Paid advertisement by the Utah Aerospace & Defense Association. 

Maybe it’s Tom Cruise in an F-18 that has the state excited about aerospace and defense – the sound of jets, white streaks in the sky, and airshows aren’t unfamiliar to us Utah natives.  Utah does boast a very high-profile air force base, after all. 

Founded in 2022, the Utah Aerospace & Defense Association (UADA) seeks to become the largest industry association and most influential voice representing the diverse world of defense, security, space and, aerospace within the state of Utah.

UADA will serve as an indispensable resource and a local, national, and international authority for the industry in order to ensure support for the long-term sustainability of members, their partners, and communities. In order to support this mission, UADA will host major events, conferences, and trade shows that spread successful ideas and practices that will facilitate marketplace connections. UADA will also work to strengthen Utah’s aerospace and defense industry talent pipelines and be a voice for the industry with key stakeholders and policymakers. 

The Utah Aerospace and Defense Association is looking for an Executive Director who can successfully lead out and execute the strategy for each of these areas.  Specifically, the ideal Executive Leader will do the following:

• Global Board Relations. You will serve as a voting member of the Board of Directors and are accountable to the Board for driving the strategic direction, with constant development and progress. 
• External Affairs. Serves as a visible and dynamic spokesperson and advocate, proactively representing UADA’s members before a wide range of constituencies including members, global leaders, governments, the media, business partners, and other external stakeholder groups. 
• Trade Show Management. Provides robust and professional hands-on management of global trade shows. Oversees the production of the association’s worldwide trade shows that provide value for the participants and operate profitably.
• Advocacy/Public Policy. Identifies and prioritizes critical global public policy issues and positions impacting the industry, in conjunction with the Board of Directors. 
• Staff Leadership. Engages, inspires, motivates, and empowers UADA’s professional global workforce across the state. Effectively attracts, mentors, and retains extraordinary talent to effectively implement the organization’s mission, direction and policies while maintaining a commitment to exceptional customer service and accountability. 
• Financial and Operational Oversight. Partners with the Board to deliver a highly functioning organization by defining operating targets through effective planning, clear direction, a positive and professional culture of excellence, with strong people, technology, and process systems. 

The aerospace and defense industry is booming. Our companies are at the forefront of advanced technologies and are pushing the boundaries of human understanding. The innovative technologies developed by the industry diversifies our supply chain and fuels the growth of our economy. With exciting things happening in its aerospace and defense industry, Utah’s future looks bright.

All interested individuals are invited to learn more and apply at: [email protected]