The picture is one of sustained growth. Defence has been pulling in significant investment, with the UK government reporting more than 1,700 new jobs created across the UK defence sector following at least £1.4 billion in foreign direct investment committed since July 2024. That money flows into real headcount, and it keeps building through 2026.
The wider workforce is expanding too. MOD expenditure with industry supported a total of 272,000 direct jobs in 2023/24, an increase of 11% compared to the previous financial year, up from an earlier baseline where the total number of MOD-supported UK jobs reached 239,000 in 2022/23, an increase of 6% on the previous financial year. That's a steady upward curve, and it shapes the talent market every lean team is hiring into.
Recruitment appetite has been strong for a while. The sector has been an attractive employer, with surveyed recruitment growing by 17.8% in 2022, and that momentum carries into the compliance and export control roles that keep defence programmes moving.
As more programmes come online, the roles that manage sensitive technology and cross-border trade grow with them. When MOD expenditure supported 272,000 direct jobs in 2023/24, an 11% rise on the previous year, every one of those programmes needs people who can keep it compliant.
The roles that tend to be hardest to fill include:
Demand is tight because these roles blend technical knowledge, regulatory detail and, often, security clearance. With more than 1,700 new jobs created following at least £1.4 billion in foreign direct investment since July 2024, the competition for people who can do all three is only growing.
Start by writing the role tightly. Separate what's essential, such as classification experience or an existing clearance, from what you can train. A sharp brief shortens your search and stops good people being screened out for the wrong reasons.
Then move quickly. In a market where surveyed defence recruitment grew by 17.8% in 2022, the strongest compliance people rarely stay available for long. Build a short, decisive process: one screening conversation, one structured interview, a clear decision.
A few practical steps help a small team compete:
Finally, plan for growth. With MOD-supported jobs climbing from 239,000 in 2022/23 to 272,000 in 2023/24, today's single hire is often the start of a team. Hire someone who can grow with the function.
When you're a small team hiring for a specialist, hard-to-define role, you need reach and speed without the overhead. We search a database of 15 million candidates and manage recruitment end to end, from a ranked shortlist to a booked interview, so you can stay focused on the programme.
Our recruitment agent manages recruitment end to end for 8% on a successful hire, with no monthly fee and no upfront cost. If you're building out export control capability in 2026, start a search with Reed.ai today.
