Business Development Director - Americas

Job description

The position is responsible for enhancing & strengthening the customer relationship with the assigned key airlines and lessors mainly in North America but could include South/Latin America. The successful candidate will support business growth across SAFRAN Group including Aerosystems, Cabin Group, Seats Group, Landing Systems, Electronic and Defense, Electrical & Power and Nacelles while supporting related Aftermarket activities of these Safran companies.

Responsibilities/Duties

• Develop, maintain and enhance relations between Customers and SAFRAN leadership. Create and facilitate a formal contact plan for relationship-building meetings between SAFRAN personnel and their airline counterparts.
• Help to achieve positive SAFRAN image and recurring business
• Frequent, consistent, and regular engagements with key customer accounts
• Organize periodic business review meetings, product previews and demonstrations.
• Contribute & support SAFRAN's strategic business growth and objectives.
• Develop and coordinate a SAFRAN-wide account strategy for assigned customers, ensuring alignment of customer priorities, engagement plans, business opportunities and executive interactions across part
• Provide accurate and timely information to SAFRAN personnel and maintain all relevant information about the assigned customer account(s) including strategic & engagement plan, mapping key customers landscape, fleet data, future fleet plans, sales opportunities, competitors positioning, etc.
• Support SAFRAN company's annual sales and marketing plans. When appropriate, support successful closure of sales campaign using information & guidance provided by SAFRAN's Groups.
• Provide intelligence and support the Sales teams in RFQs/tender/bids, and bundle proposals that are financially and operationally feasible.
• Promote SAFRAN's products and concepts. Identify opportunities and anticipate the future requirements from customer(s).
• Primary customer focal for all SAFRAN assigned Companies for linefit / retrofit opportunities and other opportunities, which may occur.
• Act as the voice of the customer within SAFRAN, communicating customer priorities, expectations, strategic direction and key concerns to relevant SAFRAN companies and leadership.
• Support Aftermarket activities of Safran entities, monitor significant customer performance concerns, and facilitate cross-company coordination and executive engagement to prevent or resolve escalations.
• Support awarded programs through key development and entry-into-service phases, facilitating customer communication and cross-functional coordination in the event of significant delays, disputes or performance concerns.
• Set-up and coordinate regular executive level meetings (ERM, BRM,…) between airlines and SAFRAN companies
• Participate in and host Customers at major industry shows and events.
• Assist in the identification of potential useful business partners that fully comply with SAFRAN Trade Compliance requirements.
• Host and attend frequent telecons and virtual meetings.
• Fully support accounts receivable efforts.
• Provide timely and accurate reports including but not limited to: updated information about assigned key accounts.
• Be capable of acting on behalf of, or in lieu of VP BDA as requested.
• Support in the analysis, verification, and preparation of market intelligence.

Key Success Measures

• Contributes to business growth and positive image of SAFRAN.
• Meets strategic business objectives.
• Customers' satisfaction and appreciated or recognized by the Customer(s) as a SAFRAN “go-to” person.
• Branch Sales and Executive Management satisfaction.
• Ensure Trade Compliance standards are fully adhered too.
• Demonstrated ability to establish, build and maintain effective relationships with Customers and achieve business growth objectives.
• Excellent level of English skills (spoken & written) is mandatory
• Effective communicator with multiple stakeholders to achieve desirable outcomes.
• Adaptability to local culture (political, geopolitical and industrial environment, language(s), decision-making circuits and processes, within the framework of a campaign, implicit or explicit choice criteria, formalism, influences, etc.) and local regulations
• Excellent understanding and execution of digital applications for marketing and sales required.
• Bachelor's degree required, degree in Business/Engineering fields preferred; MBA preferred. -The selected candidate will need 8+ years of experience in commercial airlines, the Safran Group and aviation in general; significant experience in 1-2 of these areas could also suffice.
• Experience in institutional / high level relations abroad is an additional asset
• Knowledge in Aftermarket activities
• Knowledge of Safran Group (organization, decision-making and communication processes, DIRI framework, etc.) and its products with a focus on those considered in the geographical area -Experience engaging commercial airlines in product development or sales efforts.

Experience within the interiors segment is preferred.