Job Title

Industrial Sparring Partner (ISP) – Defense & Industry

Positioning & Key Role

The Industrial Sparring Partner (ISP) is a senior profile with strong experience and industrial legitimacy. They act as a sparring partner for our Defense clients, particularly for the plant manager, industrial director, or COO (Chief Operations Officer).

To do this, they rely on a close relationship with the operational teams on the production sites and the missions they deliver or supervise. Their goal is to support and accelerate the industrial ramp-up of our clients, with the support of the Business Lines (notably ERD and Invent). They are dedicated to one or two accounts and focus on high-potential production sites.

The ISP has a strategic role with the GCP (Global Client Partner), is integrated into account teams (functional reporting), and supervises commitments related to their client's industrial issues. Together with the GCP, they define and execute an engagement model (“Skin in the game”) tailored to their client, with the goal of sharing KPIs. The ISP also participates in identifying and selling digital, engineering, and consulting projects in connection with their clients. The ISP is independent hierarchically but a privileged partner of the Business Lines. Deployment on one or two sites of one of the strategic priority accounts is carried out as part of a global European approach: in France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Member of the ISP community, driven by the Intelligent Industry Accelerator.

Your missions:

• Operational sparring partner for industrial leadership: on-site presence 2 to 4 days/week, support for industrial decisions, sharing of KPIs
• Delivery orchestration: end-to-end management of multi-expertise frameworks, risk management, arbitration, and performance
• Business acceleration: identification of opportunities, support for deal shaping, structuring of results-oriented proposals
• Contribution to the Defense growth platform: capitalizing on knowledge, developing assets, and driving the industrial ecosystem
• Cross-selling of the Group’s industrial offerings

Your perimeter:

• Supervises, orchestrates, and grows all industrial services from all BLs (Apps, Sogeti, Invent, Engineering, CIS, …) for the account
  • Production development,
  • Supply chain management,
  • Quality & compliance,
  • Workforce management,
  • Tech, Data and AI

• Defines strategy with the sponsor and the GCP, supports the CXO play
• Validates commitments, must build trust with clients

Your profile:

The ISP brings significant industrial experience (15+ years) in complex industrial environments, ideally in the Defense, Aeronautics, Automotive, or Advanced Manufacturing sectors. Experience in consulting (as part of a firm or freelance) enables them to approach the consulting profession with account knowledge.

1 - Their expertise in industrial strategy and performance covers:

• Operational experience in leading or transforming an industrial site (Plant Manager, COO, Operations Director, or similar field role): overall cycle time reduction, review of industrial organizations, management/planning methods, redesign of make or buy policies, industrial transfers, supply chain redesign
• A broad functional expertise in organization and industrial performance: industrial strategy, industrial reorganization or redesign of operating models, Lean/6 Sigma, QRQC, continuous improvement, flow optimization, Quality, Maintenance, In/outbound logistics
• Proven expertise in ramp-up in critical contexts: launching new lines/products, industrializing complex programs, managing industrial crises (delays, quality, supply chain)
• Experienced in industrial digitalization / Industry 4.0: MES, IoT, data, AI, automation)
• Industrial experience across multiple sectors , enabling cross-fertilization and leveraging best practices from different industries
• In-depth knowledge of the Defense sector and the challenges of industrial ramp-up.

2 – Credibility gained through in-depth and recognized account knowledge

• Knowledge of the industrial system acquired (and continuously developed) through operational assignments visible at the CXO/COO/Head of Plants level
• Closeness developed with the account's CXOs: COO, Head of Plants, Program Directors, CIO, Digital Transformation Director, Supply Chain Director, Technical Directors, Support Management (…) and their middle management network (Business Unit Managers, Head of Planning, Production, Maintenance, Quality Directors…)
• The ability to deliver a vision : transformation or ramp-up roadmap, sharing strategic challenges, providing innovation, shared vision of the future.

3 – Credibility gained through in-depth and recognized account knowledge

• Operational experience in leading or transforming an industrial site (Plant Manager, COO, Operations Director, or similar field role): overall cycle time reduction, review of industrial organizations, management/planning methods, redesign of make or buy policies, industrial transfers, supply chain redesign.
• A broad functional expertise in organization and industrial performance: industrial strategy, industrial reorganization or redesign of operating models, Lean/6 Sigma, QRQC, continuous improvement, flow optimization, Quality, Maintenance, In/outbound logistics
• Proven expertise in ramp-up in critical contexts: launching new lines/products, industrializing complex programs, managing industrial crises (delays, quality, supply chain).

• Seniority level: E/F
• Industrial leadership & executive credibility: manufacturing excellence, smart manufacturing, supply chain, industrial ramp-up
• Previous experience in consulting is valued
• Field leadership, complex management, results orientation, executive credibility
• Excellent listening skills and understanding of field issues
• Sparring partner role
• Strong autonomy and sense of responsibility
• Ability to navigate complex client environments with commercial challenges
• Analytical mind and clear communication
• Results-oriented