Managing Consultant - Public Service Defence

Astro Studios, Inc.; Utrecht; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extra vacation days

Performance bonus

Pension scheme

PA shares

Lease car / travel allowance

Diversity & inclusion

Job summary

PA Consulting in the Netherlands seeks an experienced Managing Consultant to lead the Public Service and Defense team, driving engagements from conception to implementation. You will provide strategic guidance on defense policy and capability development while developing commercially viable offerings and expanding client accounts.

The role emphasizes leadership, thought leadership, and a strong network in defense. Hybrid working and international collaboration are core features of this position.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years defence industry experience, with MOD or management consultancy firms.
• Proven track record leading engagements and delivering results.
• Deep understanding of defence policy, strategy, and operations.
• Strong analytical and communication skills.
• Proven leadership abilities with experience managing teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead consulting engagements with defense organizations, overseeing project delivery from conception to implementation.
• Provide strategic advice on defense policy, capability development, and operational efficiency.
• Develop tailored solutions by analyzing client requirements, challenges, and opportunities.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to design and implement strategies, processes, and technologies.
• Mentor junior consultants and contribute to market offerings and go-to-market efforts.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Analytical thinking

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Travel readiness

Dutch & English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Managing Consultant - Public Service Defence

PA Consulting is a leading international consulting firm known for delivering innovative solutions that drive positive change for our clients across various sectors. 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.

We are seeking an experienced Management Consultant to join our Public Service and Defense team in the Netherlands. In this role, you will lead engagements with defense organizations, bring experience to providing strategic guidance and driving the implementation of solutions to enhance operational effectiveness and mission success.

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.

In addition, you will contribute to the development and growth of PA's activities in the public sector, by identifying opportunities with existing accounts and new customers. You actively contribute to acquisition and maintain and develop your own external network.

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 defense organizations, overseeing project delivery from conception to implementation.
• Expertise / experience in concepts such us information driven actions, multi-domain operations, complex capability procurement, innovation and or readiness enhancement.
• Provide strategic advice and insights to clients on defense 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 defense capabilities.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders within client organizations, fostering trust and credibility.
• Stay abreast of developments in defense 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 or management consultancy firms
• Demonstrated track record of leading (consulting) engagements and delivering impactful results.
• Deep understanding of defense 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:

• 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 defense

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.