ELI - Strategic Planning Specialist

Leonardo; Varese; Hybrid; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

13th-month salary

Performance bonus

Welfare vouchers €250/year

Training and development

Hybrid working

Job summary

Leonardo in Italy is seeking a Strategic & Growth Planning Specialist to support the Division’s strategic priorities, investments, and resource allocation.

You will develop fact-based analyses, build business cases for growth initiatives, and contribute to inorganic growth and external funding opportunities, collaborating across Strategy, Finance, Engineering and other functions.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Economics, Business Administration or STEM field.
• 2–4 years of experience in strategy, strategic planning, business development, or corporate finance in complex/industrial environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate analyses into business implications.
• Good understanding of business case development, investment assessment and financial fundamentals.
• Ability to assess growth opportunities combining strategic, market and financial perspectives.

Responsibilities

• Translate the Strategic Plan into strategic initiatives, investment priorities and resource requirements.
• Assess alignment of investment plans with the Division’s priorities and identify gaps.
• Scout and assess new growth opportunities across markets, products, and tech.
• Develop fact-based assessments and preliminary business cases for growth initiatives.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Financial fundamentals

Communication

English proficiency

Education

Master’s degree in Engineering/Economics/Business

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Power BI

Job description

Leonardo is an international industrial group and one of the world's leading companies in the Aerospace, Defence, and Security sectors, delivering multi-domain technological capabilities in the fields of Helicopters, Aircraft, Aerostructures, Electronics, Cyber Security, and Space. With more than 60,000 employees worldwide, the company has a strong industrial presence in Italy, the United Kingdom, Poland, and the United States, and operates in 150 countries through subsidiaries, joint ventures, and equity investments. A key player in major strategic programs at the global level, Leonardo is a technology and industrial partner to governments, defence administrations, institutions, and businesses.

We are looking for a Strategic & Growth Planning Specialist to support the development of the Division’s strategic and growth agenda, ensuring coherence between strategic priorities, investments and resource allocation.

The role contributes to the identification, assessment and prioritization of new growth opportunities, evaluating their strategic rationale, feasibility, investment requirements and expected business returns.

The position also provides fact-based analysis to support investment decisions, while contributing to Corporate-led inorganic growth initiatives and the identification of external funding opportunities.

Activities

• Support the translation of the Strategic Plan into strategic initiatives, investment priorities and resource requirements.
• Assess the alignment of investment plans and resource allocation with the Division’s strategic priorities, identifying potential gaps and areas requiring further assessment.
• Scout and assess new growth opportunities across markets, products, technologies and business models, evaluating strategic rationale, attractiveness and feasibility.
• Develop fact-based assessments and preliminary business cases for growth initiatives, including expected business returns, investment requirements, key risks and strategic fit.
• Support the prioritization and evolution of the growth initiatives portfolio, contributing to management reviews and strategic decision-making.
• Support Corporate-led inorganic growth initiatives, assessing their strategic fit, business rationale and potential implications for the Division.
• Identify and assess potential external funding opportunities for strategic initiatives and programmes, supporting their alignment with the Division’s strategic and technology priorities.

Requirements - Profile & Skills

• Master’s degree in Engineering (with focus on management disciplines), Economics, Business Administration or other STEM disciplines.
• 2–4 years of experience in strategy, strategic planning, business development, corporate finance or business analysis in complex/industrial environments.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to structure complex topics and translate analyses into clear business implications.
• Good understanding of business case development, investment assessment and financial fundamentals.
• Ability to assess growth opportunities combining strategic, market and financial perspectives.
• Advanced proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint; knowledge of Power BI or similar analytical tools is a plus.
• Ability to operate effectively across functions, working with Strategy, Finance, Business, Engineering and other relevant stakeholders.
• Strong communication and synthesis skills, with the ability to prepare clear materials to support management decision-making.
• Ability to operate in cross-functional and international environments.
• Good written and spoken English communication skills (B2 or above).

WHAT WE OFFER

• Working arrangement: Hybrid
• Employment category: White-collar employee
• Contract type: Permanent contract
• 13th-month salary
• Performance bonus linked to business results
• Welfare vouchers worth €250 per year
• Ongoing training and professional development opportunities, including both technical and soft skills
• Well-being: We place the economic, physical, social, and psychological well-being of our people first, offering a variety of solutions tailored to their needs.

Engagement, recognition of skills, and a strong focus on people's well-being and safety are the cornerstones of our corporate culture.

Every day, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and stimulating work environment by actively promoting the principles of inclusion, equity, and diversity enhancement.

Our reference collective labor agreement is the National Collective Labor Agreement (CCNL) for the Private Metalworking Industry and Plant Installation Sector.

The company reserves the right to assess the appropriate employment level and compensation package based on objective criteria emerging during the selection process and in line with the seniority of the selected candidate and the position itself, in accordance with the principles of fairness, transparency, and equal opportunities established by applicable legislation.

Location and Contract

Seniority:

Primary Location: IT - Varese - Cascina Costa

Additional Locations:

Contract Type: Permanent

Hybrid Working:

THE SELECTION PROCESS

How does the selection process work?

Following the application collection phase, the CVs that best match the required qualifications will be evaluated and shortlisted. Selected candidates will take part in an introductory interview with the Human Resources team, focusing on motivation and aptitude, followed by an in-depth technical interview with the relevant Business function. At the end of the process, all candidates will receive feedback, regardless of whether the outcome is positive or negative.