Export Control Officer

Isembard; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Isembard is seeking an Export Control Officer to lead and develop the UK export-control programme, starting in the UK with potential expansion to France, Germany and the US. The role involves ensuring compliance for goods, software and data across multiple regimes and regulators.

You will classify items, prepare licences, manage conditions, screen counterparties and train staff across the business, with a focus on risk reduction and audit readiness.

Qualifications

• Experience running an export-control programme in defence, aerospace or advanced-manufacturing environments.
• Hands-on UK export licensing experience (SPIRE / LITE) and confident use of the UK military and dual-use lists.
• Working knowledge of EU dual-use controls, the US ITAR and EAR, and UK, EU and US sanctions regimes.
• Understanding of deemed-export principles and access controls for foreign persons.
• Accuracy and attention to detail in classification and record-keeping.
• Ability to explain complex rules simply and work through options.

Responsibilities

• Run and improve the export-control compliance programme, policies and procedures.
• Act as the principal point of contact on export control internally and with regulators and customers.
• Classify goods, software and technical data against the relevant control lists, and keep central records so repeat orders do not need reassessing.
• Prepare and manage export licences and authorisations, including their conditions and reporting.
• Operate technology control plans and access controls for controlled technical data.
• Screen customers, suppliers and other counterparties against restricted-party and sanctions lists.
• Train people across the business, from machinists and logistics staff to senior leaders.
• Keep the programme audit-ready, and investigate and fix issues when they arise.

Skills

Export licensing

Regulatory compliance

Risk assessment

Stakeholder communication

Training others

Tools

SPIRE / LITE

Job description

About Isembard

Isembard is building a network of high-performance factories for critical industries. We combine advanced machine tools, robotics and our own software, MasonOS, to make precision components for aerospace, defence, energy and frontier technology companies, with factories across the UK, US, Germany and France. Our mission is to forge industrial acceleration.

The role

Isembard makes precision parts for aerospace and defence customers from factories across the UK, US, Germany and France. Goods, software and technical data move between our sites, suppliers and customers, and each transfer has to comply with UK, EU, US and other export-control and sanctions regimes.

The Export Control Officer runs the programme that makes this work and makes sure the people doing the work know what to do. This is our first dedicated export-control hire. The focus is the UK first, with France, Germany and the US to follow, and there is scope to lead the function as it grows.

What you'll do

• Run and improve the export-control compliance programme, policies and procedures.

• Act as the principal point of contact on export control internally and with regulators and customers.

• Classify goods, software and technical data against the relevant control lists, and keep central records so repeat orders do not need reassessing.

• Prepare and manage export licences and authorisations, including their conditions and reporting.

• Operate technology control plans and access controls for controlled technical data.

• Screen customers, suppliers and other counterparties against restricted-party and sanctions lists.

• Train people across the business, from machinists and logistics staff to senior leaders.

• Keep the programme audit-ready, and investigate and fix issues when they arise.

What we're looking for

• Experience running an export-control programme in a defence, aerospace or advanced-manufacturing environment.

• Hands-on UK export licensing experience (SPIRE / LITE) and confident use of the UK military and dual-use lists.

• Working knowledge of EU dual-use controls, the US ITAR and EAR, and UK, EU and US sanctions regimes.

• An understanding of deemed-export principles and access controls for foreign persons.

• Accuracy and attention to detail in classification and record-keeping.

• The ability to explain complex rules simply, and a pragmatic approach: you explain why and work through the options.

Nice to have

• Hands-on ITAR experience, including managing TAAs and MLAs.

• Experience building an export-control function from scratch.

• Professional export-control certification. We value experience over formal qualifications.

Why Isembard

• Own a function at an early stage and shape how it works.

• Work closely with engineering, operations, IT security and leadership in a growing manufacturing business.

Location: On-site at our Southwark site in London, with travel to company and customer sites.

Eligibility: This role may require eligibility to access controlled technical data, which can depend on nationality, residency, security-clearance or licensing conditions. The successful candidate must pass pre-employment screening and any applicable export-control or security-clearance requirements.