Company Overview
Metrea delivers effects-as-a-service to national security partners across five domains and more than a dozen mission areas, including ISR, electronic warfare, secure communications, aerial refuelling, special mission aviation, firefighting, and advanced simulation.
Metrea builds vertically integrated “full stacks” of capability—designing, producing, and operating turnkey solutions that let customers scale capacity and benefit from continuous innovation. By bringing operators and engineers together, Metrea rapidly connects design with effect, turning insight into action.
Focused on elegant, efficient, and evolving solutions, Metrea helps partners do more with less, providing asymmetric advantage against fast-changing threats.
Headquartered in Washington, DC, Metrea operates facilities across the U.S., U.K., Europe, and worldwide.
Group Overview
Special Aviation Missions (Europe) Group (SAM) is one of two Groups responsible for developing and delivering Metrea’s Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), Aerial Firefighting (AFF) and Special Mobility capabilities. Alongside SAM (US), SAM (Europe) oversees the integration of new mission systems, ensuring operational readiness across specialized aviation operations in and from Europe. It manages regulatory compliance and strategic partnerships to enhance mission effectiveness whilst supporting SAM US with fleet maintenance. By consolidating expertise and infrastructure, SAM Groups ensure Metrea’s airborne capabilities remain adaptable and mission-ready across dynamic operational environments.
Position Summary
The Head of Special Air Missions (Europe) is a newly created senior leadership role responsible for shaping and leading Metrea’s European SAM organization. This leader will define the structure, capabilities, and culture (we call it FIRMWARE) of the organization while ensuring operational excellence across high-value aerospace programs throughout Europe.
This is a builder-and-operator role: someone who can design scalable systems, frameworks, and teams (“on the Group”), while being deeply engaged in delivering results day-to-day (“in the Group”). The Head of SAM (Europe) will scale teams across multiple countries, influence the wider business, and operate effectively in ambiguity, all while cultivating a culture aligned with Metrea’s FIRMWARE.
This role leads through collaboration rather than hierarchy, building trust and influence across geographies and functions. It requires identifying and developing top talent while driving alignment across the enterprise, and is central to achieving Metrea’s vision of safe, assured, and scalable global aviation operations.
Role and Responsibilities
Shaping the Group (“On the Group”)
Skills and Experience
Our Firmware
Metrea’s single core value, “rooted in humility,” is supported by four key attributes: entrepreneurial, systematic, discerning, and over-deliver. These attributes, combined, form our Teammate Firmware, our culture. We explore these attributes during the hiring process when we grow our teams and continually support the growth of our culture. We are a hyper-collaborative, dynamically hierarchical organization united by a passion for what we do, how we do it, who we do it with, and who we do it for.
Benefits
Private Medical Insurance
Subsided gym membership / plans through Wellhub
Electric Car scheme
Cycle to work scheme
Salary sacrificed pension scheme
Free lunch on office days
Enhanced Parental Leave
Eligible to hold SC/DV clearance
Additional Eligibility Qualifications
Eligible to hold UK SC/DV or other relevant national/NATO clearances.
Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
This is a full-time position with typical working hours of Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Hours and work shifts may change in accordance with Group and business needs.
Work Location
Hybrid – Preferably this role will be based out of the London office 3 days a week. Alternatively this role could be Europe based with significant time in Hammersmith, London Office.
Work Environment
This job operates in an office setting
Travel
Domestic and international travel up to 35%.
Equal Opportunities Statement
Metrea Aerial Effects (MAFX) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or other characteristics protected by law.
Data Protection
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