At Aquila Air Traffic Management Services (ATMS), we are dedicated to creating a workplace where innovation, collaboration, and excellence thrives. As a joint venture between NATS and Thales, we combine the expertise of leading air traffic control services and global systems integration to deliver cutting-edge solutions in air traffic management.
Join us in shaping the future of air traffic management, and together, we will elevate aviation safety and efficiency worldwide!
We are looking for a Head of Defence Training Services to lead the effective and efficient delivery of DCASO training services at RAF Shawbury, alongside accountability for the outsourced Air Traffic Control Services. This role has overall responsibility for operational performance, people leadership, customer engagement, and financial and contractual delivery.
As the senior point of contact for customer stakeholders, you will represent Aquila professionally, ensuring services are safe, well governed, and aligned to customer and operational needs. Success in this role means delivering a financially robust, high‑performing training service supported by strong leadership, continuous improvement, and clear, reliable performance reporting.
Your core responsibilities will include:
Providing overall leadership and accountability for DCASO service delivery, ensuring training services consistently meet contractual, operational and customer requirements.
Owning commercial, financial and contractual performance, including budget management, cost control, value‑for‑money delivery and risk management.
Acting as the senior customer interface, building trusted relationships with RAF and MoD stakeholders and representing Aquila professionally at all times.
Leading, developing and enabling a large operational workforce, embedding a strong safety culture, clear accountability, and continuous improvement across DCASO.
This is a senior, hands on leadership role where you’ll shape service performance, lead people at scale, and directly contribute to Aquila’s operational credibility and customer confidence.
You’re an experienced operational leader who brings clarity, confidence and sound judgement to complex, regulated environments. You thrive in accountable roles, lead through others effectively, and balance delivery, governance and people leadership with a practical, solutions‑focused mindset.
You’re comfortable engaging senior stakeholders, making informed decisions under pressure, and leading large teams to deliver predictable, high‑quality outcomes. You care about safety, standards and professionalism, and you actively build strong, inclusive teams capable of sustained performance.
To be successful in this role, you’ll bring:
Significant experience in senior service delivery or operational leadership roles within regulated, safety‑critical or defence‑related environments.
Strong knowledge of contractual service delivery, performance management, and financial accountability.
Experience engaging senior customer stakeholders and managing complex internal and external relationships.
The ability to lead large operational teams, drive improvement, manage risk effectively, and maintain delivery focus under competing priorities.
You also:
Promote Aquila’s Just Culture, reporting incidents, safety non compliance, or potential issues in an appropriate and timely manner.
Consistently demonstrate behaviours aligned with Aquila’s core values and leadership behaviours in all actions and decisions.
Degree or equivalent professional experience in a relevant field such as training delivery, defence operations, leadership or business management.
Evidence of ongoing professional development in leadership, management or operational delivery.
Strong understanding of operational service delivery within regulated or safety‑related environments.
Significant experience leading large operational teams and delivering services to contractual performance standards.
Experience working within defence, aviation or training delivery environments.
Understanding of defence training frameworks and associated governance processes.
Experience driving transformation or continuous improvement across complex operations.
Membership or certification with ILM, CMI or equivalent professional bodies.
If you don’t meet every requirement but feel you have relevant experience, we’d still like to hear from you. This is a site based role with an average minimum 3/4 days on site per week.
201 hours (approx. 27 days) annual leave + 1 Company Day to be used at Christmas (Excluding Bank Holidays).
Car Allowance
Time off to volunteer (up to 3 days per annum)
Company Pension Plan (Aquila contribution = employee contribution + 1%, up to 7%)
Life Assurance (2x basic salary or up to 8x if in the pension scheme)
Income Protection
Employee Assistance Programme with 24/7 support and counselling
Company paid Private Medical Insurance (Couple cover)
Gain Share Incentive Plan / VCP (discretionary bonus)
Employee Assistance Programme
Through Aquila’s flexible benefits platform, you can tailor your package, including:
Enhanced Maternity pay
Enhanced Paternity leave & pay
Enhanced Occupational Sick pay
Mental Health First Aiders
Recognition through Altair Award
Employee referral bonus
Due to the nature of the work that we do, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to be a UK National and achieve Security Clearance (SC) without any caveats. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. If approved by the MOD, a dual national from a Non-ITAR country may be considered. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance- United Kingdom Security Vetting – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Aquila is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. All employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need.
