Vice President of Sales & Marketing

For over 65 years, Columbia Helicopters has been a trusted provider of heavy-lift helicopter services. We create new aircraft, fly heavy-lift helicopters around the world, and provide maintenance support to ensure you are mission-ready for critical operations.  If you are passionate about aviation, join our Columbia Family!

The Vice President of Sales and Marketing is responsible for leading the company’s sales, marketing, business development, and market expansion strategies to drive profitable revenue growth and strengthen competitive positioning. This executive develops and executes go-to-market plans, customer acquisition and retention strategies, brand and market positioning initiatives, and strategic partnerships across domestic and international markets, including defense, government services, commercial aviation, and related aviation services. The role partners closely with the President/CEO, Finance, Operations, and business unit leaders to align sales objectives, marketing initiatives, capture strategies, pricing, and resource allocation with the company’s long-term growth and profitability goals.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

• Develop and execute enterprise sales and marketing strategies that achieve revenue, margin, market share, and profitability objectives.
• Lead business development efforts to identify, qualify, and pursue new customers, contract opportunities, strategic partnerships, channel relationships, and joint ventures in commercial and government sectors.
• Evaluate industry trends, customer needs, competitive dynamics, and emerging technologies to shape market positioning, brand strategy, investment priorities, and customer value propositions.
• Oversee sales pipeline management, forecasting, account planning, customer relationship management, and performance reporting to ensure accountability and visibility into growth objectives.
• Lead capture strategies and proposal development for high-value aviation, logistics, defense, government services, and commercial opportunities.
• Oversee go-to-market strategies for new products, services, capabilities, geographic markets, and customer segments.
• Partner with Finance, Operations, and Business Unit leaders to define sales targets, growth metrics, resource allocation, pricing strategy, contract structuring, and ROI benchmarks.
• Guide marketing strategy, including brand positioning, market research, customer communications, promotional materials, trade shows, industry events, digital presence, and sales enablement content.
• Establish and maintain executive-level relationships with key customers, government stakeholders, strategic partners, and industry organizations to expand company visibility and market reach.
• Support M&A strategy, target evaluation, due diligence, and integration planning for opportunities that advance sales, market expansion, capability growth, or customer diversification.
• Lead, mentor, and develop sales and marketing personnel, establishing clear goals, performance expectations, and cross-functional collaboration standards.
• Prepare and present sales, marketing, pipeline, market intelligence, and growth performance updates to executive leadership.

WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Aviation, Engineering, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree strongly preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive sales, marketing, business development, or commercial leadership experience, in aerospace, defense, aviation services, logistics, or government contracting.
• Proven track record of achieving revenue growth, developing markets, leading strategic partnerships, and expanding customer relationships.
• Experience leading capture strategy, proposal development, pricing strategy, contract structuring, and customer value proposition development for complex commercial and/or government opportunities.
• Strong understanding of heavy-lift operations, rotorcraft markets, aviation services, defense markets, and aviation-related government contracting preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to lead sales and marketing teams, establish performance metrics, manage budgets, and collaborate effectively with Finance, Operations, and executive leadership.
• Excellent executive communication, negotiation, market analysis, financial acumen, customer relationship management, and strategic planning skills.