**Preferably, this position would be based in Dallas-Fort Worth or Washington DC, but remote is acceptable.  Approximately 50 travel, both foreign and domestic, is required.**

Reporting to the President of the GKN Defense Airframe Business line, this position is the leader for GKN’s strategic objective to significantly grow our defense business on product lines spanning sophisticated composite and additively manufactured air vehicle structures and assemblies, advanced electrical wiring and interconnect systems, and world-leading aerospace transparencies. You will lead, initiate, and capture strategic (defense) campaigns in the USA, UK, and Europe leading to topline growth for our Defense Airframe business.

Your goal is to position GKN in the early stages with Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) to access significant defense design and build programs using GKN differentiating technologies and agile production capabilities to create concrete and long-term business partnerships.  

The role is accountable for;

• Positioning GKN with the right technologies to enhance our competitive position on emerging opportunities, 
• Identification of global market trends and challenges that could influence the business and profitability, 
• Development and delivery of campaign strategies that lead to definite GKN product development and insertion opportunities (e.g. RFP) and 
• Managing key customer relationships and activities to successfully capture and close deals on these sales prospects.  

The role shall lead the launch of high priority strategic initiatives to achieve these accountabilities, working directly with business line leadership and stakeholders. 

The role has direct reports in the USA, UK and The Netherlands to manage local/national deployment of developed strategies. 

• Responsible for top line growth in the defense market through defined campaigns
• Partners with business executives and directors to develop vision, mission and strategy for defense strategic campaigns & captures. 
• Responsible for initiating and developing Defense strategic campaigns leading up to a RFP and contracts. 
• Within the US responsible for influencing and lobbying towards all relevant stakeholders (OEMs, PEOs, USG etc.)  for developing Defense strategic campaigns
• Collaborates with the relevant stakeholders on the formulation, capture and development of Defense strategic business development initiatives and priorities