After a number of years in the Army (Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers, specialising in aircraft engineering and guided weapons). I was looking for a new challenge, but it had to be with a company that understood I was looking for a career and not just a job. MBDA did just that and ticked all the right boxes, especially with regards to its values and how it looks after its people. This was of particular importance to me as an ex-Serviceman; it was all about being ‘a good fit’ - both ways.
The opportunity to work with different nationalities and operate successfully across borders as a team, had always interested me throughout my military career. As MBDA is a European company with global aspirations, it offered me similar cultural challenges and opportunities.
Now, I am responsible for the UK Land customer relationship and accountable for understanding and informing the British Army’s guided weapons and effects future requirements in relation to the MOD/MBDA Complex Weapons Portfolio. I am also involved in Land Export opportunities.
A good day at work is when you speak to our brilliant engineers about an idea, get an understanding of what they are driving at, translate that to what the customer wants, and then jointly agree to develop that idea in partnership and with dialogue. It could also happen the other way round: the customer talks about an idea they have, we get an understanding of what the customer wants and then apply technology to realise their idea in partnership and with dialogue. This only happens when we are all at the top of our game and relationships are right – both internally with work colleagues and externally with the customer.
There are many things I appreciate about working at MBDA. My team, the people I work with and the feeling that we are making a difference. There are challenges and difficulties, but you get that in every job. It’s about being trusted to get on with your job, having the resources to do it, whilst having the freedom of manoeuvre to exploit ideas and opportunities in line with company objectives and being appropriately rewarded for success. MBDA can satisfy these needs. Moreover, there are opportunities for progression, if you’re prepared to work hard.
