Director, Strategic Supplier Relations

Location: Irvine, United States of America

Thales people architect solutions that enable two-thirds of planes to take off and land safely. We create in-flight entertainment systems that engross 50 million fliers every year and we develop the avionics that control the world’s largest commercial aircrafts. Our simulators train the next generation of pilots for fighter jets, transporters and search and rescue helicopters. And, together, each and every member of our aerospace team makes a difference.

Director, Strategic Supplier Relations

Irvine, CA (Hybrid) or Remote USA

Position Summary

Thales is looking for a Director, Strategic Supplier Relations to act as a key liaison between Thales In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) InFlyt Experience and aircraft seat‑manufacturers, with the objective of building and strengthening strategic partnerships that deliver win‑win results for Thales, our airline customers and the seat suppliers. You will need to be a strong relationship builder, comfortable working at senior levels in both manufacturing and airline organizations, strategic in mindset, commercially oriented and technically savvy enough to understand the cabin/seat + IFE/connectivity ecosystem.

In this position, you will also own the interface and collaboration with seat‑manufacturers (both line‑fit and retrofit), uncover new opportunities (e.g., joint offerings, bundled seat + IFE/connectivity solutions, integration synergies), negotiate frameworks and strategic agreements, and drive value for our airline customers by enabling differentiated cabin experiences, improved cost‑of‑ownership, simplified interfaces and stronger combined value propositions.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Develop and execute a strategic plan for partnerships and alliances with seat manufacturers (line‑fit and retrofit) that align with Thales’s IFE/connectivity/cabin‑experience roadmap and our airline customers’ needs.
• Identify, onboard and nurture key seat‑manufacturer relationships: evaluate potential partners, build business cases, structure collaboration models (co‑marketing, joint offerings, packaging, retrofit kits, service bundles).
• Work closely with internal Thales teams (product management, integration engineering, retrofit business, airline account teams, service operations) to ensure alignment of seat‑partner initiatives with Thales’s IFE/connectivity solutions (e.g., AVANT, FlytLIVE, InFlyt360 etc.).
• Lead commercial negotiations and contract frameworks with seat partners (e.g., supplier agreements, preferred‑supplier status, joint pricing or bundling frameworks, co‑investment models); Serve as the key interface at major industry events / trade shows (e.g., aircraft interiors exhibitions, seat‑manufacturer forums) to promote Thales’s seat‑partnership capability, build awareness and capture pipeline.
• Develop value propositions for airlines leveraging the seat + IFE/connectivity partnership: evaluate what differentiated experiences or cost/weight/power synergies can be created, build business cases, present to airline stakeholders; Monitor partnership performance: track key metrics (conversion rates, joint wins, retrofit deals, margin improvement, customer satisfaction), identify areas for improvement, and drive continuous enhancement of the partner ecosystem.
• Provide market intelligence on seat trends (material, weight/volume/power constraints, seat‑manufacturer strategies, retrofit growth) and ensure that Thales’s IFE/connectivity offerings remain aligned and competitively differentiated in cabin‑seatings contexts; Collaborate with marketing/comms to craft joint partner campaigns, white‑papers, case‑studies and thought‑leadership content showcasing seat + IFE/connectivity innovation; Ensure compliance with relevant aerospace, certification and safety standards across joint seat + Thales solutions.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (Engineering, Business, Aviation or related) required; MBA or advanced business qualification preferred.
• 10+ years’ experience in aerospace or aviation in roles involving cabin interior/seat manufacturing, aircraft OEMs, IFE/connectivity or airline account management — with a track record of building/managing strategic partnerships.
• Strong commercial acumen: experience negotiating strategic contracts, alliance/joint‑venture frameworks, bundling/commercial models; Excellent relationship and stakeholder‑management skills: able to engage senior executives at seat‑manufacturers, airlines and Thales internal leadership.
• Solid technical understanding of aircraft cabin interiors, seat‑manufacturing constraints, line‑fit vs retrofit business, cabin‑integration and aircraft certification environment; Good knowledge of IFE/connectivity business in aviation