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Government & Defence

Government & Defence

Defence talent solution specialists

We are experts in sourcing hard to find, hard to reach talent in the UK Government & Defence sector.

Sanderson Government & Defence was established over 20 years ago as a bespoke solution to a unique talent problem: sourcing and placing high-calibre professional talent to work within the UK Government and Defence sector.

We provide talent solutions for the UK government and their critical supply chains, including: Ministry of Defence (MOD) and areas of National Security; Central Government and Arm’s Length Bodies; National Policing and Justice; and the broader Public Sector.

Our Expertise

It is rare that a talent challenge can be solved with one solution, and when you layer in the unique requirements of the UK government and defence sectors, then that challenge becomes even more complex.

By devoting our business to solving challenges across this sector, and combining it with an appetite for problem solving and innovating, we are able to offer multi channel talent solutions that can tackle the most complex talent challenges in the UK government and defence sectors.

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Our Services

Our services encompass the full range of workforce management from total talent solutions, including RPO and non-permanent managed services, through to retained projects, search offerings, consulting services and contingent recruitment.

Recruitment Services

We recruit for a wide variety of roles, both directly and indirectly to government customers. Our understanding of the sector, ability to reach hard to find candidates and knowledge of security clearance processes means we can deliver the best quality candidates for our clients.
Consulting Services

Our Government & Defence Consulting Services support clients who have a complex portfolio of initiatives or projects and either lack the time, or specialist capability, or are struggling to deliver project outcomes. With an agile delivery process, we offer our clients access to our experienced specialist talent pool, aligned specifically to your desired outcomes.
Executive Search

We work with both government departments directly, via Crown Commercial Service (CCS) approved frameworks, and the integrated supply chain to the defence sector to find the best leadership talent. Our specialism is in business leadership roles, working into networks of talent who have either the domain expertise specific to your problem or transferrable skills and a desire to contribute to the mission importance of secure government.
Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO)

We innovate our talent solutions to be sensitive to the unique demands of the government and defence sector. By partnering with you, we can develop and deliver outsourced recruitment solutions, from full RPO to individual bespoke projects, to ensure you compete for the best talent. As your embedded partner we focus on building your EVP, attracting the best talent, delivering critical mission messages throughout the process, and delivering where other solutions have failed.
Managed Service Programmes (MSP)

Our approach to MSP is to see your non-permanent population as an extension of your talent pool, we offer technology backed solutions that are sensitive to your needs, bespoke to individual business divisions, and can range from vendor neutral to master vendor solutions. Our approach is to implement a simple, transparent, and compliant process, spanning the non-permanent lifecycle from workforce planning to offboarding, providing visibility, cost savings and access to the best extended talent.

Meet the G&D Leadership Team

Nick Walrond
- Managing Director - Sanderson Government & Defence
Nick established Sanderson Government & Defence over 20 years ago to meet the unique challenge of supplying skilled resources to secure government. He solves clients talent problems as a partner, collaboratively and transparently, building long-term relationships and owning the problem through to completion. Sanderson Government & Defence have evolved into a versatile, multi-product service, with technology, diversity, and social value at the core of solutions. Nick ensures that the approach remains dynamic, making sure clients are positioned at the forefront of innovation and inclusivity.
Nick Yarham
- Head of Talent Partnering - Government & Defence
Nick started in recruitment in 1996 and established Sanderson Government and Defence in 2002 alongside Nick Walrond. Nick manages talent partnering providing solutions for permanent recruitment. He has fostered trusting relationships and yielded business opportunities through his active listening and ethos of treating others how you’d like to be treated. Nick and his team build solutions that enable businesses to attract the best talent, and work with them to enhance their holistic business creating candidate retention and business growth.
Mollie Chamberlain
- Head of Projects - Government & Defence
Mollie manages our project solutions for Sanderson Government and Defence. Mollie, alongside her team, delivers bespoke talent projects that are centred around hard to find hard to reach skillsets, ED&I consulting, employer value proposition and future talent programmes to help create a diverse workforce. She consistently strives to shift perspectives and break down barriers, embodying a commitment to thinking outside the box to drive positive change. These projects are agile, bespoke, and impactful looking at alternative solutions to meeting the organisational needs of the business.
James Corcoran
- Head of Recruitment Services - Government & Defence
James leads the team of Government and Defence consultants working across the various solutions and driving the evolution of G&D’s regional business hubs. With 19 years of recruitment experience, James serves as an escalation point adding value beyond transactional opportunities. His embedded approach involves lateral thinking, entering strategic conversations to help clients develop ED&I initiatives and diverse teams. James’s impact extends to his role as a council member for the Tech UK Skills and Diversity Council supporting these initiatives in the technology sector.
Josh Irving
- Head of Executive Search - Government & Defence
Josh has worked in Executive Search for over 20 years delivering mandates across a spectrum of clients. He works with his clients to understand how to support their business by strengthening their leadership teams as a long-term strategic partner. Josh joined Sanderson Government & Defence four years ago and has developed a capability that is unique by combining his proactive approach and best practice with deep sector and technical understanding of the secure government sector.
Charlie Lambert
- Head of Client Development - Government & Defence
Charlie serves as the strategic interface for all G&D customers ensuring that clients gain full exposure to the full range of talent solutions available. His approach to working with clients involves listening to their problems and solving them in bespoke ways to meet different intricacies. Charlie has been at Sanderson for over 18 years and regularly deals with large corporate clients as part of a small yet highly effective team. The team have a collaborative team culture where the service level from management to consultant is consistent creating trusting relationships.
Stuart Adams
- Head of Contract Solutions & Delivery - Government & Defence
Stuart has been with Sanderson for 25 years, starting his professional career as a consultant. He has progressed through the technology team, moving to the G&D team after experiencing firsthand the demand for security-cleared specialisms. He now manages G&D's contract solutions as well as mentoring and coaching the internal delivery team. Stuart works with clients to create solutions that address their challenges and is a constant throughout their journey. He believes in honesty and being brave to be truthful offering his advice and guidance to any business interested in recruitment solutions.

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Senior DevOps Engineer / SC CLEARED
- West Midlands
- £60000 - £75000 per annum
- Permanent
Location: London or Cheltenham – 2 days on-site Rate: £60,000 – £75,000 Security Information Due to the...
Service Support Manager - Stoke-on-Trent - DV
- West Midlands
- £50000 - £65000 per annum
- Permanent
SERVICE SUPPORT MANAGER – STOKE ON TRENT Up to £65,000 Location: Stoke on Trent 5 days a week onsite Role...
Software Defined Network Engineer - Stoke-on-Trent - SC
- West Midlands
- £55000 - £60000 per annum
- Permanent
SOFTWARE DEFINED NETWORK ENGINEER – STOKE ON TRENT Competitive Salary Location: Stoke on Trent 5 days a week...
DV Site Reliability Engineer
- South West
- £50000 - £75000 per annum
- Permanent
Seeking a highly skilled DV cleared Site Reliability Engineer (SRE) with experience in Linux and DevOps technologies,...
Problem Manager (SC Cleared)
- South West
- £500.00 - £550 per day
- Contract
Problem Manager (SC Cleared) Our client requires an SC Cleared and experienced Problem Manager to work within the...
Service Desk Support, 2nd Line Support, SC Cleared
- Winchester
- £250 - £300 per day
- Contract
2nd Line Service Desk Support, 2nd Line We have an exciting opportunity for Service Desk Support Engineer to join a...
Digital Forensic Analyst
- Stoke-on-Trent
- £25000 - £36000 per annum + Benefits + Overtime (£40,000 OTE)
- Permanent
Job Title: Digital Forensic AnalystLocation: Stoke-on-TrentDuration: PermanentSalary: Up to £36,000 + Benefits +...
PMO Administrator - Stoke-on-Trent
- Stoke-on-Trent
- £50000 - £65000 per annum
- Permanent
PMO ADMINISTRATOR – STOKE ON TRENT Up to £65,000 Location: Stoke on Trent About the Role: I am currently seeking...
Azure DevOps SC cleared
- London
- £460 - £469 per day
- Contract
Location: London / ideally 2 days a week but as a minimum 2 day fortnightly Clearance: Must have SC clearance...
Cloud Infrastructure SRE - MOD DV
- South West
- £55000 - £75000 per annum
- Permanent
Cloud Infrastructure SRE – MOD DV Location: Tewkesbury Salary: £55,000 – £75,000 Clearance: Active MOD...
Senior Planner, Planning Engineer/ DV Cleared
- M4 Corridor
- Negotiable
- Contract
Planner, Planning Engineer Our client require an experienced and DV Cleared P6 (Primavera) and or MS Projects Planner,...
Project Manager, DV Cleared Project Manager
- South West
- Negotiable
- Contract
DV Cleared Project Manager Our client require an experienced DV Cleared Project Manager / Senior Project Manager...

Our
Frameworks

Crown Commercial Service Supplier

We are an approved Crown Commercial Service Supplier for all of our services.

Armed Forces Covenant

We are an approved Crown Commercial Service Supplier for all of our services.

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