Sr. Manager, OEM Customer Technical Strategy

Woodward is committed to creating a great workplace for all team members. Our company and its members are committed to acting with integrity, being respectful and accountable to one another, and staying humble and driven, while maintaining the highest professional and ethical standards. We are steadfastly committed to attracting the best talent across our communities creating a rewarding workplace. Together we are fulfilling our purpose to design and deliver energy control solutions our partners count on to power a clean future. Woodward supports our members’ wellbeing and regularly benchmarks with other companies in our industry to offer an extensive Total Reward package for this position. Salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.  Estimated annual base pay: $158,000(minimum) - $197,000(midpoint) - $237,000(maximum) All members included in annual cash bonus opportunity.  401(k) match (4.5%) Annual Woodward stock contribution (5%) Tuition reimbursement and Training/Professional Development opportunities for all members   12 paid holidays, including floating holidays.   Industry leading medical, dental, and vision Insurance upon date of hire Vacation / Sick Time / Vacation Buy-up / Short Term Disability / Bereavement leave.   Paid parental leave. Adoption Assistance    Employee Assistance Program, including mental health benefits.   Member Life & AD&D / Long Term Disability / Member Optional Life   Member referral bonus   Spouse / Child Optional Life / Optional AD&D / Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending   Voluntary benefits, including:    Home / Auto Insurance discounts   Whole Life Insurance / Critical Illness Insurance / Legal Assistance / Military Leave   Position Summary: Drive early program engagement and collaboration with large OEM commercial customers, enabling Woodward to actively participate in technology trade studies, collaborative R&T, support future aircraft architecture decisions that may require our product capability, and best position Woodward to ensure our customer key performance indicators are met for future aircraft.  This role bridges the gap between sales and engineering by focusing on technical collaboration rather than transactional processes. It will gather, assess, and synthesize the voice of the OEM customer to identify current and future technical needs, customer expectations, and strategic priorities. The role will translate these insights into actionable internal recommendations that support decisions on technology investment and product strategy, while helping ensure Woodward solutions align with the customer’s lifecycle requirements and business objectives. Position Woodward as a technology extension to the customers’ engineering teams, thought leader, and strategic partner in the aerospace industry Key Responsibilities Customer Relationship Development Collaborate with Woodward and the Customer to build and maintain trusted relationships with key decision-makers, engineering leaders, product development leaders, and program leaders at the customer organization Collaborate with Woodward Sales & Marketing and act as primary liaison between Woodward and the customer’s engineering and technology teams, influencing customer requirements by demonstrating expertise in airframe control systems Technology Interchange Facilitation Develop and establish a Technology Interchange framework with the customer to share insights on emerging technologies, trends and mutual interests.  Develop, drive, and communicate tactical plans to facilitate the Technology Interchange framework within the Woodward organization Organize and facilitate regular external technical discussions, workshops, and collaborative sessions to explore potential technical solutions to customers’ future needs Early Engagement in Trade Studies Identify opportunities to participate in the customer’s engineering trade studies and technology evaluations before Request for Proposals (RFPs) are issued Provide insights into the customer’s long-term strategies, pain points, and upcoming developments to ensure alignment with Woodward’s capabilities Market and Customer Intelligence Collaborate with Woodward Sales & Marketing organization to monitor and report on the customer’s technology roadmaps, funding priorities, and competitive landscape to inform internal strategy. Internal Collaboration Act as the voice of the customer within Woodward, ensuring engineering, product marketing, product management, and sales management teams are aligned with the customer’s needs. Collaborate with Woodward subject matter technical experts to develop tailored solutions for the customer.  Participate in proposal development to ensure key performance criteria previously established are addressed. Key Skills: Strategic Planning: Ability to develop and implement strategies that align with organizational goals and drive account growth. Client Relationship Management: Expertise in building and maintaining strong, long term relationships with key clients to enhance customer loyalty and retention. Business Acumen: Deep understanding of business operations and market dynamics to anticipate and respond to industry trends and regulatory changes. Technology Acumen:  Deep understanding of large commercial aircraft architectures and existing/emerging technologies Project Leadership: Skilled in leading complex, high risk projects from conception through execution, ensuring successful outcomes. Problem Solving: Proficient in identifying and resolving unique, high impact business challenges using conceptual and analytical approaches. Resource Allocation: Expertise in directing and optimizing resource distribution to maximize efficiency and support strategic initiatives. Communication: Exceptional ability to articulate complex ideas clearly and persuasively