Jim was an infantry officer and spent 36 years in the British Army, experiencing operational service around the world. His last military appointment was Commander of the British Military Mission to the Saudi Arabian National Guard. He retired from the Army in 2011 and embarked on a number of areas of work focussed largely on Saudi Arabia. He has been a consultant for Charles Kendall, Aegis, Allen Vanguard, Azide, Tor International and Hakluyt and was Saudi Country Manager for Digital Barriers from 2011 to 2014. Since 2014 he has been a Director of Arabian Enterprise Incubators, specialising in Defence and Security.

Outside Defence and Security work Jim is an active military historian and battlefield guide, providing support to a series of Army battlefield studies over the years and contributing to a number of military history groups and charities.