As a business operating in a traditionally male-dominated sector, BAE Systems has set itself the goal of ensuring 30 per cent of its workforce are women by 2030.

However, one woman who began working at the company long before this pledge was made is Lesley Dixon, a local from Walney who now oversees contracts worth an estimated £31bn for a new generation of nuclear submarines.

Lesley, 48, grew up and went to school on Walney, before attending Barrow Sixth Form College and studying law at the University of York.

She worked in London and York, practising in commercial and property law, before moving back to Cumbria in around 2004 and working for Livingstons Solicitors, in Ulverston, where she now lives.

In 2006 Lesley saw an advert for a job managing contracts in the commercial team at BAE Systems Maritime’s Barrow shipyard in Barrow.

"I just thought it sounded like my bread and butter and something that I would really enjoy," she says.

"I decided to go for it and then 16 years later, I'm still here.”

She began working for BAE Systems as head of commercial, responsible for managing and negotiating contracts around the delivery of the Astute programme.

Four submarines have already been delivered of the seven Astute class boats, most recently HMS Audacious in April 2020.

Lesley’s job involves work on the contracts made between BAE Systems and the Government.

"You're constantly supporting and managing the programme, advising on the contracts and making sure that we're compliant, that we're working with the Ministry of Defence and that jointly we are working together to deliver those submarines," she says.

"I started the role thinking I was just managing a contract and giving commercial advice on the terms and conditions, but you soon realise that you get involved in so much more.

"It's about understanding the programme, delivery issues and things that I never thought in a million years that I would ever know or ever need to know. As I'm constantly saying in this role, every day is a school day.”

The work requires close collaboration with the Ministry of Defence and the Royal Navy on the delivery of each boat.

"You get the opportunity to get your overalls on and to get out there and to get on the submarines and understand issues and concerns,” says Lesley.

“As a senior leader within the business you have to support people within the business, to ensure that they have what they need in order to fulfil their role. It's much more than just providing advice.”

In April Lesley moved roles to become the delivery director for contract management for the Dreadnought programme.

Four Dreadnought class submarines are to be constructed with the first one, HMS Dreadnought, expected to be commissioned early in the next decade.

They will replace the Vanguard class submarines to continue to provide a continuous nuclear deterrent for the UK at sea.

"I'm now in project management and I'm delivering that contract and working with our operations teams much more closely in the delivery of the contract," says Lesley.

"It is so varied, you don't come in every day doing the same old thing.”

She says since she joined BAE the number of women working there has increased, not only in the commercial teams but elsewhere too.

“It is opening up more and it is much more appealing to people and people can see the opportunities that are available,” says Lesley.

"Being able to be part of these programmes to support the Royal Navy who then go out on our submarines and defend us and our nation is a real privilege. When you actually work with these guys and talk to them about what they do it's absolutely fascinating.”