Customer Engagement Director – Aerospace and Defense OEM (U.S.)Lead Cyient’s delivery and growth for a U.S. Aerospace OEM, managing hybrid execution across onsite (customer location), nearshore (Hartford), and remote (U.S. citizens) teams.
Responsible for engagement strategy, delivery, financial performance, and customer satisfaction under strict ITAR and DFARS compliance.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic LeadershipServe as the primary executive interface with the Defense OEM’s Program Leadership.Define, plan, and deliver engineering work packages aligned to customer goals and KPIs.Drive quarterly steering reviews, performance metrics, and growth of the defense portfolio.Operational DeliveryOversee end-to-end execution across design, analysis, validation, manufacturing, software, and systems engineering.Lead the PMO managing scope, schedule, cost, and quality across hybrid delivery layers.Ensure secure, compliant collaboration between onsite, nearshore, and remote U.S. citizen teams.Financial & Commercial ManagementOwn P&L, forecasting, and profitability for the Defense OEM account.Manage SOWs, budgets, and contract compliance under DFARS and ITAR.Track and report productivity, delivery efficiency, and risk mitigation outcomes.People & CapabilityBuild and mentor a 100–200-member cross-functional engineering delivery team.Align skill development with evolving defense technologies (MBSE, MBD, DO-178C, digital manufacturing).Foster a high-performance, compliant, and customer-focused culture.QualificationsB.S./M.S. in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Systems Engineering.15+ years in aerospace/defense engineering services, including 5+ years in program or account leadership.Proven experience managing large-scale, multi-site defense engineering programs.Strong knowledge of DoD processes, ITAR/DFARS, and work-package delivery models.U.S.
Citizen or Green Card holder (mandatory).Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and commercial acumen.LocationPrimary Location: Indianapolis, IN or Hartford, CTWork Model: