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. The Defense & Security business unit owns its strategy. The Director operates as a full member of the corporate strategy team.

Assess portfolio adjacencies, capability gaps, and whitespace across the Defense domain, framing entry, expansion, and exit questions for executive decision.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.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; 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.Market Intelligence and Enterprise ContributionBring outside-in intelligence on defense budgets, procurement trends, geopolitical shifts, and competitor moves into both business unit and corporate strategy discussions.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.With the Defense & Security business unit — the BU owns its strategy and operating plan. With corporate strategy colleagues — a peer contributing defense depth to a shared team agenda, drawing on colleagues' functional and domain expertise in turn.

With Corporate

Development — origination and strategic framing from this role; transaction execution led by Corporate Development.Minimum QualificationsBachelor'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.Strong financial, analytical, and commercial judgement.Excellent written and verbal communication, including executive-level presentation and narrative skill.Ability to obtain and maintain required security clearances.Telemedicine Employee and Family Assistance Program.CAE Pension Plan/Defined Benefit Plan.Enhanced Parental Leave. CAEAt CAE, our mission is explicit: 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. Learn how to identify legitimate CAE communications and avoid fraudulent offers. [Learn more ]Position TypeRegularEqual Opportunity & AccommodationsCAE 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. Data PrivacyPrivacy Statement | CAEAs part of our process, we may use AI‑supported tools to help review applications, with human decision‑making at every step.

📌 Director of Strategy & Innovation (Winnipeg)
🏢 CAE
📍 Winnipeg