VP / GM – Defense Manufacturing – mississauga

VP/GM – Defense manufacturing

Lead the business behind mission-critical naval technology built for the world’s most demanding maritime environments

Curtiss-Wright is seeking a Vice President / General Manager to lead Indal Technologies, an $85M-$100M business unit within the EMS Division of our Naval & Power Segment, located in Mississauga, ON.

This is an opportunity to lead a respected business with a strong technical foundation, mission-critical products, and long-standing customer relationships in the naval and defense markets. The VP/GM will have the mandate to shape strategy, improve performance, strengthen execution, and position the business for continued growth.

LOCATION: Onsite Mississauga, ON (greater Toronto area)

SALARY: $275,000.00 – $325,000.00 plus short and long-term incentives

Please note that the salary range information provided is a general guideline only. Criteria such as the candidate’s qualifications and relevant experience, the scope of the specific position, as well as market and business considerations will be evaluated when extending an offer.

YOUR CHALLENGE:

This is a senior leadership role for a proven business leader who can combine strategic vision with operational discipline. Reporting to the Senior Vice President / General Manager, EMS Division, the VP/GM will have full P&L accountability and will lead the business through its next phase of growth, operational improvement, customer partnership, and talent development.

The successful candidate will bring strong commercial, operational, and engineering leadership experience, with the ability to lead across functions, build high-performing teams, strengthen customer relationships, and deliver sustainable growth in a complex, technical, and highly regulated defense environment.

Key Responsibilities:

• The VP/GM will provide overall leadership for the business unit, including strategy, operations, financial performance, customer satisfaction, technology development, and organizational capability.
• This leader will assume full management responsibility for business operations, quickly developing a deep understanding of the business, customers, products, strategy, plans, and performance drivers. They will ensure strong operational controls are in place and that the leadership team responds quickly and effectively to performance issues, risks, and emerging trends.
• The VP/GM will lead the development and execution of strategic and operational initiatives to drive revenue growth, profitability, cash generation, operational efficiency, and long-term business strength. This includes evaluating the current value proposition, refining operating plans, and identifying immediate and mid-term priorities.
• A key focus of the role will be business development and sustainable growth. The VP/GM will identify and lead activities that support geographic expansion, target market growth, new product development, and stronger customer engagement across domestic and international markets.
• The role will also provide leadership for applications engineering, R&D, product development, technology roadmaps, long-range planning, and sustaining engineering. The VP/GM will ensure the business remains aligned with customer needs, market expectations, and future technology requirements.
• Operationally, this leader will be accountable for market-driven lead times, on-time delivery, quality, safety, cost control, waste reduction, and compliance with applicable company, local, national, and industry standards. They will proactively address technical, production, talent, and customer issues to support consistent execution and continuous improvement.
• The VP/GM will also develop and maintain strong relationships with customers, sales representatives, third-party providers, suppliers, and internal business partners. They will support branding and go-to-market strategies, ensuring the business has the tools, positioning, and promotional materials required for successful product launches and market growth.

At Curtiss-Wright, our leaders are expected to deliver results with integrity, build capable teams, and create lasting value for our customers, employees, and shareholders.

WHAT YOU BRING:

• The ideal candidate is a growth-minded, results-oriented senior business leader with a strong track record of leading complex technical, manufacturing, and commercial organizations. They will be comfortable operating in a multi-product, multi-value-stream environment and will bring the business discipline required to improve performance, strengthen working capital, and deliver against financial targets.
• This person will be both strategic and hands-on. They will be able to set direction, articulate a clear vision, make prudent decisions in ambiguity, and engage directly in problem-solving when required. They will have the credibility to lead across engineering, operations, sales, marketing, supply chain, quality, finance, and customer-facing teams.
• The successful candidate will demonstrate an entrepreneurial and innovative mindset, a strong sense of urgency, and the ability to implement new strategies in a competitive business environment. They will be an effective communicator and relationship builder, with strong collaboration skills and the ability to develop trust across customers, employees, suppliers, and senior leadership.
• Equally important, this leader will have a proven ability to attract, recruit, retain, coach, and develop talent. They will recognize that safety, customer service, quality, and people leadership are core responsibilities of the role.

Required Experience and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field is required. An advanced degree in Business Management, Marketing, or a related discipline is preferred.
• The successful candidate will bring at least 10 to 12 years of direct industry experience managing business functions, with demonstrated leadership in manufacturing operations, sales, marketing, product development, and financial performance.
• Experience leading a complex multi-product and multi-value-stream business is required. The candidate should have strong business acumen, including experience improving working capital through inventory, receivables, and payables management.
• The role requires experience managing and negotiating with an international supply chain, as well as exposure to international business and multinational operations. Experience with acquisition integration is considered a strong advantage.
• The candidate should be conversant with machining, assembly, and test environments, including the related processes, equipment, safety requirements, and operational considerations.
• Experience operating within low-cost economy supply countries, particularly China, is an asset. Familiarity with regulatory and quality standards such as ASME, ISO 9000, API, PED, CSA, and CSQL is preferred.

WHO WE ARE:

• Our Values
• Environmental, Social and Governance

Indal Technologies, a BU of Curtiss-Wright Corporation, is a leading supplier of Aircraft Handling & Array Handling Systems. The Indal value proposition is to solve complex & critical shipboard equipment handling challenges for domestic & foreign Navies & Coast Guards in the surface vessel & submarine community.

To learn more, please visit us: https://electro-mechanicalsystems.curtisswright.com/indal

BENEFITS:

We Take Care of Our People

Paid Time Off I 401K with Employer Match and Profit Sharing I Health and Wellness Benefits I Learning and Development Opportunities I Referral Program I Competitive Pay I Recognition I Employee Stock Purchase Plan I Inclusive & Supportive Culture *