Julie Black

Business

A woman leant against a sill in a long corridor with windows either side.
“As business manager, my small team and I are responsible for planning, managing and supporting the financial and commercial activities necessary to deliver the group’s many academic outputs.”

Julie Black, a longstanding MOD civil servant of 17 years, has been a member of the Defence Leadership and Business Group (DLaB), and its previous iterations, over the past six years. Eighteen months ago, she took up the position of business manager within the headquarters team.

Julie’s role predominantly manages the financial and commercial planning and administration of the group’s outputs including their course syllabus at departmental, national and international level.

“My team and I ensure all the financial and commercial activities required to support these endeavours are appropriately planned, delivered, governed and assured.”

She also provides specialist human resource and workforce support while governing and assuring information management strategy and processes within DLaB.

“I enjoy being part of managing the funding so our business groups can deliver their expansive courses. A highly rewarding job, with a great feeling of appreciation and empowerment.”

Each year, DLaB provides training and education to approximately 6,500 students per year through its courses and programmes, with a further 97,000 students interacting with their online, digital learning portfolio.

The group has several flagship courses and programmes (2* Advanced Defence Strategic Leadership Programme, 1* Defence Strategic Leadership Programme, 1* Leading Diverse and Inclusive Organisations), all of which are dependent on specialist support (executive coaching and psychometrics) and academic provision (visiting lecturers and subject matter experts).

“Overall, life in DLaB headquarters, and my specific role within it, is both demanding, challenging and dynamic – every day is invariably different and brings with it new opportunities to learn, develop and make a difference…. and it is exactly for these reasons that I enjoy what I do so much. "
"Equally, the people I get to work with, both in my HQ team, but more widely across the group and the academy, are consistently brilliant and make coming to work such an enjoyable and fulfilling experience.”