Director of Business Transformation & Strategy
Published 03.06.2026
Company : Safran Electronics & Defense Job field : Continuous improvement
Location : Rockford , Illinois , United States
Contract type : Permanent Contract duration : Full-time Required degree : Bachelors Degree Required experience : More than 8 years Professional status : Professional, Engineer & Manager Salary range : $190,000- $230,000
ITAR : ITAR Controlled position
# 2026-173825
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Published 03.06.2026
Job Description
Job Summary
The Director of Business Transformation & Strategy plays a critical leadership role in driving execution of strategic transformation initiatives within the North America Actuation business. Reporting directly to the General Manager of North America Actuation, this role is responsible for leading post-acquisition integration, facility and product transfer project execution, supplier governance reinforcement, and operational capability maturity initiatives.
This position ensures disciplined execution, cross-functional alignment, and accountability ownership to strengthen performance stability, protect customer satisfaction, and position the business for long-term strategic growth. The Director partners closely with Operations, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, HR, and executive leadership to deliver measurable improvements in execution, responsiveness, and organizational capability.
Essential Job Functions
• Lead execution of integration and transformation initiatives associated with Actuation North America operations. • Develop and manage the roadmap for Rockford facility transfer and operational stabilization activities. • Drive structured governance and milestone tracking across cross-functional teams. • Establish and enforce clear accountability models for supplier performance oversight and recovery execution during transitional agreements. • Provide direct leadership to assigned team members, including workload prioritization, performance management, accountability setting, and capability development, as applicable. • Coordinate insourcing and capability build activities related to transitional agreements and operational handovers. • Identify and mitigate operational, quality, and delivery risks from transfer projects which could impact customer performance. • Partner with Operations, Supply Chain and Quality leadership to reinforce supplier performance governance models. • Align transformation priorities with overall business strategy and customer commitments. • Drive change management initiatives to ensure successful adoption of new processes and accountability structures. • Provide structured executive reporting on transformation progress, risk exposure, and mitigation actions. • Support long-term operational capability maturity to enable future program pursuits and scalable growth. • Serve as the central point of accountability for transformation execution within Actuation North America. • Other duties, as required.
Job Requirements
Education/Experience • Bachelors degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, or related field; MBA preferred. • 10+ years of experience in aerospace, industrial operations, business transformation, or complex program leadership. • Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional initiatives in high-complexity environments (post-acquisition, integration, or large-scale operational change preferred).
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities • Strong execution leadership and operational problem-solving capability. • Proven ability to drive disciplined governance and accountability in matrix organizations. • Experience managing facility transfers, operational transitions, or industrialization initiatives preferred. • Strong understanding of supply chain performance management and supplier governance frameworks. • Exceptional communication and influencing skills across executive and operational levels. • Ability to operate effectively in dynamic, evolving environments requiring decisive action. • Demonstrated change management and stakeholder alignment capability.
But what else? (advantages, specific features, etc.)
Travel Specificity
This position will require a significant on-site presence in Rockford, IL during the initial phases of integration, operational stabilization, and facility transfer execution. Early-stage transformation activities are expected to require approximately 30-70% on-site engagement in Rockford and periodic travel to other North American locations supporting product transfers and operational transition activities.
Travel intensity may moderate over time as transformation governance structures are established and execution ownership is embedded within the operational organization. Ongoing travel may include domestic site visits and occasional international coordination, as required to support cross-functional alignment and program execution
This position requires access to information and/or hardware subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). In accordance with ITAR requirements, applicants must qualify as a "U.S. person" as defined under 22 C.F.R. §120.62. A U.S. person includes a U.S. Citizen, U.S. Permanent Resident (lawful permanent resident), Political Asylee, or Refugee.
Employment in this position is contingent upon the ability to obtain and maintain any required export control authorization and to comply with all applicable U.S. export control regulations.
Company Information
Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets. Safran is in the 2nd place in the aerospace and defense industry in TIME magazines "Worlds best companies 2024" ranking.
Safran Electronics & Defense offers its customers onboard intelligence solutions allowing them to understand the environment, reduce mental load and guarantee a trajectory, even in critical situations, in all environments: on land, at sea, in the sky or space. The company harnesses the expertise of its 13,000 employees towards these three functions: observe, decide and guide, for the civil and military markets.
Locate your future workplace
4747 Harrison Ave, M/S 298-6
61108
Rockford
Illinois United States
Copy Address
100,000
employees worldwide
27
Number of countries where Safran is located
35
business area families