Mine Countermeasures Domestic Capture Lead

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Mine Countermeasures Domestic Capture Lead

Location: Templecombe, Plymouth, Bristol, Cheadle (any Thales office)
Other: full-time, hybrid, with 50% domestic travel

Join a growing, globally connected defence business where you’ll shape major strategic programmes and influence the future of underwater systems.

What the role has to offer

• Established customer base - strong existing demand and active equipment support contracts provide a solid platform for growth without the need for cold‑start business development

• International liaison – close co-operation with our French BL colleagues, working with the International Mine Warfare (IMW) team to ensure resources and technologies are available to support and implement your Capture Plans

• Strategic commitment to expansion — Leadership backing, ensure clear investment, visibility, and momentum for growth

Our Opportunity

The Mine Countermeasures Domestic Capture Lead drives growth across the UWS IMW business by securing major UK captures, shaping customer decisions, and expanding through‑life support across the mine warfare domain. Reporting to the UWS Sales Director, the role leads senior defence engagement, builds a high‑quality pipeline, represents the full UWS Services portfolio, and identifies new opportunities across the global installed base to maximise customer value. It also provides leadership to a growing team and plays a key role in extending UWS’s reach building on the success of MMCM (maritime mine countermeasures) the Thales supplied autonomous mine warfare solutions entering service in the RN and Marine Nationale, strengthening long‑term customer partnerships.

Current pipeline for this role has a stake value of over £700m spread over 34 opportunity lines out to 2035. These lines are at various sale stages and so need a mix of skills covering business development through to closure.

The ideal candidate is a senior defence‑sector leader with strong credibility in the maritime environment experience of mine warfare operations, able to influence high‑value programmes through use of established network of customer contacts and guide diverse teams across international settings. They bring strategic sales leadership, stakeholder management strength, and the technical understanding needed to shape solutions and lead major captures, supported by sound commercial judgement and the security clearances required for sensitive defence work.

Building a Future, we can all trust.

At Thales, customer focus and innovation drive everything we do. Our Strategy, Marketing and Sales teams lead the way, powered by advanced digital technologies such as AI, Quantum, 6G, Cybersecurity and Neuroscience. Joining us means becoming part of a community committed to making the world safer through purposeful, customer‑focused innovation.

The Underwater Systems Business Line (UWS BL) delivers a comprehensive range of underwater warfare capabilities, including sonars for all major naval and airborne platforms, mine‑countermeasures systems, underwater security solutions, and through‑life customer support. UWS is a global leader and one of the world’s largest exporters of sonar and associated systems. Its broad portfolio spans submarines, surface vessels, mine‑countermeasures platforms, unmanned vehicles, and maritime aircraft, supporting navies worldwide with advanced, mission‑critical undersea technologies.

What We Offer You

We offer a competitive salary and benefits package designed to support our employees’ wellbeing and professional growth, which includes:

• Performance-related bonus

• Car cash allowance

• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00

• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)

• 24 hours volunteering paid for

• Private healthcare

• Pension scheme

• Life cover

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app

• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers

• Gym membership discounts

Main Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver the long‑range UWS growth strategy in partnership with senior leadership, ensuring sustained order‑intake performance

• Lead major UK campaigns and capture activities, aligning global UWS teams to present unified, high‑value offerings

• Build and manage senior‑level customer and industry relationships, using insight to strengthen win probability and guide strategic decisions

• Own customer intelligence, driving accurate forecasting, high‑quality bid planning, and clear direction for product and capability development

• Ensure internal alignment across Thales by resolving strategic conflicts and guiding coherent positioning and partnering behaviour

• Represent UWS at key events with compelling messaging that enhances market presence and customer engagement

• Produce and secure approval for capture plans through internal governance while sharing best practice across the wider UWS sales community

About You

At Thales, we are committed to equal opportunities and welcome all talented individuals to consider joining our team. So even if you don't match every statement below but feel you have some of the experience, knowledge or skills needed for this role, we encourage you to apply. It will take all of us working together to deliver solutions to the world’s most critical challenges.

Essential Experience & Skills
 

• Proven experience in a similar role, or clearly transferable skills suited to a military maritime environment, with advantageous experience in the maritime mine warfare domain

• Demonstrated success leading major sales captures and bid campaigns over £10m for defence, government, and industrial clients in UK markets

• Proven ability to manage cross‑functional, multi‑national teams delivering complex engineering solutions across platform, sensor, and combat‑system domains in underwater services

• Acquired and broad knowledge of Thales service portfolios, including, new equipment supply, modifications, spares and repairs, ILS, deployed support, training and CONOPs development

• Demonstrated capability in building trusted senior‑level relationships and managing diverse internal and external stakeholders

• Proven skill in shaping complex customer solutions from early concept to contract, and in coaching internal teams to drive strong outcomes

• Acquired expertise in contract negotiation, bid and project management, and new product introduction, supported by a relevant degree or equivalent experience

• Consistent demonstration of Lead@Thales behaviours – Think Big, Make it Happen, Together – while fostering strong teams and enabling impactful, entrepreneurial decision‑making

• Holding SC clearance with the ability to achieve DV

If you’re ready to lead high‑value campaigns, build senior‑level partnerships, and make a real impact in a complex defence environment, we’d welcome your application.
 

Security Clearance Statement 

This role will require SC Clearance. It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant will undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance.  Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the National Security Vetting (NSV) Agency - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

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