TL;DR

The UK Ministry of Defence is hiring a Chief Digital Technology Officer with responsibility for a £140.7 million budget, 400 staff, and a brief to accelerate AI and quantum technology adoption across defence. The role pays £162,500 plus a £47,076 pension contribution.

The role and its scope

The new CDTO will work across civil servants, military personnel, and contractors within a department that spends around £4.6 billion annually. The job description highlights work with “high-profile, external stakeholders” including industry partners, NATO, and the Five Eyes intelligence alliance.

The role has a stated focus on accelerating AI adoption across defence, with responsibilities spanning technology architecture, standards, transformation, and integration of emerging technologies including quantum computing. The successful candidate will be expected to ensure these innovations “deliver lasting military and business value.”

Digital growing pains

The recruitment comes as the MoD grapples with a legacy technology estate that has caused public embarrassment. In February, a senior official blamed legacy IT issues for hampering measures designed to prevent sensitive data leaks. In 2022, the department twice exposed details of Afghans who had assisted British forces — around 19,000 people had their information compromised through a basic email error.

The CDTO vacancy follows a separate search for a Director General Defence Chief Digital and Information Officer, which carries a salary of £270,000 to £300,000. Together, the two roles signal the scale of digital transformation the MoD is attempting.

Looking forward

For the UK’s defence technology sector, these senior hires represent opportunities to shape how AI and quantum technologies are integrated into military operations. The salary packages — competitive for the civil service — suggest the MoD recognises it needs to attract talent that might otherwise head to the private sector. Whether the department can overcome its IT legacy to match the ambition of these appointments remains the central challenge.