maintain product goals and roadmap priorities Plan and oversee product releases, ensuring successful delivery and stakeholder engagement Coordinate all aspects of the release process, including documentation, implementation and deployment activities Monitor relevant third-party technology developments and assess their impact Maintain appropriate product documentation and portfolio records Develop customer-specific backlogs where required Create and refine value propositions across software, services and managed service offerings Collaborate with marketing teams to support product awareness and go-to-market activities Produce and contribute to product collateral, use cases and market-facing content Gather customer feedback and market insight to inform product decisions and prioritisation Conduct competitor and market analysis to identify opportunities and emerging trends Facilitate estimation activities with engineering teams to support effective planning and delivery Present products and services to customers, demonstrating benefits, use cases and future direction Skills & Experience To be successful in this role, you will have: Experience as a Product Manager, Product Owner or hybrid Product professional within Defence, Government or National Security environments Knowledge of interoperability, systems integration or secure information exchange environments A strong blend of technical understanding, commercial awareness and stakeholder management skills Experience working with both technical and senior business stakeholders Excellent communication, presentation and relationship-building abilities The ability to manage competing priorities and drive successful product outcomes Current Security Check (SC) clearance or the ability to obtain clearance What Success Looks Like Successful delivery of interoperability products and services Effective delivery of customer-facing programmes and projects Strong engagement and collaboration with customers and internal stakeholders Clear alignment between product development, customer needs and business objectives Working Arrangements This is a Full time position working 37 hours per week. The role offers flexibility in location, with occasional travel required to collaborate with colleagues and stakeholders. Why Apply? This is an excellent opportunity to influence strategic product direction, work on complex technology challenges and play a key role in delivering solutions that support critical customer requirements. You will join a collaborative environment where innovation, stakeholder engagement and product excellence are highly valued. Reasonable Adjustments: Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason , please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.

We are looking for an experienced SC Cleared Business Analyst to join a Defence client: 12 - 24 months 2 days on site - Corsham SC Cleared The successful candidate will have experience across the Defence or at least across Public Sector. You will have excellent communication skills, the ability to support across the required deliverables at pace and bring excellent stakeholder management skills. This role is available as an interim role or can be offered as a permanent vacancy - for details around salary/benefits or if you are interested in the interim role, please reach out to (see below) ! Reasonable Adjustments: Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason , please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.

Technical Assurer/Consultant Hybrid - 2 days on-site in London £700-£800 outside IR35 Requires Active SC Clearance used within a government agency Overview We are looking for an experienced Technical Assurer to join a growing assurance function supporting a major government agency. This is an independent technical assurance role, providing objective challenge and oversight across a portfolio of complex digital, data and technology programmes. You'll typically support several commissions at once, each using different suppliers, technologies and delivery approaches. There is no fixed technology stack. Success in the role comes from having sufficient breadth across cloud platforms, data, integration and security to challenge technical decisions effectively, regardless of the technologies being used. Deep expertise in a single product or platform is less important than the ability to understand, assess and assure a wide range of technical solutions. You will be the independent technical voice throughout the life cycle of a commission, from early problem definition and procurement through to delivery and governance approval points. This is not a hands-on engineering, development or solution architecture role. You will not design, build or test solutions yourself. Instead, you will review, challenge and assure the work of others. What You'll Be Doing Providing independent technical assurance across complex digital and technology programmes. Developing technical requirements and evaluation criteria for supplier procurements. Assessing and scoring supplier technical proposals. Reviewing supplier architectures, designs and delivery approaches. Identifying technical, security, architectural and delivery risks at an early stage. Producing clear technical findings, recommendations and assurance positions for senior stakeholders. Supporting governance and assurance forums, including formal approval and review gates. Acting as a trusted advisor and critical friend to customers, delivery teams and suppliers. Contributing to assurance standards, frameworks and reusable assets across the wider practice. What We're Looking For You'll likely come from a background in solution architecture, enterprise architecture, technical leadership, design authority, technology consulting or technical governance. Most importantly, you'll be comfortable evaluating and challenging other people's technology decisions, rather than building solutions yourself. Essential Skills and Experience Broad technical knowledge across cloud, data, integration and security architectures. Strong understanding of at least one major cloud platform, ideally Azure, with awareness of other cloud environments such as AWS. Experience reviewing, assuring or governing technical designs, architectures or delivery approaches. Knowledge of government security and information assurance principles, including secure-by-design approaches. Experience supporting technical governance, architecture review boards, technical design authorities or similar assurance processes. Experience defining technical requirements and evaluating supplier responses within procurement activities. Good understanding of Agile delivery practices and how to assess delivery risk and programme maturity. Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, evidence-based technical positions for senior audiences. Strong stakeholder management skills and experience working with senior technical and non-technical leaders. Personal Attributes This role requires someone with confidence, credibility and sound judgement. You will often be working with suppliers who know their technology in significant depth while supporting customers who need an independent and objective assessment. Success comes from being able to ask the right questions, understand the answers and confidently challenge where required. You'll be able to: Ask difficult questions when necessary and confidently challenge assumptions or unsupported claims. Build trust quickly with customers, suppliers and delivery teams. Communicate complex technical risks in clear, accessible language. Develop evidence-based recommendations and stand behind them when challenged. Remain independent and objective while maintaining positive working relationships. Influence senior stakeholders through credibility, professionalism and sound judgement. Desirable Experience Experience working within central government, the wider public sector or other highly regulated environments. Familiarity with government digital, technology, security or assurance frameworks. Experience working across complex multi-supplier delivery environments. Exposure to large-scale data, integration or cloud transformation programmes. Experience participating in architecture governance, design authority or technical assurance functions. Who This Role Would Suit This opportunity would suit someone who has previously worked as a Solution Architect, Enterprise Architect, Technical Lead, Design Authority member, Technical Consultant or Architecture Governance specialist and now enjoys providing independent challenge and assurance more than hands-on technical delivery. If you're the person who naturally asks "How do we know that's true?", enjoys uncovering risks before they become issues, and can challenge senior technical stakeholders constructively while building trust, we'd like to hear from you. To learn more, please do reach out to Jess Walrond at Sanderson Government and Defence at (see below) Reasonable Adjustments: Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason , please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.

Database Administrator Hybrid - 2 days on-site in Telford £400-£450 inside IR35 Requires Active SC Clearance used within a government agency Role Summary As a Database Administrator (DBA) , you will be responsible for the administration, security, performance, and availability of the organisation's database services. You will ensure that data is managed effectively, remains secure and accessible, and supports the delivery of critical public services. Working with technical teams and stakeholders across the organisation, you will contribute to the design, implementation, and continuous improvement of database solutions, ensuring compliance with government security and data management standards. Key Responsibilities Database Administration Install, configure, maintain, and support database management systems. Monitor database performance, availability, and capacity, taking proactive action to resolve issues. Perform routine maintenance, patching, backup, and recovery activities. Ensure databases are resilient, reliable, and fit for operational needs. Security and Compliance Implement and maintain database security controls to protect sensitive and official data. Manage user access, permissions, and authentication processes. Support audits and ensure compliance with organisational policies, data protection legislation, and security standards. Database Design and Optimisation Support the design, development, and implementation of database solutions. Optimise database performance through tuning, monitoring, and continuous improvement. Promote data standards, integrity, and good governance practices. Support and Collaboration Work closely with development, infrastructure, and support teams to deliver effective database services. Provide technical advice and support to users and stakeholders. Maintain accurate technical documentation and operational procedures. Keep up to date with emerging technologies and best practice. Essential Skills and Experience Experience administering enterprise database platforms such as SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, or MySQL . Knowledge of database security, backup and recovery, high availability, and performance management. Experience troubleshooting and resolving database-related incidents and problems. Understanding of data governance, information security, and compliance requirements. Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills. Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. Desirable Experience working within a government, public sector, or regulated environment. Knowledge of cloud database technologies and services. Relevant professional certifications, such as Microsoft, Oracle, or PostgreSQL database certifications. Key Outcomes Secure, reliable, and high-performing database services. Effective management of organisational data assets. Compliance with security, governance, and operational standards. Continuous improvement of database performance, resilience, and user experience. To learn more, please do reach out to Jess Walrond at Sanderson Government and Defence at (see below) Reasonable Adjustments: Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason , please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.

SC Cleared Content Designer Active SC Clearance Required | Up to £450 per day | Outside IR35 | Predominantly Remote We're recruiting for an experienced SC Cleared Content Designer to join a major Central Government digital programme. This is an exciting opportunity to help design and deliver accessible, user-centred services that meet citizen needs while adhering to GDS standards and GOV.UK best practice. The Role Working within a multidisciplinary agile team, you'll be responsible for creating, testing and iterating content across complex government services. You'll collaborate closely with User Researchers, Service Designers, Interaction Designers, Business Analysts and key stakeholders to ensure content is evidence-based, accessible and aligned to user needs. Essential Requirements Active SC Clearance is mandatory and must be in place before engagement Proven experience as a Content Designer within Central Government Strong knowledge and practical experience of GDS Service Standard Experience designing content for GOV.UK services Excellent content design, content strategy and information architecture skills Strong understanding of accessibility standards, including WCAG Experience working in agile, multidisciplinary teams Ability to confidently engage with senior stakeholders and subject matter experts Experience using research and data to inform content decisions Desirable Experience Experience working on large-scale digital transformation programmes Previous involvement in GDS assessments Experience mentoring or supporting junior Content Designers Contract Details Role: SC Cleared Content Designer Location: Predominantly Remote Rate: Up to £450 per day Status: Outside IR35 Duration: Initial 6 months with extension potential Start Date: ASAP Apply Now If you're a Content Designer with active SC Clearance , proven GDS experience , and a strong background delivering content for Central Government digital services , we'd like to hear from you. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to meaningful public services while working predominantly remotely on a long-term programme. Reasonable Adjustments: Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason , please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.

Project Manager - Defence Permanent Opportunity | Corsham | SC Cleared | Immediate Start Salary: £50,000 Location: Corsham - 2 days per week onsite Security Clearance: Active SC clearance required Start Date: ASAP The Opportunity We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to join a defence-focused organisation, supporting the delivery of projects within a secure environment. This is an excellent opportunity for a Project Manager with a strong background in defence projects who can manage delivery activities, coordinate stakeholders and ensure projects are delivered effectively against agreed timelines, budgets and objectives. The ideal candidate will have approximately 4-5 years of defence experience , alongside a proven track record of managing projects in complex, stakeholder-led environments. Key Responsibilities Lead and manage projects from initiation through to delivery, ensuring objectives, milestones and deliverables are achieved. Develop and maintain project plans, schedules and delivery documentation. Monitor project progress, identifying risks, issues and dependencies, and implementing appropriate mitigation plans. Manage project governance, reporting and stakeholder communications. Coordinate multidisciplinary teams and ensure effective collaboration across project workstreams. Manage project resources, budgets and delivery priorities. Engage with senior stakeholders to provide updates, resolve issues and support decision-making. Ensure projects adhere to relevant processes, governance frameworks and security requirements. Drive delivery to agreed timescales while maintaining quality and compliance standards. Essential Skills & Experience Proven experience working as a Project Manager. Active SC security clearance. Ideally, 4-5 years' experience delivering projects within the defence sector. Strong project planning, scheduling, risk management and reporting skills. Experience managing stakeholders across complex organisations. Ability to coordinate multiple workstreams and manage competing priorities. Excellent communication, organisation and problem-solving skills. Ability to work effectively within secure and highly regulated environments. Contract & Working Details Employment Type: Permanent Salary: £50,000 Location: Corsham Onsite Requirement: 2 days per week Security Clearance: Active SC required Start Date: ASAP How to Apply If you are an SC-cleared Project Manager with defence experience and are looking for your next permanent opportunity, we would welcome a conversation. Reasonable Adjustments: Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason , please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.

Machine Learning Engineer - (DV Clearable) - Multiple Headcount Location(s): Cheltenham or London Type : 4 days on-site, 1 day at home Salary: £54,000 - £64,000 Clearance : SC (Must be eligible and willing to go through DV Clearance) Must be a sole British National Sanderson Government & Defence are working with a specialist technology company, who are driving cutting edge technical soltutions across a variety of sectors. We're looking for Machine Learning Engineers to join a supportive, multidisciplinary team developing AI/ML systems to solve critical challenges. As a Machine Learning Engineer, you'll develop robust, production-ready machine learning solutions, exploring, prototyping, and deploying ML approaches from initial concept through to live operation. Working at the forefront of applied AI alongside experts across multiple disciplines, you'll help users defend against threats, directly contributing to safer, more resilient systems deployed where they matter most. This is an opportunity to innovate at the forefront of applied machine learning, tackle high impact real-world problems, grow your technical skills, and shape the way AI/ML solutions are delivered to critical operational environments. Key day-to-day activities: Design and build prototypes and robust, production-ready ML solutions. Work collaboratively with colleagues across the Mind Foundry team (Product Managers, Machine Learning Scientists, Software Engineers) to solve critical challenges. Maintain and develop a good working knowledge of state-of-the-art ML methods, software tools and implementation methods. Write maintainable production code and promote best practices for code quality in a scientific codebase. Provide advice and explain core ML concepts to customers and partners. Core Skills & Experience: A degree in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, or a related STEM field (or equivalent practical experience). Demonstrated proficiency in programming languages such as Python, producing clean, reproducible, well-tested, and well-documented code suitable for long-term ownership and handover. Hands-on experience with production infrastructure, including Docker, Linux, CI/CD, MLOps, cloud platforms, and model serving architectures. Be able to work with state-of-the-art ML libraries to deliver powerful results quickly. Comfortable working in ambiguous, fast-moving environments, Embedded with customers or delivery teams. Nice to Have: Ability to write technical material (documentation, published papers, internal technical notes etc). Experience with Natural Language Processing (NLP) and Large Language Models (LLMs). Experience in areas of model development, data processing and streaming (Spark, Kafka), microservices in python (Flask or FastAPI), and interactive visualisations and User Interfaces (Streamlit, Plotly, Gradio etc). These lists are not exhaustive, if you feel you're covering some but not all of this, we encourage to still apply! You'll enjoy a competitive compensation package and great benefits such as: 25 days of annual leave plus Bank Holidays EMI options scheme Salary Sacrifice Pension scheme Private Healthcare (including dental and optical cover) Group Life Cover at x3 your annual salary Enhanced Paid Parental and Sickness Leave Workplace Nursery Scheme Volunteer Days Pet friendly office Professional and personal development Reasonable Adjustments: Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason , please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.

Senior Machine Learning Engineer - (DV Clearable) - Multiple Headcount Location(s) : Cheltenham or London Type : 4 days on-site, 1 day at home Salary : £75,000 - £95,000 Clearance : SC (Must be eligible and willing to go through DV Clearance) Must be a sole British National We're looking for Senior Machine Learning Engineers to join a supportive, multidisciplinary team developing AI/ML systems to solve critical challenges. As a Senior Machine Learning Engineer, you'll lead onsite engagements with clients and stakeholders to translate their problems into robust, production-ready machine learning solutions. You'll rapidly explore, prototype, and deploy ML approaches both within and beyond our core capability offerings, taking ownership from initial concept through to live operation. Working at the forefront of applied AI alongside experts across multiple disciplines, you'll help users defend against Defence and National Security threats, directly contributing to safer, more resilient systems deployed where they matter most. This is an opportunity to innovate at the forefront of applied machine learning, tackle high-impact real-world problems, grow your technical skills, and shape the way AI/ML solutions are delivered to critical operational environments. Key day-to-day activities: Lead technical scoping and make key architectural decisions to enable delivery of professional-level ML solutions. Design and build prototypes and robust, production-ready ML solutions. Work collaboratively with colleagues across the team (Product Managers, Machine Learning Scientists, Software Engineers) to solve critical National Security challenges. Maintain and develop a strong working knowledge of state-of-the-art ML methods, software tools and implementation methods. Write maintainable production code and promote best practices for code quality in a scientific codebase. Mentor and develop junior Machine Learning Engineers. Provide advice and explain core ML concepts to our customers and partners. Provide training to our customers and partners on Mind Foundry products and solutions. Core kills & Experience: A degree in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Statistics, Physics, or a related STEM field (or equivalent practical experience). Strong engineer with demonstrated proficiency in programming languages such as Python, producing clean, reproducible, well-tested, and well-documented code suitable for long-term ownership and handover. Hands-on experience with production infrastructure, including Docker, Linux, CI/CD, MLOps, cloud platforms, and model serving architectures. Be able to work with state-of-the-art ML libraries to deliver powerful results quickly. Exceptional problem-solving skills and comfortable working in ambiguous, fast-moving environments, Embedded with customers or delivery teams. Nice to have: Prior experience working with government customers, defence contractors, or in military environments. Ability to write technical material (documentation, published papers, internal technical notes etc). Experience with Natural Language Processing (NLP), Large Language Models (LLMs) or Image Processing. Experience in areas of model development, data processing and streaming (Spark, Kafka), microservices in python (Flask or FastAPI), and interactive visualisations and User Interfaces (Streamlit, Plotly, Gradio etc). While we think the above experience is important, we're keen to hear from people that believe they have valuable skills, ideas, or perspectives that will make an impact in this role. If our team and mission resonate with you, but you do not necessarily meet all our requirements, we still encourage you to apply. Reasonable Adjustments: Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients. If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason , please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.