Business Unit Manager

TA Aerospace

$150K — $180K *
Aerospace & Defense
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in technical, engineering, business or related field preferred
  • 5+ years in progressively responsible roles
  • Experience in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or related technical fields
  • Direct experience managing complex customer relationships
  • Knowledge in pricing, contract negotiations, and business development
  • Ability to analyze business and financial data for strategy development
  • Willingness to travel 25-40% of the time

Responsibilities

  • Own overall Business Unit performance, achieving financial and operational goals
  • Drive sustainable growth through pricing strategies and cost improvement initiatives
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive strategy for profitability and growth
  • Lead cross-functional teams to meet customer and operational objectives
  • Implement initiatives to enhance business responsiveness and execution
  • Create and present Annual Business Unit Plans and Quarterly Business Reviews to executives
  • Build and maintain productive relationships with key customers

Benefits

  • Leadership development and succession planning opportunities
  • Cross-functional interaction with multiple business specialties
  • Highly visible customer-facing role with significant impact
  • Opportunity to drive actionable strategies and performance improvements
  • Dynamic, collaborative work environment promoting ownership and accountability
Full Job Description
Position Summary

The Business Unit Manager (BUM) is a highly visible leadership position responsible for driving the growth, profitability, and overall performance of a Business Unit. Acting with an owner's mindset, the Business Unit Manager leads a co-located, cross-functional team and is accountable for delivering results across three primary value-creation drivers: profitable new business, value-based pricing, and productivity/cost improvement.

The Business Unit Manager develops and executes strategies that drive sustainable year-over-year growth while delivering exceptional value and service to customers. This individual works across Sales, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Quality, and Supply Chain to align priorities, remove obstacles, and ensure execution against business objectives.

Reporting to the Vice President of Sales & Marketing, this is a highly customer-facing role with significant responsibility for customer relationships, contract review and negotiation, new business development, pricing strategy, and Business Unit bookings.

Given the position's visibility, accountability, and broad business exposure, the Business Unit Manager role also serves as an important leadership development and succession-planning position within TransDigm, providing opportunities for continued advancement within the organization.

Key Responsibilities
  • Own Business Unit performance and deliver Bookings, Sales, EBITDA, and other key financial and operational objectives.
  • Drive sustainable value creation through value-based pricing, profitable new business growth, productivity improvements, and cost reduction initiatives.
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive Business Unit strategy focused on consistent year-over-year growth and profitability.
  • Lead and align a cross-functional Business Unit team to achieve customer, operational, and financial objectives.
  • Identify and implement initiatives that improve responsiveness, execution, productivity, and overall performance against customer and business needs.
  • Develop and execute the Annual Business Unit Plan, including financial objectives, growth initiatives, commercial strategies, operational priorities, and key performance measures.
  • Develop and present Quarterly Business Reviews to executive management, clearly communicating performance, opportunities, risks, and corrective actions.
  • Build and maintain strong, productive relationships with key customers and serve as a primary point of contact for business and commercial matters.
  • Lead contract reviews and negotiations, balancing customer requirements with profitability, risk, and long-term business objectives.
  • Identify, pursue, and secure profitable new business opportunities that align with Business Unit growth objectives.
  • Partner cross-functionally to resolve customer and business challenges quickly and effectively.
  • Establish clear expectations and foster a performance-oriented culture of ownership, urgency, collaboration, and accountability.

Education & Experience
  • Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university required; technical, engineering, business, or related degree preferred.
  • Minimum of 5 years of progressive professional experience, including roles of increasing responsibility.
  • Experience in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or a related technical environment preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience working directly with customers and managing complex business or commercial relationships.
  • Experience with pricing, contract negotiations, business development, financial analysis, or P&L-related responsibilities preferred.
  • Experience leading direct reports preferred, but not required.
  • Experience successfully leading or influencing cross-functional teams preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to analyze business and financial data and translate findings into actionable strategies.
  • Ability to travel approximately 25-40%, based on business and customer requirements.

Desired Leadership Characteristics
  • Entrepreneurial & Ownership Mindset: Self-starter who thrives in an entrepreneurial, high-accountability environment and approaches the business with an owner's mentality.
  • Results Oriented: Maintains a strong focus on delivering measurable business results and consistently meeting commitments.
  • Drives Performance: Sets high expectations and drives the organization toward achievement of both short- and long-term objectives.
  • Bias for Action: Demonstrates urgency, takes initiative, makes decisions, and drives issues through to resolution.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving: Quickly assesses complex business challenges, identifies root causes, evaluates alternatives, and develops practical solutions.
  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Uses financials, metrics, customer data, and operational information to make informed decisions while maintaining strong attention to detail.
  • Prioritization & Execution: Effectively manages multiple competing priorities while maintaining focus on activities that create the greatest business value.
  • Influential Leadership & Accountability: Effectively influences across functions, establishes clear expectations, and holds self and others accountable for results.
  • Leads by Example: Models the behaviors, standards, and level of ownership expected from the team while creating a collective sense of purpose.
  • Strong Business Acumen: Understands the financial, commercial, operational, and customer drivers of the business and how decisions impact growth and profitability.
  • Communication & Interpersonal Effectiveness: Communicates openly, directly, and effectively while building credibility and productive relationships at all levels of the organization.


This position requires use of information which is subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). All applicants must be U.S. persons within the meaning of ITAR. ITAR defines a US person as: any individual who is granted U.S. citizenship; or. any individual who is granted U.S. permanent residence ("Green Card" holder); or. any individual who is granted status as a "protected person" under 8 U.S.C

Pay Range: $150,000 - $180,000 per year

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