Patria is a workplace where you build common security. At Patria, ordinary people solve extraordinary challenges. When it comes to critical operations on land, sea and air, expertise is vital. Quality is in people – in each and every one of us. You make the difference.

Patria is a trusted international provider of customer-centric defence, security and aviation life cycle support services and technology solutions with a strong growth strategy. For more information, please visit www.patriagroup.com.

Protected Mobility is responsible for the sales, offering, and delivery of new vehicles and vehicle systems. We are well-equipped to provide our vehicle fleet to various end-users through European programmes, such as the Common Armoured Vehicle System (CAVS) programme.

The Patria 6x6 vehicle was selected as the platform for the multinational CAVS (Common Armoured Vehicle System) program, which involves Finland, Latvia, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, Norway and United Kindom. The project is led by Finland and aims to strengthen European defence and NATO cooperation. For more information about the project, please visit https://www.patriagroup.com/about-us/research-and-innovations/common-armoured-vehicle-system-cavs-programme

We are looking for

Operations Director – Germany

The Operations Director is responsible for the management of daily vehicle production operations in our partners facilities in Germany. Patria partners will operate in multiple locations. This role bridges the gap between sourcing, procurement, technology transfer, logistics, and production, ensuring successful production ramp-up execution within the CAVS GER program. The director is accountable for production and logistics in Germany and oversees the production strategy for the CAVS German program.

Key responsibilities:

• Production Management: Oversee daily vehicle production operations, ensuring alignment with business goals and program objectives.

• Cross-Functional Coordination: Facilitate collaboration between sourcing, procurement, technology transfer, logistics, and selected production partners.

• Strategy Execution: Develop and implement production strategies for the CAVS GER program.

• Customer Engagement: Represent production and logistics in customer meetings and maintain independent communication with customer stakeholders.

• Operational Support: Support PDEU and sales in operational topics and cooperate closely with Protected Mobility Operations.

• Performance Monitoring: Ensure delivery performance, production quality, and cost-efficiency in vehicle manufacturing.

• Capacity Planning: Align production capacity with business goals and project needs.

• Risk Management: Monitor and drive corrective actions for production risks, bottlenecks, and investment needs.

• Resource Planning: Support project execution with aligned production scheduling and resource planning.

What we are looking for

You are an experienced professional who has lead production in complex manufacturing environments. You have a target and solution-oriented mindset that you use in executing our vision and strategy. With your leadership and co-operation skills, you lead the new production site to success.

Key qualifications:

• Relevant educational background (for example, bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering or industrial management)

• Strong industrial knowledge in Germany and strong background working in international environments (for example, from heavy machinery production, defence industry or similar)

• Operational development capability and proven track record in industrial scaling and ramp ups

• Understanding of cultural leadership differences between countries

• Economical and operational understanding

• Fluent in Germany and English

• Willingness to travel within Germany and internationally

We offer you 

You have a chance for a long and versatile career with Patria’s unique products and services. In this position, you will have a great opportunity to impact Patria’s international growth and be part of steering our way into the future. 

Would you like to be part of our story?

You can submit your application through our recruitment system. Please apply by 8.2.2026. We review applications during the application period and selections will be made as soon as suitable candidates are found. Please note that we do not process applications sent by email. For further information about the role, please contact Senior Recruitment Consultant Sisko Lahtinen +358407795541.

We will process your information confidentially. A security clearance and a drug test will be conducted for the selected candidate.