Senior Sales Director

About the role

Columbia Helicopters is seeking a Senior Sales Director - Firefighting Segment to support the development, coordination, and execution of the company's firefighting sales strategy. This role will partner with key leaders to identify, pursue, and capture firefighting opportunities that drive profitable aircraft utilization and long-term segment growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the Firefighting Segment sales strategy in partnership with the Vice President, Sales, CEO, and senior leadership.
• Act as a senior representative and external face of Columbia Helicopters to firefighting customers, agencies, industry groups, prime contractors, strategic partners, and international organizations.
• Build and maintain relationships with federal, state, provincial, municipal, commercial, and international firefighting decision makers.
• Identify, qualify, and develop new firefighting opportunities with the potential to become multi-year contracts or strategic growth programs.
• Support capture strategy, customer engagement plans, competitive positioning, proposal development, pricing discussions, and contract pursuit activity.
• Present Columbia's capabilities, values, operating experience, safety culture, aircraft performance, and customer solutions to senior-level customers and partners.
• Align customer requirements with Columbia's operating capabilities by coordinating with Operations, Flight Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Finance, Contracts, Marketing, and executive leadership.
• Provide market feedback and customer requirements to support aircraft configuration, mission equipment, tanking capability, NVG capability, avionics, logistics, and other fleet investment decisions.
• Support development of domestic and international firefighting growth plans, including agency outreach, partner identification, customer visits, trade shows, demonstrations, and market-entry planning.
• Shape credible customer solutions using knowledge of aviation operations, logistics, maintenance, flight operations, military/government customers, and international business practices.
• Maintain accurate CRM records, account plans, opportunity updates, call reports, forecasts, and capture activity summaries.
• Attend industry functions including trade shows, conferences, association events, customer briefings, and operational demonstrations to build market awareness and customer relationships.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders to qualify opportunities, avoid unfocused pursuits, and ensure Columbia is pursuing work that supports safety, margin, staffing, aircraft availability, and strategic priorities.
• Support executive briefings, board-level updates, customer presentations, and internal strategy reviews as requested.
• Lead opportunities through designated sales stages while maintaining quote delivery timelines.
• Provide price to win and competitive guidance to shape company response to quotes.
• Provide after actions feedback to leadership and supporting departments post bid award/loss/cancellation.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree required; MBA or advanced military/professional education preferred.
• 15+ years of aviation, aerospace, defense, government, or commercial aircraft experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in aviation sales, business development, capture management, customer engagement, program management, or strategic account management.
• Experience working with government, military, international, or highly regulated aviation customers preferred.
• Strong understanding of aircraft operations, maintenance, logistics, mission planning, and operational customer requirements.
• Experience supporting complex customer pursuits, proposals, pricing strategy, contract development, or long-cycle sales campaigns.
• Working knowledge of firefighting aviation, utility aviation, rotorcraft operations, heavy-lift aircraft, or missionized aircraft preferred.
• Experience with international business development, foreign customers, agents/representatives, export processes, or government approvals preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including executive briefings and customer presentations.
• Ability to influence internal teams and external stakeholders without direct authority.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office programs and CRM systems.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required; MBA or advanced military/professional education preferred.
• 15+ years of aviation, aerospace, defense, government, or commercial aircraft experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience in aviation sales, business development, capture management, customer engagement, program management, or strategic account management.
• Experience working with government, military, international, or highly regulated aviation customers preferred.
• Strong understanding of aircraft operations, maintenance, logistics, mission planning, and operational customer requirements.
• Experience supporting complex customer pursuits, proposals, pricing strategy, contract development, or long-cycle sales campaigns.
• Working knowledge of firefighting aviation, utility aviation, rotorcraft operations, heavy-lift aircraft, or missionized aircraft preferred.
• Experience with international business development, foreign customers, agents/representatives, export processes, or government approvals preferred.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including executive briefings and customer presentations.
• Ability to influence internal teams and external stakeholders without direct authority.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office programs and CRM systems.

Skills

• Knowledge of aviation operations, logistics, maintenance, flight operations, military/government customers, and international business practices.
• Ability to influence internal teams and external stakeholders without direct authority.
• Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office programs and CRM systems.

Benefits

Competitive Pay & Strong Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision coverage, retirement plans with company contributions, paid time off, and employee wellness resources.

Growth & Career Development: Training and development opportunities, internal mobility, and leadership support.

Purpose-Driven Culture: Work that matters, continuous learning, and long-term career growth.

A Team That Has Your Back: Respect, encouragement, and support from a collaborative, inclusive environment.