Personnel Security Operations Lead Specialist
About the job
- A diploma or equivalent qualification in security is required.
- Significant experience in personnel security, vetting operations, or national security environments is required.
- In-depth knowledge of UK, Italian, and Japanese security clearance frameworks, including BPSS, SC, DV, and PSC, is required.
- Proven ability to make complex risk decisions and provide authoritative advice at senior level is required.
- Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills are required.
- Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion and integrity is required.
- Strong stakeholder management skills and experience working across functions are required.
- Pragmatic, business-oriented decision-making ability is required.
- Problem-solving ability, including analytical and lateral thinking on complex matters, is required.
- Ability to build trusted relationships at all organizational levels is required.
- Good written, verbal, and presentation skills are required.
- Ability to work in a team and independently manage areas of responsibility within a clear decision-making remit is required.
- English proficiency at C1 level is required.
- The role requires a minimum three-year assignment at the Reading, UK site.
- Manage the performance of a three-person tri-national personnel security specialist team.
- Lead Edgewing personnel security operations, aligning them with company policies, the risk-management framework, and organizational objectives.
- Serve as the senior reference point for vetting processes, insider-risk mitigation, and security clearance management.
- Advise executive leadership, Human Resources, Legal, and operational teams on high-risk or sensitive personnel security cases.
- Oversee compliance with UK, Italian, and Japanese national security frameworks, regulatory requirements such as Industry Personnel Security Assurance, and industry standards.
- Direct and ensure the quality of personnel vetting activities, ensuring decisions are sound, consistent, and timely.
- Manage complex or escalated vetting cases, including high-risk cases, sensitive roles, and exceptional circumstances.
- Build and maintain relationships with GIGO, government vetting bodies, external agencies, and key partners.
- Coordinate with parent-company vetting teams to ensure seconded employees have the necessary security clearances before onboarding and throughout their assignment.
- Lead personnel security risk assessments and ensure risks are identified, analyzed, and effectively mitigated.
- Oversee insider-threat detection and management with Security, Human Resources, and Legal.
- Provide senior input to investigations into personnel security breaches or behavioral concerns.
- Define and continuously update personnel security standards and procedures in line with Edgewing's Personnel Security Policy.
- Define performance metrics, assurance mechanisms, and reporting frameworks to monitor the effectiveness of personnel security controls.
- Promote innovation and improvement in vetting processes, technologies, and case-management systems.
- Influence and raise senior management awareness of personnel security risks, trends, and best practices.
- Represent the organization at intergovernmental or industry forums, working groups, and strategic security initiatives.
- Mentor and support junior team members, promoting professionalism and high performance.
- Experience in government, defense, critical national infrastructure, or regulated sectors is preferred.
- Knowledge of insider-risk programs and behavioral risk indicators is preferred.
- Familiarity with case-management systems or security-vetting platforms is preferred.
About the company
Leonardo operates in aerospace, defense, and security, designing and manufacturing advanced technologies for militaries, intelligence agencies, and defense contractors. Its products combine hardware, software, and services and can include end-to-end systems built by subsidiaries such as Leonardo DRS; training and ongoing support are core parts of the offering. The company differentiates itself through a broad, diversified portfolio and long-standing relationships with US and allied governments, enabling end-to-end development and sustainment. Its goal is to provide reliable, state-of-the-art capabilities with strong customer support and training for defense, intelligence, and civil infrastructure customers.
Company Size
10,001+
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Rome, Italy
Founded
2022
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- H1 2026 orders jumped 45% to €16 billion, and guidance rose July 30.
- FY2025 revenue reached €19.5 billion, with 2026 guidance targeting about €21 billion.
- European Defence Fund awarded Leonardo €64 million on 15 projects, deepening sovereign demand.
What critics are saying
- Italy’s CEO replacement fight triggered investor backlash and governance distrust on May 7, 2026.
- OHB threatened litigation over Project Bromo, risking a dragged EU review into 2027.
- Integrating IDV, Becrypt, and space assets strains execution; any stumble kills consolidation credibility.
What makes Leonardo unique
- Leonardo fused IDV and electronics, creating integrated land-systems primes on March 18, 2026.
- Project Bromo positions Leonardo inside Europe’s strongest satellite consortium against SpaceX by 2027.
- Becrypt and Leonardo DRS extend one stack across classified cyber, AI, and mission software.
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Benefits
Remote Work Options
Flexible Work Hours
Health Insurance
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
13%1 year growth
13%2 year growth
14%Leonardo SpA reported a 40% surge in orders to approximately €16 billion in H1 2026, driven by strong demand across divisions including major helicopter and jet contracts. Revenue rose 10% year-over-year, excluding currency headwinds. EBITDA reached €730 million, up 30%, whilst return on sales improved to 7.6% from 6.5%. Adjusted net income increased 74% and free operating cash flow improved 45% despite remaining negative in the first half. The company raised its full-year guidance, increasing expected new orders to €28.2 billion, EBITDA to €2.21 billion, and free operating cash flow to €1.37 billion. Net debt stood at €3.2 billion, including the IVECO Defence Vehicles acquisition. The acquisition contributed €6 billion to the backlog and €400 million in Q2 revenues. Helicopter deliveries increased from 72 to 81 units, whilst aerostructures revenue jumped 44% on higher B7A7 production rates.
Airbus, Leonardo and Thales are preparing to seek European Union approval for a three-way space merger, arguing Europe needs a unified champion to compete with SpaceX and China. The deal, known as Project Bromo, would combine major European space assets across satellite manufacturing and systems. The proposed company would employ roughly 25,000 people, generate approximately €6.5 billion in annual revenue and maintain an order backlog exceeding three years. Ownership would be split with Airbus holding 35% whilst Leonardo and Thales would each own 32.5%. The merger faces opposition from Germany's OHB and Spain's Indra Space, which warn it could reduce competition in Europe's satellite market. The deal represents an early test of new European Commission merger guidelines that may prioritise scale when companies face global competitors.
Leonardo has secured €64 million in funding from the 2025 European Defence Fund, with 15 of its 18 submitted proposals selected. The allocation includes €51 million for development and €13 million for research across 11 capability development initiatives and four research projects. The EDF 2025 cycle saw 57 projects selected from 410 submissions, involving 634 entities across 26 European countries plus Norway and Ukraine, with a total budget of approximately €1 billion. Small and medium-sized enterprises represented 38% of participants. Key Leonardo projects include ASIMOV, focused on in-orbit operations for European defence, and ANEMOS, a research initiative for radio communication solutions. Including contributions from group subsidiaries, Leonardo's total funding reaches approximately €84 million.
Leonardo, a surveillance company, plans to add SignalTrace sensors to automatic license plate readers (ALPRs) that would collect unique identifiers from mobile phones, Bluetooth devices, and other electronics in passing vehicles. The technology would link these device identifiers to licence plates, enabling law enforcement to track specific individuals rather than just vehicles. SignalTrace can detect RFID tags in key cards, Bluetooth devices like headphones and fitness trackers, vehicle components such as tyre pressure sensors, and Wi-Fi sources including laptops. The system stores this data for future searches and uses algorithms to correlate devices that consistently travel together with specific licence plates. Leonardo sells ALPR cameras to law enforcement and government agencies. The company did not respond to requests for comment about the product.
German satellite maker OHB will consider legal action if EU regulators approve a planned merger of Airbus, Thales and Leonardo's satellite businesses, CEO Marco Fuchs told Reuters on Thursday. The three aerospace groups announced "Project Bromo" in October, aiming to create a stronger European competitor to SpaceX and Chinese rivals. However, OHB fears the deal could weaken competition and disrupt its supply chain in Europe. Fuchs dismissed comparisons with Chinese competitors, noting Europe does not purchase satellites from China. The core regulatory question is whether the new entity would primarily compete globally or reinforce market dominance in Europe. OHB's market value has risen roughly fivefold to €5 billion over the past year. The company reported 18% quarterly revenue growth with order backlog up 45%.