Strategy & Partnership Director (all gender)

At Ascendance we are building tomorrow’s hybrid-electric aviation with ATEA, a unique Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL) aircraft powered by STERNA, our in-house hybrid-electric propulsion system. We focus our efforts in designing an innovative, safe, silent, clean and affordable aircraft that will be able to blend into existing infrastructures and regulations to ease its deployment and maximise social acceptance.

If you are looking for a place where you will have a direct impact on very ambitious products, where you will work close to the hardware and where you can witness the result of your hard work quickly, board ATEA and come fly with us toward the future of aviation!

Your role 🔎

Contribute to defining and executing the company's growth strategy by supporting the CEO in key strategic decisions related to fundraising, international expansion, business development, and strategic partnerships.

As a trusted executive partner to the CEO, the Strategy & Partnership Director plays a pivotal role in creating long-term value for the company, its shareholders, and its strategic partners.

Your main responsibilities will be:

Corporate Strategy

• Co-develop together with the other Excom members the company's long-term vision and growth strategy.

• Identify new growth and value creation opportunities.

• Lead and coordinate major strategic initiatives.

• Ensure cross-functional alignment across the organization.

• Drive the execution of key strategic decisions and transformation projects.

Fundraising & External Growth Opportunities

• Lead the preparation and execution of fundraising and financing initiatives.

• Own and continuously update the company's business plan in close cooperation with the CFO.

• Monitor and assess external growth opportunities.

• Lead the evaluation and execution process for strategic investments, and other external growth initiatives.

International Development & Strategic Partnerships

• Structure and negotiate strategic industrial and commercial partnerships.

• Develop international expansion and external growth projects.

• Oversee key partnerships.

• Identify and implement revenue acceleration opportunities.

Product & Portfolio Strategy

• Analyze market dynamics, customer needs, competitive trends and regulatory constraints to define and drive the product and portfolio strategy 

• Own the product portfolio and associated business cases, prioritizing new developments, product variants, and lifecycle evolution to maximize customer and shareholder value.

• Lead cross-functional product governance in close collaboration with Engineering, Sales, Operations, and Finance to ensure successful product development and market adoption.

Intellectual Property & Strategic Assets

• Define and lead the company's intellectual property strategy in collaboration with technical teams.

• Identify, protect, and maximize the value of the company's intangible assets, including patents, software, proprietary technologies, trademarks, know-how, and data.

• Ensure intellectual property considerations are fully integrated into product development, industrial partnerships, and financing initiatives.

The job has been made for you if you: 🛠

Experience & Background

• Minimum of 15 years of relevant professional experience in an industrial aerospace environment.

• Demonstrated success in strategy and international business development.

• Exposure to investor community and Board-level interactions.

• Proven ability to drive growth in a complex, fast-paced, and highly innovative environment.

• Proven experience in  startup, scale-up, or investment fund environment would be a plus

Key Skills

• Solid knowledge of methods applied to corporate strategy & business growth

• Sovereign mastering of financial modeling, business model and case

• Good mastering of marketing and market research techniques

• Fluent English is mandatory.

Personal Attributes

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.

• Ability to challenge stakeholders constructively while maintaining strong relationships.

• Results-oriented with a strong execution mindset.

We are meant to work together if you: 💚

• You are willing to contribute to the development of the company 

• You want to impact the future of aviation and lead the transition

• You want to face complex but thrilling challenges

• You like to work in a dynamic environment 

• You are a real team player who wants to build a big success story with us

• You are curious and eager to learn.

What we offer: 

• Career booster: versatility, training opportunities, internal mobility

• Health insurance

• Restaurant tickets

• Holiday pay bonus

• Public transportation allowance

• Teleworking policy

• A flexible working environment

• Company events.

Recruitment process:🕐 

• Application evaluations (CVs….)

• Talent Interview

• Technical Interview

• Meet others Ascenders 

• Reference check

Non-discrimination and diversity are our priorities. AFT is open to hire personalities with their own differences.