BAE Applied Intelligence

Situation

BAE Systems Applied Intelligence (BAE AI) is an international business and technology consulting company operating under BAE Systems. Employing over 4,500 people across 32 offices, predominantly in the UK, US, Singapore and Australia, of which approximately two thirds are based in the UK, BAE AI are recognised for their expertise in cyber security; detection and prevention of financial crime; communications intelligence; and ‘digital transformation’.

Formerly known as Detica prior to their acquisition by BAE in 2008, the company has delivered major programmes within National Security for over 25 years. Over the last 5 years the market for permanent candidates has become increasingly competitive, with the drive to ‘engage with industry’, which has seen significant growth in the number of companies providing services in this space. Having tried a number of initiatives including outsourcing their UKIC DV recruitment and re-focusing their external agency PSL, they had little or no impact and were falling behind their competitors in the recruitment of the best talent in the market, unable to source the skillsets required. Their hiring challenge focussed around the recruitment of niche technologists who hold the highest level of security clearance available in the UK. This means the available candidate market is both very small, and also largely well-hidden on modern recruitment platforms (social media, LinkedIn, Job Boards etc.…).

Task

BAE AI approached Sanderson G&D in the hopes that their problem would be solved, that problem involved the increase of permanent hires holding a live and valid UKIC DV clearance and to raise BAE AI’s profile in the community as a viable place to work. Sanderson G&D recognised that there was a clear need to undertake a different approach, and a change in the way the internal team handled this niche area of recruitment was required.

Action

The solution was to embed the recruitment team within the heart of the operation, allowing them to fully understand and appreciate where the skills gaps were and bring speed and rigour to the entire recruitment process. Two Sanderson G&D Consultants were inducted in to BAE AI, to deliver the Talent Acquisition solution. They had 25 years recruitment experience in the National Security sector between them, and they both held UKIC DV clearance. This experience and clearance meant that their extensive network could be accessed, both on and off secure site. All their attention was focused on solving the problem, 100% dedicated to the account, all external and internal communication was conducted under the guise of BAE AI, based in their Gloucester and London offices.

BAE AI continued to work with their existing external recruitment agencies; however the programme with Sanderson G&D became the focal point of recruitment in to National Security. The adoption of this Talent Acquisition strategy enabled a wide range of activities that met the challenge of raising their profile and reputation, including enhanced candidate engagement, reviving the internal referral policy, re-working their job specifications and adverts, hosting networking and ‘Tech Talk’ events, proposing a costed National Security media campaign and pipelining of potential candidates for future consideration.

Result

Within just the first 8 months of this initiative, Sanderson G&D exceeded all of BAE AI’s expectations, delivering almost double the number of placements that had been forecast to be delivered in 12 months. We Provided BAE AI with recruitment expertise and knowledge that enabled our consultants to bridge their skills gaps. Crucially the most in-demand skillsets have been successfully recruited, including; software engineering, data science, business and technical consultancy, and better still, there are over 100 candidates in the pipeline for future contact. Also, we strengthened our relation with a long standing customer, creating a precedent for future business between both companies, developing a wider scope for the resources provided to BAE AI, delivering into the wider business i.e. Government division.

The programme has been so successful that BAE AI has requested that Sanderson G&D replicate the solution across their Defence business unit, and there is scope to flex even wider across their entire Government division. Our consultants have taken a sense of achievement, from getting the job done and doing it well.