Chief Operating Officer

Introduction

PAL Aerospace is a Canadian-owned, industry-leading provider of aerospace and defense solutions with over 50 years of experience supporting government, military, and commercial clients around the world. Headquartered in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, the company specializes in airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, aircraft engineering and modification, in-service support, and mission system integration. With more than 350,000 special mission flight hours across over 60 countries, PAL Aerospace has built a reputation for delivering reliable, turnkey solutions in complex operational environments.

Through its vertically integrated model—offering design, certification, integration, and maintenance under one roof—PAL Aerospace ensures single-point accountability and consistent, on-time delivery. The company supports a broad range of critical missions, including maritime patrol, environmental monitoring, search and rescue, air ambulance, and border security operations. A proud member of Exchange Income Corporation, the PAL Group of Companies is dedicated to quality, service, and reliability—a standard that continues to define PAL Aerospace’s global operations.

With a proven track record and a growing international presence, PAL Aerospace is well poised for continued global expansion. Recent ISR contract wins in Europe, strategic partnerships, and ongoing investments in engineering and mission systems innovation position the company to meet the evolving needs of defense and security clients worldwide. Its ability to deliver end-to-end, mission-ready solutions makes PAL Aerospace a key player in the future of global aerospace operations.

Role Summary

As Chief Operating Officer (COO) of PAL Aerospace, you will provide strategic operational oversight of seven distinct business units spanning MRO, engineering, program execution, and advanced technology. These divisions play a critical role in the overall success and future growth of the organization. With operations expanding steadily and senior leaders based across multiple countries, this role demands strong leadership to ensure alignment, collaboration, and execution excellence at the organizational level.

You will work closely with senior leaders of each business unit, guiding them to align their operational objectives with the company’s strategic priorities. A key focus of your mandate will be to strengthen process discipline and operational consistency by identifying and establishing clear frameworks and thoughtfully enhancing internal controls, all aimed at supporting scalable and sustainable growth. Your leadership will be essential in fostering a culture of accountability, where teams are empowered but also held to high standards.

Success in this role requires an ability to balance strategic vision with operational discipline, translating high-level goals into clear expectations and measurable outcomes while empowering business unit leaders to deliver results. You will partner with the President and executive team to shape operational strategies that support sustainable growth, innovation, and customer satisfaction, all while reinforcing the internal processes and structures that underpin PAL Aerospace’s performance and success to date.

Ultimately, your leadership will help PAL Aerospace scale globally while maintaining its commitment to quality, safety, and responsiveness. This is a senior leadership opportunity to influence how the organization evolves and thrives in complex, fast-changing aerospace and defense markets by bringing both strong leadership and disciplined operational excellence.

Qualifications

To be successful in this role, you will bring a strong background in aerospace, ideally with an engineering foundation that allows you to engage confidently with technical teams and understand the operational complexity of aircraft systems. You may have started your career in the military or defense sector, but you will also have significant commercial experience, having successfully operated in private-sector environments where cost, delivery, and accountability are tightly managed. A passion for aviation and a deep understanding of how complex missions come together will serve you well in this role.

You will have led within multi-divisional or multi-entity organizations, with direct accountability for operational and financial performance. Experience managing complex P&Ls, working across business units, and driving operational alignment in dynamic environments is essential. You are comfortable navigating ambiguity, making decisions quickly, and maintaining a clear view of both day-to-day performance and long-term strategic goals. While experience in defense contracting is an advantage, what matters most is your ability to deliver within a high-performance commercial setting.

As a leader, you are approachable, open, and grounded, demonstrating the ability to build trust across a wide range of stakeholders, from technicians and engineers to executives and partners. You have a track record of developing strong teams, breaking down silos, and fostering a collaborative, high-accountability culture. You’re solution-oriented, financially astute, and bring a “get things done” mindset that enables you to lead through change, scale operations, and ensure delivery at pace without compromising on quality or culture.