Global Sales Vice President - Aerospace

Forward Air Corporation; Seattle (WA); On-site; USD 250,000 - 450,000; Full time

Job summary

Forward Air Corporation seeks a Global Sales Vice President – Aerospace to define and execute the Aerospace strategy across commercial aviation, defense, space, OEMs, and aftermarket, driving profitable growth and strategic customer engagement.

The role requires deep Aerospace domain expertise, executive presence, and a proven track record leading complex, global programs within matrixed organizations while collaborating with product, operations, and finance teams.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field required; advanced degree preferred.
• Experience of 10+ years in leadership roles within Aerospace, Aviation, Defense, Logistics, or related industries.
• Proven track record in revenue growth, strategic accounts, and market expansion in Aerospace sectors.
• Deep knowledge of Aerospace supply chains, OEM/Tier suppliers, MRO, and high-value transportation solutions.
• Strong understanding of freight forwarding, air/ocean freight, customs brokerage, and contract logistics.
• Experience with ITAR, EAR, trade compliance, dangerous goods handling, and quality standards preferred.
• Ability to develop global growth strategies and lead cross-functional commercial initiatives across regions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the organization's global Aerospace strategy across markets.
• Drive revenue growth, profitability, and market share in Aerospace worldwide.
• Create targeted growth plans across key Aerospace sectors including Commercial Aviation, Defense, Space, OEMs, and MRO.
• Build and manage a robust opportunity pipeline and strategic accounts.
• Strengthen relationships with key customers and industry partners to increase wallet share.
• Support commercial teams on strategic pursuits and complex deals.
• Partner with Product leadership to develop and monetize industry-specific solutions.
• Build executive relationships with stakeholders across Supply Chain, Procurement, Operations, and Engineering.
• Monitor industry trends and regulatory developments to inform strategy.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive global execution and commercial excellence.
• Represent the company at industry events and customer forums.
• Identify capability gaps and propose investments to strengthen competitive positioning.
• All other duties as assigned.

Skills

Aerospace expertise

Strategic sales leadership

Global account management

Executive stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business

MBA preferred

Tools

Salesforce

MS Office 365

Job description

Job Description

Global Sales Vice President - Aerospace is responsible for defining and executing the organization's global Aerospace strategy while driving profitable growth across commercial aviation, defense and government, space and satellite, OEMs, Tier suppliers, MRO providers, and the aerospace aftermarket. This executive leader serves as the Aerospace subject matter expert and owns the commercial strategy, market positioning, customer growth, and solution development efforts for the vertical. Partnering closely with Commercial, Product, Operations, and executive leadership, the Vice President will identify growth opportunities, build strategic customer relationships, and drive differentiated Aerospace solutions across global markets. The role is accountable for revenue growth, strategic account development, industry thought leadership, and cross-functional alignment. The successful candidate will bring deep Aerospace expertise, strong executive presence, and a proven track record of driving growth within complex global organizations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the organization's global Aerospace strategy, ensuring alignment with business objectives and growth priorities.
• Drive revenue growth, profitability, and market share expansion across Aerospace markets worldwide.
• Develop targeted growth strategies across key Aerospace sectors, including Commercial Aviation, Defense and Government, Space and Satellite, OEMs, Tier Suppliers, MRO, and Aerospace Aftermarket.
• Build and maintain a robust pipeline of opportunities while leading strategic customer acquisition and expansion efforts.
• Own and strengthen relationships with key Aerospace customers, strategic accounts, and industry partners to increase retention, share of wallet, and long-term value.
• Serve as the Aerospace subject matter expert, supporting commercial teams on strategic pursuits, executive engagements, solution development, and complex sales opportunities.
• Partner with Product leadership to develop and commercialize industry-specific solutions across Air, Ocean, Ground Transportation, Customs Brokerage, and Contract Logistics services.
• Build executive relationships across customer organizations, including Supply Chain, Procurement, Operations, Manufacturing, Engineering, and Program Management stakeholders.
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory developments, competitive activity, and emerging market opportunities to inform strategy and investment decisions.
• Collaborate with Commercial, Operations, Finance, Product, Engineering, Marketing, and regional leadership teams to drive global execution and commercial excellence.
• Represent the organization at industry events, customer forums, and trade associations while serving as a visible advocate for the Aerospace vertical.
• Identify capability gaps and recommend investments that strengthen competitive positioning and support long-term growth.
• All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Engineering, Aviation Management, Economics, or a related field from an accredited college or university required; advanced degree preferred.
• Certification/Licensure: Relevant Aerospace, logistics, supply chain, or business certifications preferred.
• Experience: 10+ years of progressive leadership experience within Aerospace, Aviation, Defense, Logistics, Supply Chain, Transportation, or related industries.
• Demonstrated success driving revenue growth, strategic account development, customer acquisition, and market expansion within Aerospace-related sectors.
• Deep knowledge of Aerospace supply chains, including OEM and Tier supplier ecosystems, MRO operations, aerospace aftermarket support, and high-value transportation solutions.
• Strong understanding of freight forwarding, air freight, ocean freight, customs brokerage, transportation management, and contract logistics solutions.
• Experience working within Aerospace regulatory and compliance environments, including ITAR, EAR, trade compliance, dangerous goods handling, and quality management standards preferred.
• Proven ability to develop global growth strategies, influence executive stakeholders, and lead complex commercial initiatives across multiple regions.
• International business experience and demonstrated success working within matrixed global organizations.
• Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.
• Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), CRMs (Salesforce), and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.)
• Environment: Comfort commuting to/from and working in a 100% on-site setting (listed in this posting), with significant travel for related meetings/events.