Carol Hunter is the Director of Programs & Operations for Northrop Grumman Europe. Carol shares insights about her career at Northrop Grumman, from managing London’s 999 emergency call center or overseeing programs that provide allied forces with critical security capabilities.

“When the chips are down, human behavior is to respond. I love watching a team come together,” says Carol.

Bringing expertise to Northrop Grumman

Carol studied economics and sociology and earned a master's degree in strategic management. She subsequently climbed the highest rung with the civilian police service as a manager of the London Metropolitan Police Department's command and control center. So she started a career at Northrop Grumman where she saw a new opportunity to make a positive impact.

“It suits me because I like to make quick decisions. What I mean by that is reacting to the information you have in front of you and making the best decision you can," explains Carol. “For me, it’s about having a purpose. I want to be part of something that’s doing good and making a difference. I get a kick out of what we do — because we do so much at this company — from bomb disposal robots to cyber intelligence to national security.”

A team to be proud of

Carol's team has grown a lot, supporting all of the sector’s divisions and programs in the U.K. She’s proud of her team and has got high expectations for them, along with a lot of confidence.

“I’ve got some amazing talented people on the team,” she says. “Effectively, there are two parts to my role. I provide leadership, management and career development support to my teams, and I work to bring effectiveness and consistency across the organization.”

Expanding a global organisation

Carol was one of the international leaders at a recent Northrop Grumman Leadership Conference and was involved in two days of conversations about the sector’s priority to expand globally. These discussions recognised how complex international operations are from matters of exportability to creating partnerships with local suppliers and building a local presence. But from Carol's position in London, she can track real progress.

“Global growth is going to take time. In my six years, I’ve seen our U.K. and European offices, teams and capabilities grow. Relationships with our U.S. counterparts are significantly stronger,” she says. “It is getting better. It really is growing. We keep saying how difficult it is, but we are getting there.”

“We’ve gotten the awareness. Next, it’s about getting to really trust each other — to work together. It’s been a huge shift,” says Carol. She participated in the sector’s Strategic Program Leaders Course in 2017, the first time it was available to those outside the U.S.

Some valuable advice

Outside the office, Carol enjoys walks in the park with Ashton, her beloved chocolate Labrador.

Carol also shares some valuable advice. “Don’t be afraid to be heard. Be strong enough to be vulnerable and ask for help. Be strong enough to go get what you want," she says. "Here in the U.K. we are at the tipping point of major change. There are so many opportunities for an incredible career — just go for it and enjoy being part of something amazing.”

Join talented women like Carol at Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is a prime employer for women and leads the way in shattering perceptions about women technologists. If you want to join talented women at Northrop Grumman, search and apply for many fabulous career opportunities. 

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