Head of Public Sector / Defence (all genders)

Head of Public Sector / Defence — Global IT Consultancy, Germany

Our client is a top-tier global IT consultancy and systems integrator with a significant, established presence in the German Public Sector and Defence market. They are looking for a Head of Public Sector / Defence to lead and scale this strategically important practice — owning the P&L, driving business development with federal and state institutions, and overseeing delivery across a large existing client base spanning government agencies, public administration bodies, and defence organisations.

This is a high-visibility leadership role within a firm that already has deep, longstanding relationships across the German public sector landscape, significant delivery scale, and a strong bench of cleared consultants. You will be responsible for continuing to grow this footprint, deepening key accounts, and positioning the firm for major upcoming procurement cycles.

Key Responsibilities

• Own and grow the Public Sector/Defence P&L within the German business — revenue, margin, and pipeline
• Drive go-to-market strategy for federal, state, and defence clients, building on an already-established account base
• Own C-level relationships with senior stakeholders across ministries, federal/state agencies, and defence organisations (e.g. Bundeswehr, BWI, ITZBund and adjacent primes)
• Lead major bid and proposal strategy across public tenders (VgV, VOL/A, EU procurement frameworks) and negotiated defence engagements
• Lead, grow, and mentor a substantial existing team of consultants, architects, and delivery managers
• Ensure full compliance with German/EU public sector and defence security/clearance requirements across all engagements
• Represent the firm externally at industry, government, and defence procurement forums
• Partner closely with global consultancy leadership to align local practice strategy with group-wide public sector/defence positioning
• Own forecasting, account planning, and reporting into senior firm leadership

Required Skills & Experience

• 10+ years in IT consulting/systems integration, with substantial leadership experience in Public Sector and/or Defence
• Demonstrated P&L ownership and track record scaling a consulting practice or business unit
• Deep existing network within German federal/state government and/or defence procurement circles
• Strong command of public sector procurement frameworks (VgV, VOL/A, EU tender processes)
• Experience leading large (50+) consulting/delivery teams
• Fluent German (business/negotiation level) and strong English — this client operates within a global matrixed organisation
• Comfortable operating within a large, global consultancy structure while maintaining strong local market credibility