Capture Director

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet.

• Papendrecht, NL
• GKN Aerospace Careers

Job Summary

GKN Aerospace is a global engineering business. Every time you travel by air almost anywhere in the world, it is likely that GKN is helping you on your way. We design, manufacture and service systems and components for original equipment manufacturers around the world. We are continuously evolving, pioneering new technologies and reinventing existing ones, stretching ourselves to be better in everything we do. We are looking for people who want to make a difference, talented members with the skills and passions to become the best of the future in what they do.

The Capture Director – Missiles & Uncrewed Systems plays a critical role in the successful capture and subsequent delivery of technology and infrastructure development, co-creation and long-term serial production workshare on defence programs in the EU. The Capture Director leads a dedicated Integrated Product Team (IPT)-style function that takes ownership of qualified opportunities from RFP through contract award. This individual oversees captures in coordination with Business Development, manages gate reviews, integrates technical and commercial inputs, leads competitive positioning and teaming strategy, and ensures that GKN's win probability is maximized through structured, disciplined capture execution. The Capture Director also leads Price-to-Win analysis and integrates engineering and program inputs to ensure that GKN bids are competitive on substance, not just price.

Reporting to the Sr. Vice President of Business Development & Strategy, this role is responsible for:

• Supporting development and generation of GKN’s capture strategies and campaign plans, led by the Vice President of Business Development for the EU and SVP of BD & Strategy;
• Leading execution and oversight of the capture strategies and campaigns to secure and deliver technology and infrastructure development funding and investment, co-creation programmes and long-term serial production workshare aligned to GKNs strategic product portfolio;
• Leading execution and oversight of funding, investment, co-creation and workshare to deliver and EU sovereign capability and infrastructure and long-term value and returns for GKN.
• Leading solution integration across technical, commercial, and programme inputs
• Shaping pricing, trade-offs, and execution strategy to maximize win probability

This role shapes GKN’s strategic positioning to deliver sovereign vehicle integration, aerostructure and additive structure capability and industrialisation for advanced EU programmes, and drives collaboration and strategic partnerships to strengthen industrial resilience, supply-chain security, and advanced manufacturing leadership across NATO nations.

Job Responsibilities

Capture Strategy & Campaign Planning

• Lead the development and execution of vehicle integration, aerostructure, additive structures, funding, investment, partnership, and workshare Capture Plans to secure EU sovereign technology, infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing programmes.
• Support development of sovereign infrastructure investment Capture Plans aligned with workshare and industrialisation strategies.
• Develop, maintain, and communicate Campaign Plans with Business Development leadership and key stakeholders.
• Lead multi-year integrated business planning for Campaign Plans, aligning investment, resources, partnerships, technology readiness, product maturity, and industrialisation priorities with strategic objectives.

Partnership & Sovereign Capability Leadership

• Lead strategic partnerships and industrial collaborations to deliver vehicle integration, aerostructures, and additive structures at scale, strengthening EU sovereign capability, industrial resilience, and advanced manufacturing leadership.
• Engage senior stakeholders across EU Governments, MODs, economic development agencies, regional authorities, industry primes, and allied nations to shape business cases, site strategies, funding models, governance, and delivery plans.

Capture Strategy & Campaign Execution

• Lead and oversee end-to-end funding, investment, partnership, and workshare capture activities (LCG0-2), including strategic positioning, business case development, proposal preparation, approval, and submission.
• Own capture campaign budgets, including planning, forecasting, cost control, affordability, risk management, and corrective actions.
• Establish and monitor capture KPIs, providing regular performance, risk, and outcome reporting to senior stakeholders.
• Lead cross-functional teams to deliver compliant, competitive business cases, bids, and proposals that maximise win probability and align with sovereign capability strategies.
• Own financial inputs for business cases, funding submissions, major investments, and sovereign infrastructure initiatives.
• Translate MOD requirements into production-ready industrial solutions, including factory layouts, process design, automation, tooling, digital manufacturing, supply chain architecture, and quality systems.
• Coordinate and lead cross-functional teams to ensure technology readiness, product maturity, and industrialisation plans are aligned to capture strategies.
• Ensure effective management of risks, opportunities, and change in accordance with PMO processes.
• Maintain compliance with contractual, governance, and funding requirements, ensuring audit readiness.

Funding, Investment, Co-Creation & Workshare Delivery

• Lead transition from successful bids to programme execution (LCG2-3), including Programme Management Plans, Programme Baselines, and establishment of delivery IPTs.
• Oversee execution of secured funding, investment, co-creation, and workshare programmes (LCG3 onwards) to ensure alignment with strategic, contractual, and business case requirements.
• Chair monthly BR4 programme reviews, deliver C5/BR6 reports, and support customer, partner, and stakeholder Programme Management Reviews (PMRs).

Job Qualifications

Core Skills & Experience

• Able to demonstrate exceptional interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills, within international, multi-cultural, governmental and defence contexts and organisations;
• Able to build trust, working relationships and apply emotional intelligence to influence people within external partner, customer, governmental and defence organisations;
• Able to lead high performing cross functional bid and integrated project teams, navigate challenges with customers and deliver results, whilst maintaining team morale and stakeholder alignment;
• Able to demonstrate a broad understanding of business development and sales, finance, commercial, programme management, engineering, supply chain, manufacturing and industrialisation skills sets directly related to the scope of the role.
• Demonstrated experience of leading the successful execution of complex capture campaigns in an international defence context is essential;
• Demonstrated experience of leading the successful execution of complex technology, and engineering development and manufacturing programmes is essential;
• Demonstrated experience in state-of-the-art transparency, aerostructures and additive manufacturing technologies essential;
• Able to hold EU Security Clearance at SC level essential.

Formal Qualifications

• A recognised degree in engineering, aerospace, manufacturing or a related discipline is essential;
• A degree level business and / or commercial qualification covering business development, negotiation, sales, marketing, estimating, finance and commercial is highly desirable;
• Either completed or registered for acknowledged Programme Management certification (for instance IPMA) is highly desirable;

What's in it for you

We are committed to offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities, a career that can go in many directions thanks to our breadth of international opportunities. By being part of GKN Fokker Aerospace that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry, you will know that you will be working towards being the most trusted partner in the aerospace industry.

Furthermore, we will offer you:

• A gross monthly salary based on grade WTW-E14
• 30 holidays for full-time employment
• An excellent pension scheme (PME)
• Competitive Bonus Scheme(s)
• Company car
• A pleasant and informal working environment, in which we work together to achieve the best result for our customers.

Next to a competitive package, we will offer you a world of opportunities: we want to see your career fly! We will support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities. That's the beauty of being part of a global business, once you're on board you never know where your career journey may take you!