Director, Defense Portfolio Strategy

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The Director, Defense Portfolio Strategy reports to the Chief Strategy Officer and directly supports the CSO's enterprise mandate to identify and unlock growth above the underlying market rate. Defense is CAE's largest such opportunity, and this role carries the analytical and transactional workload behind it.
The Defense & Security business unit owns its strategy. This role does not duplicate or adjudicate it. Instead, the Director works on the questions that sit above and across the operating plan — where CAE should allocate capital and capability within the Defense domain, which adjacencies merit entry, what the enterprise should build, buy, or partner for, and how the Defense portfolio should evolve to deliver above-market growth.
The Director operates as a full member of the corporate strategy team. The above-market growth mandate is enterprise-wide and held by the CSO; this role brings dedicated defense-domain depth to it, working alongside colleagues whose expertise spans other domains and functions. Portfolio work remains collective — the addition here is capacity and depth against a specific CEO-level priority, not a redrawing of scope.
Key Responsibilities
Portfolio Strategy and Capital Allocation
Quantify the gap between the Defense market's underlying growth rate and CAE's growth ambition, and maintain a live view of which portfolio moves close it — with what confidence, on what timeline, and at what capital cost.
Develop CAE's point of view on where Defense capital and capability should be deployed to generate above-market growth, and where they should not.
Assess portfolio adjacencies, capability gaps, and whitespace across the Defense domain, framing entry, expansion, and exit questions for executive decision.
Build the build / buy / partner logic for capabilities the Defense portfolio requires.
Contribute the Defense lens to enterprise portfolio reviews and capital allocation discussions alongside corporate strategy colleagues covering other domains.
Develop investment cases for new markets, segments, and capability plays, in partnership with the business unit strategy team.
M&A and Partnership Pipeline
In collaboration with the strategy team colleagues:
Build and actively cultivate a pipeline of acquisition and partnership candidates aligned to the Defense portfolio thesis, maintaining live relationships well ahead of any formal process.
Maintain a standing view of the defense industrial landscape — who is consolidating, who is available, where valuations are moving.
Partner with Corporate Development through diligence and execution; support integration planning where strategic rationale must be preserved.
Evaluate teaming, joint venture, and partnership structures as alternatives to acquisition.
Technology Enabler Pipeline
Identify, map, and cultivate relationships with startup, scale-up, and pre-IPO companies whose technologies could accelerate CAE's Defense capabilities or threaten its positions.
Maintain an ongoing landscape view of emerging technologies relevant to simulation, training, and mission readiness.
Create structured pathways from early engagement through pilot, commercial partnership, investment, or acquisition.
Connect CAE to relevant venture, accelerator, and defense-innovation ecosystems, sharing that access across the strategy team.
Market Intelligence and Enterprise Contribution
Bring outside-in intelligence on defense budgets, procurement trends, geopolitical shifts, and competitor moves into both business unit and corporate strategy discussions.
Contribute to enterprise strategy work beyond Defense where domain insight is relevant — this is a shared-team role, not a single-vertical one.
Prepare executive-level analysis and briefing materials for the CEO, Executive Committee, and Board.
Support Government Relations and business unit leadership with strategic context for key customer engagements.
This role succeeds through partnership rather than authority:
With the Defense & Security business unit — the BU owns its strategy and operating plan. The Director brings portfolio and transaction perspective to that work and takes the BU's market reality into enterprise portfolio decisions. Joint work products, jointly presented.
With corporate strategy colleagues — a peer contributing defense depth to a shared team agenda, drawing on colleagues' functional and domain expertise in turn. Enterprise portfolio work remains collective.
With Corporate Development — origination and strategic framing from this role; transaction execution led by Corporate Development.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's or postgraduate degree in Business, Strategy, Economics, Engineering, International Relations, or a related field; MBA an asset.
12+ years in corporate strategy, corporate development, management consulting, or defense/aerospace industry roles.
Demonstrated experience with portfolio strategy, capital allocation, or build/buy/partner decision-making in a complex global organization.
Strong command of defense markets, government procurement, and allied defense spending dynamics.
Direct experience with M&A origination, partnership development, or technology scouting.
Preferred Qualifications
Track record of earning influence without formal authority, and of working effectively as a peer within an established team.
Strong financial, analytical, and commercial judgement.
Comfortable operating with ambiguity, across multiple time horizons, in a fast-moving environment.
Excellent written and verbal communication, including executive-level presentation and narrative skill.
Ability to obtain and maintain required security clearances.
Benefits
Group Insurance.
Telemedicine Employee and Family Assistance Program.
Employee Stock Purchase Plan.
Group RRSP.
CAE Pension Plan/Defined Benefit Plan.
Sabbatical Leave.
Flex Time.
Enhanced Parental Leave.
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About CAE
At CAE, our mission is clear: to help make the world a safer place. For nearly 80 years, we’ve driven innovation in simulation, training, and mission readiness to support critical operations worldwide. By leveraging advanced technologies, we empower our customers to operate smarter, faster, and more sustainably. Join a purpose-driven organization where bold ideas are encouraged, collaboration drives progress, and your growth fuels our shared success.
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Position Type Regular
Equal Opportunity & Accommodations
CAE is committed to providing equal opportunities to all applicants, regardless of race, nationality, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, neurodiversity, veteran status, age, or other characteristics protected by law. We encourage applicants who may not meet every qualification to apply. Reasonable accommodations are available—contact your recruiter or email CAECarrieres-Careers@cae.com if needed.
Data Privacy
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As part of our process, we may use AI‑supported tools to help review applications, with human decision‑making at every step. CAE thanks all applicants for their interest. However, only those whose background and experience match the requirements of the role will be contacted.