Aerospace & Defence Engineering Leadership Search
We support OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers and specialist engineering firms with executive and technical leadership search. Our focus is on engineering managers, programme leaders and functional specialists supporting complex platforms and long-cycle programmes.
Aerospace engineering leadership requires deep technical credibility combined with programme delivery and certification expertise.
What's happening in aerospace right now
Aerospace engineering is caught between two forces: unprecedented commercial backlog pressure and the complexity of new programmes. OEMs are struggling to increase production rates while managing mature programmes with ageing engineering workforces. Tier 1s are squeezed on both ends – customers demanding rate increases while their own talent pipelines thin.
The certification environment has become more demanding. Regulators are scrutinising design assurance more closely post-737MAX, and the resources required to achieve and maintain type certification have increased significantly. Engineering leaders who can navigate EASA and FAA interfaces effectively are increasingly valuable.
Defence budgets are expanding but delivery remains challenging. Complex programmes with multiple stakeholders, evolving requirements and export control constraints require engineering leaders who can manage technical risk while satisfying diverse customer needs. The commercial-defence talent boundary is becoming more fluid as engineers seek career variety.
Current pressure points
- Rate ramp challenges straining engineering resources
- Heightened certification scrutiny increasing programme risk
- Ageing workforce and succession gaps in critical disciplines
- Supply chain engineering support demands increasing
- Talent competition between commercial and defence sectors
- Digital transformation requiring new engineering capabilities
The problems we actually solve
Building engineering leadership depth
Finding engineering managers who can lead multi-discipline teams through development, certification and production support. Leaders who combine technical credibility with programme delivery capability.
Certification and design assurance leadership
Specialists who understand the regulatory interface deeply – not just compliance managers, but leaders who can shape certification strategy and manage regulator relationships effectively.
Functional excellence in scarce disciplines
Systems, structures, avionics and test leads in disciplines where demand far exceeds supply. Often this requires creative sourcing across commercial/defence boundaries or international markets.
Programme engineering leadership
Engineering leads who can work at programme level – managing technical risk, coordinating across disciplines and representing engineering to customers and senior stakeholders.
Aerospace engineering and programme roles
From functional engineering leads through to programme-level technical leadership.
Engineering Leadership
- VP Engineering
- Chief Engineer
- Engineering Director
- Head of Design & Development
- Programme Chief Engineer
Functional Leads
- Systems Engineering Lead
- Structures Lead
- Avionics Lead
- Propulsion Lead
- Integration Lead
Certification & Quality
- Design Assurance Manager
- Certification Manager
- Test & Qualification Lead
- Technical Authority
- Chief of Airworthiness
Traits, experience patterns and failure modes
What we look for
- Technical depth – can still engage at the engineering level; hasn't lost touch with the discipline
- Programme awareness – understands schedule, cost and risk; can make trade-offs without escalating everything
- Certification fluency – knows the regulatory framework deeply; can shape strategy not just execute compliance
- Team development – builds capability in scarce disciplines; creates environments where engineers grow
- Customer and stakeholder interface – comfortable representing engineering to programme leadership and customers
Common failure modes
- Technical perfectionism – cannot make pragmatic trade-offs; holds programmes hostage to engineering ideals
- Process dependency – follows procedures but cannot adapt when novel problems arise
- Single-programme experience – deep expertise on one platform that doesn't transfer to different programme phases
- Individual contributor mindset – brilliant engineer who cannot lead teams or develop others
- Commercial naivety – doesn't understand cost implications; makes technically elegant but unaffordable decisions
Mandate patterns we support
Aerospace OEM · Long-cycle programme
Engineering Manager
Functional lead across systems and structures teams with focus on design assurance, certification interface and integration with manufacturing engineering and supply chain. Sponsor: VP Engineering.
Tier 1 Supplier · Aerostructures
Chief Engineer
Technical leadership for major structural assembly programme. Required deep composites experience, customer interface capability and ability to manage geographically distributed engineering teams.
Defence OEM · Platform upgrade
Systems Engineering Lead
Leadership of systems engineering function for major platform upgrade programme. Required defence programme experience, security clearance eligibility and customer relationship capability.
Engineering services · Multiple programmes
Head of Design Assurance
Design assurance leadership across multiple customer programmes. Required EASA Part 21J experience, DER/CVE background and ability to build and scale a certification organisation.
Discuss an aerospace mandate
If you are hiring for a critical engineering or programme leadership role in aerospace, we would be interested to understand the brief.