Director of Aerospace

GP&C•Houston, TX

About The Position

Essential Duties & Responsibilities: Aerospace Strategy & Market Leadership: Own and execute GP&C’s Aerospace strategy, including market segmentation, customer prioritization, growth targets, and margin performance. Lead strategic market mapping across commercial aerospace, defense and space sectors. Identify and evaluate new products, platforms, and application opportunities aligned with company capabilities in composites and advanced materials. Drive long-range planning, including revenue forecasting, pipeline development and conversion of development programs into production business. Maintain accountability for aerospace revenue growth, pricing strategy, and margin discipline, balancing commercial opportunity with operational and financial risk. Customer & Program Leadership Serve as the senior point of contact for key aerospace customers. Lead customer engagement across technical, commercial, quality, and program dimensions. Ensure disciplined execution of aerospace programs from development through production and lifecycle management. Maintain accountability for program-level performance, including cost, schedule, quality, and profitability across the full program lifecycle. Champion Voice of the Customer and translate customer needs into actionable internal priorities. Technical & Composites Integration Provide leadership in aligning aerospace customer requirements with internal advanced composites and materials capabilities, including resin systems and prepregs as well as carbon fiber and glass composites. Partner with Engineering, New Products Development, and Operations to guide product development and qualification strategies. Support aerospace product and capability roadmaps, including recommendations for new technologies, equipment, tooling and process investments. Aerospace Readiness & Internal Alignment Collaborate with Quality and Operations to support AS9100 compliance, customer audits, and supplier approval processes. Lead identification of aerospace capability gaps and support development of phased readiness roadmaps to mature systems, processes, and execution over time. Provide market and customer feedback to Leadership on aerospace requirements, competitive positioning, pricing expectations, and capability gaps. Support prioritization of capital investments, certifications, and process improvements required to scale aerospace growth. Operational & Cross-Functional Leadership Drive collaboration across Sales, Engineering, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure aerospace business success. Establish aerospace operating cadence, metrics, and governance consistent with customer, certification, and risk-management expectations. Ensure aerospace programs meet delivery, quality, cost and profitability commitments. Influence capacity planning, capital investment, and workforce needs specific to aerospace growth. Champion continuous improvement, operational excellence, and risk mitigation across aerospace programs. Qualifications & Experience: Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Materials Science, Aerospace, or related field (MBA preferred). Experience: 12-15 years’ experience of aerospace, advanced materials or composites manufacturing environment. Demonstrated experience working with aerospace OEMs or Tier 1/2 suppliers. Proven experience supporting aerospace customers across development, qualification, and sustained production phases. Demonstrated leadership experience managing cross-functional responsibilities. Proven experience supporting aerospace customers across development, qualification, and production phases. Strong knowledge of composite materials processing methods and aerospace qualification requirements. Exposure to both aerospace and defense programs preferred. Skills: Strong understanding of AS9100, aerospace quality requirements, ITAR and customer qualification processes. Strong business acumen with ability to manage growth, margin, and operational tradeoffs. Exceptional leadership, influence, and cross-functional collaboration skills. Proficiency in CRM software and Microsoft Office Suite. Ability to operate effectively in both strategic and execution-focused environments. Personal Attributes: Highly motivated and goal oriented. Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills. Adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment. Strong organizational and time-management abilities. Physical Requirements & Work Environment: Office-based role with visits to manufacturing sites. Standard business hours with flexibility required around customers’ demands. Stand or walk for extended periods. Occasionally lift items weighing up to 20 pounds. Navigate the manufacturing floor, adhering to safety protocols. Willingness to travel as needed for client meetings, conferences, and industry events. Must be a US. Person (Resident Alien or US Citizen) under 22 CFR 120 (due to ITAR Restrictions). ITAR Requirements To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder) as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158, Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the company’s immigration sponsorship now or in the future. GP&C will not offer immigration sponsorship for this position. GP&C will not seek an export authorization for this role.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Materials Science, Aerospace, or related field (MBA preferred).
12-15 years’ experience of aerospace, advanced materials or composites manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated experience working with aerospace OEMs or Tier 1/2 suppliers.
Proven experience supporting aerospace customers across development, qualification, and sustained production phases.
Demonstrated leadership experience managing cross-functional responsibilities.
Proven experience supporting aerospace customers across development, qualification, and production phases.
Strong knowledge of composite materials processing methods and aerospace qualification requirements.
Strong understanding of AS9100, aerospace quality requirements, ITAR and customer qualification processes.
Strong business acumen with ability to manage growth, margin, and operational tradeoffs.
Exceptional leadership, influence, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Proficiency in CRM software and Microsoft Office Suite.
Ability to operate effectively in both strategic and execution-focused environments.
Highly motivated and goal oriented.
Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills.
Adaptable and able to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
Strong organizational and time-management abilities.
Must be a US. Person (Resident Alien or US Citizen) under 22 CFR 120 (due to ITAR Restrictions).
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder) as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(20), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. 1158
Must be authorized to work in the U.S. without the company’s immigration sponsorship now or in the future.

Nice To Haves

MBA preferred
Exposure to both aerospace and defense programs preferred.

Responsibilities

Own and execute GP&C’s Aerospace strategy, including market segmentation, customer prioritization, growth targets, and margin performance.
Lead strategic market mapping across commercial aerospace, defense and space sectors.
Identify and evaluate new products, platforms, and application opportunities aligned with company capabilities in composites and advanced materials.
Drive long-range planning, including revenue forecasting, pipeline development and conversion of development programs into production business.
Maintain accountability for aerospace revenue growth, pricing strategy, and margin discipline, balancing commercial opportunity with operational and financial risk.
Serve as the senior point of contact for key aerospace customers.
Lead customer engagement across technical, commercial, quality, and program dimensions.
Ensure disciplined execution of aerospace programs from development through production and lifecycle management.
Maintain accountability for program-level performance, including cost, schedule, quality, and profitability across the full program lifecycle.
Champion Voice of the Customer and translate customer needs into actionable internal priorities.
Provide leadership in aligning aerospace customer requirements with internal advanced composites and materials capabilities, including resin systems and prepregs as well as carbon fiber and glass composites.
Partner with Engineering, New Products Development, and Operations to guide product development and qualification strategies.
Support aerospace product and capability roadmaps, including recommendations for new technologies, equipment, tooling and process investments.
Collaborate with Quality and Operations to support AS9100 compliance, customer audits, and supplier approval processes.
Lead identification of aerospace capability gaps and support development of phased readiness roadmaps to mature systems, processes, and execution over time.
Provide market and customer feedback to Leadership on aerospace requirements, competitive positioning, pricing expectations, and capability gaps.
Support prioritization of capital investments, certifications, and process improvements required to scale aerospace growth.
Drive collaboration across Sales, Engineering, Quality, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure aerospace business success.
Establish aerospace operating cadence, metrics, and governance consistent with customer, certification, and risk-management expectations.
Ensure aerospace programs meet delivery, quality, cost and profitability commitments.
Influence capacity planning, capital investment, and workforce needs specific to aerospace growth.
Champion continuous improvement, operational excellence, and risk mitigation across aerospace programs.