Head of Military & Law Enforcement

The Head of Military & Law Enforcement - UK&I is a senior individual contributor responsible for driving sustainable revenue growth and expanding SANS' presence across military, defence, law enforcement and national security organisations in the UK & Ireland. The role focuses on identifying, developing and securing strategic opportunities whilst building trusted, long-term relationships with senior military, policing, cyber and procurement stakeholders. Reporting to the Head of UK&I, the Head of Military & Law Enforcement will own and execute sector and account strategies, lead complex sales opportunities and position SANS as the partner of choice for cybersecurity capability and workforce development across the sector. The role requires a high degree of commercial credibility, consultative selling capability and knowledge of the UK & Ireland defence and law enforcement environment, whilst acting as a role model for professional sales execution, cross-functional collaboration and customer engagement. Key Responsibilities Business Development Develop and own the commercial strategy for the UK & Ireland Military and Law Enforcement sector, identifying priority accounts, market opportunities and routes to growth that support SANS' regional objectives. Build trusted relationships with senior military, policing, cyber, workforce development and procurement leaders, positioning SANS as a strategic partner in cyber capability development. Identify, qualify and secure enterprise training agreements, Cyber Academies and large-scale workforce development programmes across defence and law enforcement organisations. Develop and execute strategic account plans for priority customers, creating multi-year growth pathways across commands, forces, agencies and operational functions. Develop and leverage relationships with defence industry partners, systems integrators, framework partners and relevant ecosystem organisations to extend SANS' reach and generate opportunities. Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the SANS portfolio and translate customer challenges, emerging threats and operational requirements into differentiated, outcome-focused solutions. Maintain an in-depth understanding of UK & Ireland defence, military and law enforcement cyber priorities, procurement environments, funding cycles and competitive developments. Provide accurate pipeline management, sales forecasting and opportunity reporting through Salesforce in accordance with SANS business processes. Programme and Market Development Identify cybersecurity workforce capability gaps across defence and law enforcement organisations and shape programmes that support operational readiness, resilience and long-term capability objectives. Drive the adoption and expansion of SANS enterprise programmes, Cyber Academies and workforce development initiatives, ensuring solutions are aligned with customer outcomes. Work with internal stakeholders to develop innovative, scalable approaches to customer requirements and support the successful onboarding and expansion of new programmes. Provide market intelligence, competitive insight and customer feedback to inform regional strategy, programme innovation, product positioning and go-to-market activity. Client Relationship Management Serve as the primary strategic contact for senior stakeholders across Military and Law Enforcement accounts, ensuring strong customer satisfaction, retention and sustainable growth. Conduct regular executive business reviews to assess programme performance, demonstrate value, resolve risks and identify opportunities for further engagement. Coordinate effectively with Customer Success, Operations and other internal teams to deliver a consistent, world-class customer experience. Represent SANS at relevant defence, security, policing and cybersecurity conferences, exhibitions and industry forums to strengthen relationships, enhance brand awareness and develop pipeline. Commercial and Cross-functional Leadership Take ownership of assigned revenue targets, KPIs and business objectives, consistently delivering or exceeding agreed performance expectations. Lead complex procurement, tender and contract development activities, working closely with Legal, Finance, Operations and other relevant teams. Collaborate with colleagues across EMEA and the wider global SANS organisation to develop coordinated account strategies, share market intelligence and align customer engagement. Uphold and promote the SANS brand, mission and values in all professional interactions. Travel throughout the UK & Ireland, and internationally where required, to support customers, partners and business development activities. Undertake other reasonable responsibilities as requested by the Management Team. Skills, Knowledge and Expertise Essential Experience Substantial, recent career within either the UK Armed Forces, Ministry of Defence, wider HMG or national security organisations spanning technical, operational, specialist or leadership roles. Senior-level experience within, or in direct support of, the cyber defence community, with a clear understanding of its nature, complexity and fast-evolving threat landscape. Direct, personal experience of military, policing or government structures, culture, rank and chain of command, combined with an established network of senior contacts across the UK Defence and Law Enforcement communities Experience operating in security-sensitive environments, including participation in classified briefings and adherence to relevant information-handling protocols. Working knowledge of HMG procurement frameworks and defence acquisition processes, including experience negotiating, shaping or supporting complex government or defence contracts. Affinity for, and some demonstrable experience in, account management and business development, including using Salesforce or a comparable CRM platform to manage pipeline and forecasting. Experience building, leading, motivating and coordinating a team, or clear potential and readiness to do so. Knowledge In-depth understanding of the UK & Irish Military and Law Enforcement markets, including funding cycles. High-level understanding of SANS's existing footprint and relationships within the UK & Irish Military and Law Enforcement markets, and how to build on these. Strong awareness of current cyber security threats, operational resilience priorities and workforce capability challenges facing the defence and security community. Skills Outstanding communication, presentation and stakeholder-influencing skills, with the presence to make an immediate, credible impression with senior military and policing leaders. Should be able to diagnose the underlying problem in a single high-stakes meeting. Strong deal design and structuring skills, with the ability to shape complex commercial and contractual solutions to large-scale defence and security problems. Sound risk management and strategic thinking, able to weigh commercial, contractual and reputational risk when structuring and prioritising complex, multi-stakeholder opportunities. Compelling storytelling ability, able to translate SANS's capability into a clear, credible narrative that builds trust and wins contracts. Effective cross-functional collaboration and the ability to lead through influence, including with colleagues across EMEA and the wider global organisation. Comfortable representing the business face-to-face at trade shows, exhibitions and industry events, and building relationships within the wider defence and security network. Excellent organisational, analytical and problem-solving skills. Fluent written and spoken English is essential, to enable credible communication with senior military, policing and government stakeholders. Personal Attributes Genuine, personal alignment with SANS's mission to empower cybersecurity practitioners and organisations with practical, applicable skills that make the world safer, and a belief in the value of community and knowledge-sharing across the industry. Highly motivated, self-directed and results-oriented, with a strong sense of purpose. Resilient, adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced, complex environment. High levels of integrity, accountability and professionalism. Willing and able to travel throughout the UK & Ireland, and internationally where required, to support customers, partners and business development activity. Education/Qualifications Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience. Current UK Government Security Check (SC) clearance or eligible to obtain UK Government Security Check (SC) clearance. Desirable Experience Demonstrable success in achieving and exceeding revenue targets through consultative, solution-based sales. Experience leading complex, high-value sales opportunities involving multiple decision-makers, long sales cycles and cross-functional teams. Experience leading tenders and contract development activity in conjunction with Legal, Finance and Operations teams. Direct experience selling cyber security solutions, or selling education, technical training or workforce development programmes into Defence, Military or Law Enforcement customers. Experience participating in large-scale, international live-fire cyber defence exercises (e.g. NATO CCDCOE). Experience developing strategic partnerships with defence primes, systems integrators or other ecosystem organisations internationally. Credible external voice, able to represent the business through publications, conference speaking or industry thought leadership. Qualifications Developed Vetting (DV) clearance. Cyber security or information security qualifications. Relevant professional memberships.