Managing Consultant - Software Engineering

PA Consulting; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health & private healthcare for you & 

25 days annual leave + half day on X'm

Generous pension scheme

Annual performance bonus

PA share ownership

Cycle to work / Give as you earn

Job summary

PA Consulting is seeking a Managing Consultant to lead architecture and delivery for complex client challenges in Defence & Security. You will shape strategic architectures, guide multi-domain teams, and drive business development with senior stakeholders.

Join a collaborative, high-performing team that values innovation, client impact, and career growth within PA's inclusive culture. Hybrid working is supported with client site engagements.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading architecture and development teams delivering end-to-end solutions.
• Strong defence sector knowledge across relevant domains.
• Ability to shape and communicate architectural strategies across multiple domains (application, business, integration).
• Skilled at building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders and translating technical insight into business value.
• Track record in business development, including pre-sales, proposal development, and client engagement.
• Familiarity with architecture frameworks and modelling tools (UML, ArchiMate).
• Established network of senior stakeholders to nurture relationships supporting BD and long-term partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Be part of PA's management team, shaping and launching new service propositions while driving strategic business growth.
• Lead business development initiatives—building trusted client relationships, owning outcomes, and delivering high-impact solutions.
• Collaborate with FTSE 100 clients as a trusted advisor, guiding them through complex challenges with clarity and creativity.
• Coach and mentor your team, promoting knowledge sharing and growth.
• Contribute to a culture aligned with PA's values and collaborative environment.

Skills

Architecture leadership

Defence sector knowledge

Stakeholder management

Business development

Pre-sales & proposals

Architectural frameworks

Senior stakeholder network

Tools

UML

ArchiMate

Job description

Company Description

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future.

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future.

As strategies, technologies, and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity.

Our teams of interdisciplinary experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results.

We are over 4,000 strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers, and technologists. And we have deep expertise in consumer and manufacturing, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport.

Our teams operate globally from offices across the UK, Ireland, US, Nordics, and Netherlands.

PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life.

Job Description

Why consider joining us as a Managing Consultant?

• Join a team where you're trusted to shape your own path, manage your time, and influence real change for our clients and communities.
• Grow a flexible and unique career within a trust-based, inclusive environment that values excellence, innovation, and curiosity.
• Be part of a team actively shaping Defence & Security and tackling issues that impact our everyday lives
• Join other experts within our supportive and collaborative community through knowledge-sharing and peer-level support, coaching and mentoring

What You Can Expect

• Be part of our management team, helping shape and launch new service propositions while driving strategic business growth.
• Lead business development initiatives —building trusted client relationships, owning outcomes, and delivering innovative, high-impact solutions.
• Collaborate with FTSE 100 clients as a respected advisor, guiding them through complex challenges with clarity and creativity.
• Support your team’s growth through coaching, knowledge-sharing, and creating opportunities for them to thrive.
• Be part of an environment that deeply cares about its values - Values | PA Consulting

Qualifications

Essential requirements

Even if you don’t meet every requirement below, feel free to still apply as we are often hiring for similar roles which your background might be better suited to.

• Proven experience leading architecture and development teams, delivering impactful, end-to-end solutions for complex client challenges.
• Strong understanding of the defence sector, with experience across areas such as banking, insurance, payments, or wealth management.
• Demonstrated ability to shape and communicate architectural strategies across multiple domains (application, business, integration).
• Skilled at building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders, translating technical insight into business value.
• Track record of contributing to business development, including pre-sales, proposal development, and client engagement.
• Familiarity with architecture frameworks and modelling tools (e.g. UML, ArchiMate), with awareness of emerging trends and technologies.
• An established network of senior stakeholders within your specialist sector, with a proven ability to nurture and expand relationships that support business development and long-term client partnerships.

Our tech stack

While we advocate for using the right tech for the right task, you can expect to work with the following technologies to ensure scalable, high-performance applications:

• Cloud & Platforms: AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform, IBM, Oracle, Salesforce
• Architecture & Delivery: Microservices, packaged solutions, cloud/on-premise models, agile delivery, digital transformation
• Tools & Frameworks: IoT, cloud-native architectures, UML, ArchiMate

Additional Information

Assessment process

Please note that the interview stages may be subject to change based on the specific requirements of the role.

• Introductory Call with one of our senior Talent Acquisition partners to explore your background, the opportunity and PA.
• Round 1: 3x competency interviews, allowing you to meet different members of PA.
• Final Round: Business plan presentation with PA leaders – you will be given guidance and time to prepare in advance.

Life At PA encompasses our peoples' experience at PA. It's about how we enrich peoples’ working lives by giving them access to unique people and growth opportunities and purpose led meaningful work.

Our purpose guides how we work with our clients and our teams, and support our communities, to deliver insight and impact, solving the world’s most complex challenges. We're focused on building a workplace that values human difference and diverse mindsets, and a culture of inclusion and equality that unlocks the potential in our people so everyone can be their best self.

Find out more about Life at PA here.

We are dedicated to supporting the physical, emotional, social and financial well-being of our people.

• Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare for you and your family
• 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days
• Generous company pension scheme
• Opportunity to get involved with community and charity-based initiatives
• Annual performance-based bonus
• PA share ownership
• Tax efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn)

We’re committed to advancing equality. We recruit, retain, reward and develop our people based solely on their abilities and contributions and without reference to their age, background, disability, genetic information, parental or family status, religion or belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity (or expression), political belief veteran status, or other by any other range of human difference brought about by identity and experience. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

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 client site.

Adjustments or accommodations

Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us on [e-mail]