Business Development Senior Technical Consultant

About Sopra Steria

Sopra Steria, a major Tech player in Europe with 50,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, is recognised for its consulting, digital services and solutions. It helps its clients drive their digital transformation and obtain tangible and sustainable benefits. The Group provides end-to-end solutions to make large companies and organisations more competitive by combining in-depth knowledge of a wide range of business sectors and innovative technologies with a collaborative approach. Sopra Steria places people at the heart of everything it does and is committed to putting digital to work for its clients in order to build a positive future for all. In 2024, the Group generated revenues of €5.8 billion.

The world is how we shape it.

Role Purpose

The Senior Aerospace SME will act as a technical and business authority across aircraft engineering programs, bringing deep core engineering expertise combined with strong aerospace industry understanding. The role focuses on driving innovation, guiding delivery excellence, supporting strategic business objectives, and leading high-performing engineering teams. Prior exposure to Airbus programs, processes, or standards is highly preferred.

Key Responsibilities

1. Technical & Engineering Authority

• Serve as a recognized SME in aircraft core engineering with strong expertise in mechanical, electrical & avionics aircraft systems and subsystems.
• Provide system-level guidance across aircraft architecture, integration, interfaces, and engineering lifecycle activities.
• Lead technical decision-making, design reviews, trade studies, and complex issue resolution.
• Ensure alignment with Airbus engineering processes, standards, and best practices where applicable.

2. Business & Strategic Contribution

• Act as a trusted technical and business advisor to leadership and customers.
• Provide engineering solutions with program objectives, cost, schedule, and long-term business strategy.
• Contribute to strategic planning, capability roadmap definition, and investment decisions.
• Bring strong understanding of the aircraft industry value chain, program economics, and delivery models.

3. Innovation & Solutioning

• Drive innovation and transformation initiatives across aircraft engineering domains.
• Identify and implement opportunities for efficiency, standardization, and reusability.
• Shape differentiated technical solutions addressing customer and program needs.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to introduce new tools, methods, and technologies.

4. Pre-Sales & Business Enablement

• Support pre-sales and proposal activities through credible technical solutioning.
• Contribute to RFP/RFI responses, technical scope definition, and delivery approach.
• Participate in customer workshops, technical discussions, and proposal reviews.
• Support business acquisition efforts through strong technical storytelling and value articulation.

5. Delivery Oversight & Governance

• Provide technical governance to ensure high-quality, on-time delivery across programs.
• Support program leaders in managing technical risks, dependencies, and escalations.
• Ensure compliance with customer, regulatory, and quality requirements.
• Participate in program milestones, reviews, and customer governance meetings.

6. Team Leadership & Capability Development

• Lead, mentor, and grow multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
• Develop technical leaders and succession pipelines.
• Foster a culture of engineering excellence, innovation, and accountability.
• Support competency development, hiring, and workforce planning initiatives.

Key Competencies

• Technical depth with systems-level thinking
• Business and commercial acumen
• Innovation and solution-oriented mindset
• Leadership and people development capability
• Strong communication and influencing skills

Total Experience Expected: 14-18 years

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical, or related Engineering discipline.
• 15+ years of experience in aerospace engineering, preferably in core aircraft engineering roles.
• Strong experience working on or supporting Airbus aircraft programs (directly or via suppliers/partners).
• Deep understanding of:
• Aircraft mechanical and electrical systems
• Aircraft subsystems and system integration
• Core aerospace engineering processes
• Proven experience as a technical authority and team leader.
• Strong business understanding of the aircraft industry and program delivery models.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in engineering services, Tier-1, or Tier-2 supplier organizations
• Strong customer-facing and stakeholder management experience
• Experience driving innovation or transformation initiatives

Success Measures

• Technical quality and delivery performance
• Business impact through strategic engineering contributions
• Innovation adoption and capability growth
• Team maturity, engagement, and leadership development
• Customer and stakeholder confidence

At our organization, we are committed to fighting against all forms of discrimination. We foster a work environment that is inclusive and respectful of all differences.

All of our positions are open to people with disabilities.