Director – Industrialization and Partnership Strategies

Overview

Role Overview

• Lead industrialization strategy and execution across the group’s defense
• portfolio
• Drive production scale-up, lean manufacturing, and process optimization
• Build and manage strategic defense partnerships with key suppliers and vendors
• Bring credible procurement leadership to a role that is industrialization-led

Industrialization Strategy & Execution

• Lead scaling of production capabilities and industrialization of new products
• Oversee industrialization roadmaps aligned with business growth and market
• demands
• Prepare business cases for industrialization initiatives (costs, benefits, risks, ROI)

Strategic Partnerships Management

• Establish and maintain strong relationships with key defense suppliers and partners
• Identify and negotiate new partnership opportunities to strengthen supply chain network
• Manage long-term supplier and partner relationships for optimal performance

Procurement Leadership

• Lead strategic sourcing, supplier development, and localization of production
• Drive shift to regional hubs or local facilities to reduce lead times and supply chain risk
• Bring procurement leadership as a core competency (not a pure procurement role)

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Align supply chain strategies with broader business objectives alongside senior leadership
• Lead cross-functional teams to solve production, logistics, and distribution challenges

Risk Management & Compliance

• Identify and mitigate risks in industrialization and partnership strategies
• Ensure compliance with regulatory standards and industry best practices

Leadership & Team Development

• Lead and develop a team
• Build talent pipelines and leadership capability within supply chain

Technology & Innovation

• Integrate advanced analytics, automation, and AI to drive efficiency
• Support digital transformation across supply chain

Must-Have Experience

• 10+ years in supply chain management, industrialization, and partnership development
• Defense industry experience – non-negotiable
• Plant-level operations background (not just strategy/desk work)
• Proven industrialization of complex defense systems (munitions, optronics, radar, avionics, UAVs, armored vehicles, or military MRO)
• Supplier development and localization track record
• Strategic procurement experience (category strategies, defense contract negotiation)
• Team leadership – true "Player-Coach" (strategy + hands-on execution)

Education