Business Development Director - Americas

Safran; United States; Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Safran seeks a senior relationship-oriented professional to strengthen ties with major airlines and lessors in North America, with possible involvement in South/Latin America. You will support growth across Safran’s family of companies including Aerosystems, Cabin, Seats, and more, coordinating cross-group opportunities and executive engagement.

The role requires 8+ years in aviation/commercial airlines, strong English skills, and proven ability to manage high-level relationships and RFQ

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; degree in Business/Engineering fields preferred.
• 8+ years of experience in commercial airlines, the Safran Group and aviation in general.
• Excellent level of English (spoken & written) is mandatory.
• Experience engaging airlines in product development or sales efforts; interiors experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop, maintain and enhance relations between Customers and SAFRAN leadership.
• Create and facilitate a formal contact plan for relationship-building meetings with airline counterparts.
• Organize periodic business review meetings, product previews and demonstrations.
• Support SAFRAN's strategic business growth and objectives.
• Develop and coordinate a SAFRAN-wide account strategy for assigned customers.
• Provide intelligence and support the Sales teams in RFQs/tenders/bids and bundle proposals.
• Act as the voice of the customer within SAFRAN to communicate priorities to leadership.

Skills

Relationship management

English proficiency

Communication skills

Strategic account management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Engineering

MBA preferred

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. - 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.