VP Business Development EWIS (Papendrecht, NL)

Qabird; Papendrecht; On-site; EUR 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 holidays

Pension PME

Competitive bonus scheme(s)

Company car

Informal working environment

Job summary

GKN Aerospace is seeking a strategic leader to shape and accelerate EWIS growth globally. You will define the commercial strategy, focus on defence programs and emerging markets, and translate insights into actionable plans across regions.

You will drive negotiations, manage key relationships with OEMs and defence customers, and lead cross‑functional teams to deliver sustained value and growth.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering (or Electrical/Systems Engineering with aerospace focus).
• 15–20 years of experience in aerospace, preferably in EWIS, avionics or complex systems.
• Proven track record in business development and capture leadership.
• Strong credibility with OEMs and defence customers.
• Data‑driven, strategic and customer‑focused mindset.

Responsibilities

• Define and own the EWIS commercial strategy with emphasis on defence and non-traditional markets.
• Identify white spaces and disruptive entry points beyond traditional aerospace customers.
• Develop and drive the commercial roadmap and account penetration strategy.
• Embed EWIS within divisional business development structures.
• Engage with OEMs, Ministries of Defence and Tier‑1 partners at the executive level.
• Lead negotiations for complex, multi-national and long‑term contracts.
• Drive capture strategies for new platforms, retrofits and digital EWIS programs.
• Leverage relationships to unlock strategic opportunities.
• Own BI/MI capabilities and translate insights into action.
• Support investment decisions and strategic prioritisation.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Business development

Capture leadership

Data-driven mindset

Customer-focused

Industry credibility

Education

Aerospace Engineering degree

Electrical/Systems Engineering with aerospace focus

Job description

GKN Aerospace is ‘s werelds meest toonaangevende leverancier binnen de vliegtuigindustrie. Met 32 productielocaties in 12 landen bedienen we meer dan 90% van ‘s werelds vliegtuig- en motorfabrikanten en een omzet behaald van £3.6 miljard in 2025. Wij ontwerpen en produceren innovatieve slimme ruimtevaartsystemen en componenten. Elke keer dat je per vliegtuig reist, is het waarschijnlijk dat GKN je op weg helpt.

We are on the hunt for people who want to make a difference, talented employees with the skills and passion to be the best at what they do.

Job Summary

We are seeking a strategic and commercially driven leader to shape and accelerate the growth of our Electrical Wiring Interconnection Systems (EWIS) business. In this senior role, you will define and execute a global commercial strategy with a strong focus on defence programs and emerging aerospace markets. You will operate at the intersection of technology, strategy, and customer engagement—driving growth through insight, innovation, and execution. Overall accountability for the strategy to achieve above‑market growth and managing all aspects of the customer relationship, this includes but is not limited to delivering goods and services to the customer, achieving the financial returns required by the company and developing the people and processes necessary to be successful. The role is accountable for creating a great place to work.

Job Responsibilities

As Vice President Business Development – EWIS, you hold full accountability for defining and executing the commercial strategy. Your primary focus is on defence programmes and emerging markets, including UAS, space, eVTOL, and special mission aircraft. You translate strategy into clear, regionally executable plans and identify new growth opportunities beyond traditional aerospace markets. At the same time, you ensure EWIS is firmly embedded within the divisional business development structure, while actively driving account penetration and value creation.

Global Commercial Direction

• Define and own the EWIS commercial strategy, with emphasis on defence and non‑traditional markets (UAS, space, eVTOL, special missions)
• Identify white spaces and disruptive entry points beyond traditional aerospace customers
• Develop and drive the commercial roadmap and account penetration strategy
• Embed EWIS within divisional business development structures

Customer & Program Leadership

• Engage with OEMs, Ministries of Defence and Tier‑1 partners at the executive level
• Lead negotiations for complex, multi‑national and long‑term contracts
• Drive capture strategies for new platforms, retrofits and digital EWIS programs
• Leverage relationships to unlock strategic opportunities

Business & Market Intelligence

• Own Business Intelligence (BI) and Market Intelligence (MI) capabilities
• Translate insights on defence budgets, competitors and technology trends into action
• Support investment decisions and strategic prioritisation

Proposals, Pricing & Value Proposition

• Oversee bid strategy, governance and pricing frameworks
• Implement robust costing models (make/buy, lifecycle, risk/margin)
• Define compelling value propositions (safety, weight optimisation, lifecycle cost, digital EWIS)

Business Development Leadership

• Guide BD Directors across global defence and emerging markets
• Drive program shaping, early customer engagement and partnership ecosystems
• Foster strong collaboration with engineering and operations teams

Cross‑Functional Leadership

• Partner with Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain and Finance
• Champion the voice of the customer in EWIS strategy and roadmap
• Build organisational capability, accountability and succession

Job Qualifications

You bring a rare combination of technical depth, commercial acumen and leadership credibility:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering (or Electrical/Systems Engineering with aerospace focus)
• 15–20 years of experience in aerospace, preferably in EWIS, avionics or complex systems
• Proven track record in business development and capture leadership
• Strong credibility with OEMs and defence customers
• Data‑driven, strategic and customer‑focused mindset

Leadership Characteristics

• Product‑driven: passionate about EWIS as a safety‑critical, differentiating system
• Strategic and decisive: able to think long‑term and execute pragmatically
• Data‑led: using BI/MI insights as core leadership tools
• Influential: credible from boardroom to engineering floor
• Resilient and ethical: comfortable navigating complexity, compliance and ambiguity

What we’ll offer

We are committed to offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities, a career that can go in many directions thanks to our breadth of international opportunities. By being part of GKN Fokker Aerospace that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry, you will know that you will be working towards being the most trusted partner in the aerospace industry.

• A gross monthly salary based on grade WTW‑D16
• 30 holidays for full‑time employment
• An excellent pension scheme (PME)
• Competitive Bonus Scheme(s)
• Company car
• A pleasant and informal working environment, in which we work together to achieve the best result for our customers.

Diversity Inclusion and Belonging (DIB)

As a global engineering company, innovation is what differentiates us from our competitors and is central to our success.

A balance of cultures, ethnicities and genders help bring new ideas and creativity to GKN. We need people of different backgrounds, with different skills and perspectives to spark originality, imagination and creativeness in our teams around the world.

GKN is an equal opportunity employer.

We treat all our employees and applicants fairly and are committed to ensuring that there is no discrimination or harassment against any employee or qualified applicant on the grounds of age, race, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, marital status, affectional or sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, nationality, sex, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.