Head of Special Aviation Missions

Company Overview

Metrea provides effects-as-a-service to national security partners across five domains and multiple mission areas including airborne ISR, electronic warfare, secure communications, aerial refuelling, special air missions, aerial firefighting, and advanced simulation. The company manages end-to-end capabilities from design to operation, granting partners a strategic advantage over evolving threats.

Metrea's operational framework comprises three key pillars: Global Support Groups handling shared services such as finance, people, platform, operations, legal, and engagement; Core Groups responsible for full ownership and delivery of mission capabilities; and Market Groups which adapt these capabilities regionally across the Americas, EMEA, and Asia-Pacific.

Headquartered in Washington, DC with presences in the US, UK, Continental Europe, and Asia-Pacific, Metrea is building its footprint in Australia through its Asia-Pacific Market Group based in Brisbane and Perth. This regional group connects Australia's national security to the company’s comprehensive capabilities across Aerospace, Electromagnetic & Cyber, and Digital & Synthetic domains.

Role Summary

The Head of Special Air Missions (SAM) for Australia is a senior leadership role tasked with establishing and directing the SAM organization within Metrea Australia. This position entails architecting scalable structures, cultivating a high-performance culture termed "FIRMWARE", ensuring operational safety, and overseeing complex aerospace programs under Australian aviation regulations.

The role requires balancing strategic organization building and tactical operational involvement, fostering collaboration over hierarchy, and nurturing talent while aligning enterprise-wide objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and deploy a structured and scalable Australia SAM organization facilitating sustained growth in complex aviation operations.
• Coordinate with other international SAM groups to maximize coherence despite regulatory variations.
• Develop frameworks, financial and digital systems in partnership with Operations to streamline government contracting compliance and workflows.
• Identify skills and cultural gaps; lead recruitment and professional development initiatives to build a resilient team.
• Promote a cohesive 'One Team' culture grounded in humility and the core company attributes: entrepreneurial, systematic, discerning, and over-delivering.
• Provide leadership decision support and guide organizational effectiveness.
• Execute strategic objectives via the annual Enterprise Value Case, managing milestones and measurable outcomes for SAM capabilities.
• Contribute to enterprise-wide planning encompassing campaign, capability, and marketing strategies relevant to special air missions.
• Oversee aviation operations ensuring safety, effectiveness, and regulatory compliance within CASA frameworks.
• Manage performance metrics, take corrective actions as needed to meet OKRs and KPIs.
• Support strategic reporting with insights on risks and mitigation plans.
• Handle risk management across aviation and business areas, influencing internal initiatives and acquisition strategies.
• Use market intelligence to reduce risks in existing programs and validate new opportunities.

Required Qualifications and Experience

• Proven senior leadership track record in aerospace and defense, with experience building and scaling teams across regions.
• Demonstrated ability to identify, nurture, and retain high-caliber talent.
• Comfortable managing ambiguity and complexity, able to deliver results without relying on hierarchical structures.
• Deep knowledge of aviation regulations, particularly CASA, with prior accountable leadership responsibility preferred.
• Extensive operational special mission aircrew experience, preferably with ISR background.
• Familiarity with CASA airworthiness and maintenance standards.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, capable of influencing leaders across functions and geographies.
• Experience in budget management and delivering quantifiable results.
• Understanding of Australian government procurement and budgetary cycles.
• Strong critical thinking, judgment, and adaptable problem-solving ability.
• Highly organized, execution-oriented, collaborative, motivational, and alignment-focused leader.
• Emotional intelligence with humility and constructive challenge capabilities.
• Availability for frequent, often short-notice travel both domestically and internationally.

Benefits

• Private healthcare coverage
• Generous paid time off
• Superannuation contributions
• Annual incentive program
• Fully paid parental leave for all new parents
• Life and disability insurance coverage
• Long-term and short-term disability policies
• Employee Assistance Program support

Additional Information

The position requires adherence to export control regulations such as ITAR/EAR and is contingent upon meeting necessary clearance and adjudication standards.

Metrea strives for diversity and inclusion, welcoming applicants from all qualified backgrounds and providing recruitment process accommodations as needed.

This is a full-time role, typically 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, with potential shift adjustments aligned with business demands.

The work environment is primarily office-based but requires flexibility to operate in various aviation-related settings including maintenance and operations.

Travel constitutes approximately 30% of the role, both locally and internationally.

Company Culture - Firmware

Metrea's core value centers on humility, underpinned by attributes of being entrepreneurial, systematic, discerning, and exceeding expectations. The "Firmware" approach promotes a hyper-collaborative, adaptable, and decentralized decision-making culture to effectively solve complex challenges and maintain mission success.