Head of Product Unit – BU Underwater Systems

In a world marked by increasing instability and geopolitical tension, nations are strengthening their defence capabilities to safeguard democracy. Demand for our products is growing, and as our customers expand, we grow with them. Our purpose — keeping people and society safe — is more relevant than ever.

To better support our customers and prepare for the future, we are taking the next step in developing our organization by establishing Product Units within Business Unit Underwater Systems.

We are now looking for leaders ready to step up and take full accountability for both business performance and delivery excellence as Head of Product Unit. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of our offering, while leading with both high expectations and genuine care for people.

Open positions

• Head of PU Torpedo
• Head of PU AUV
• Head of PU ROV
• Head of PU Sensor

Your role

As Head of Product Unit, you hold full accountability for delivering on commitments — to our customers, to the business, and to your team. You combine strong business acumen with a relentless focus on execution, ensuring that strategies are translated into high-quality, timely, and predictable delivery.

You will be instrumental in shaping one of our newly established Product Units, with end-to-end responsibility across product definition, development, and delivery. You ensure that product strategies, system architecture, and development roadmaps are aligned with customer needs, technological evolution, and future capabilities.

Success in this role requires close collaboration across Product Units, with customers, and within the broader Business Unit. You ensure alignment between product definition, system realization, development progress, and delivery performance, building trust through consistency and reliability.

At the same time, you are a leader with a big heart. You build strong, engaged teams where individuals feel supported, challenged, and motivated to perform at their best — recognising that sustainable results are created through both clear expectations and strong relationships.

You will lead your Product Unit across the full product life cycle, driving continuous improvement, execution discipline, and cross-functional collaboration. The role requires a hands-on mindset and the ability to move seamlessly between strategic direction and operational execution.

You will report to and work closely with the Head of Business Unit. The position is based in Sweden and includes travel.

Main responsibilities

• Full accountability for profitability, growth, sustainability — and delivery performance of the Product Unit
• Full P&L responsibility, including order intake, for the global business
• Secure efficient and high-quality product development and execution across the full life cycle
• Drive alignment between development, product strategy, and customer commitments
• Strategic and financial planning, including budgeting and forecasting
• Build strong and trusted customer relationships through reliable delivery
• Lead and develop teams with a focus on engagement, accountability, and performance
• Establish effective governance, processes, and ways of working

Your profile

To succeed in this role, you combine a strong drive for results with a leadership style grounded in trust, empathy, and clarity.

You are known for delivering on your commitments — even in complex environments — and for creating structure, focus, and momentum when it matters most. At the same time, you lead with a big heart: you listen, support, and develop people, while setting clear expectations and holding teams accountable.

You bring solid experience from product, system, or technology development environments, and understand how to lead where development, delivery, and business must work seamlessly together.

We believe you have:

• A leadership style that combines high expectations with genuine care for people
• A proven track record of driving execution and delivering results in complex, development-intensive environments
• Strong experience in product, system, or technology development, ideally in system-of-systems contexts
• The ability to translate strategy into structured development roadmaps and reliable outcomes
• Experience leading organizations where R&D, product management, and delivery intersect
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to inspire trust and engagement
• Solid financial expertise, including budgeting, cost control, and investments
• A strong network and ability to build long-term customer and partner relationships
• Fluency in Swedish and English
• Experience from the defence sector, the maritime domain, or other mission-critical environments is highly valued

You are motivated by making a real difference — contributing to solutions that enhance security and protect people and society, while building strong teams and delivering results that matter.

This position requires you to pass a security clearance in accordance with applicable regulations. For roles requiring clearance, additional citizenship requirements may apply.

Please note that this is an ongoing recruitment process, and positions may be filled before the closing date.

What you will be part of

Explore a world of possibilities. Take on challenges, create innovative solutions, and grow beyond expectations. This is a place for curious minds, bold pioneers, and everyone in between. Together, we achieve extraordinary results — each bringing our unique perspective. Your contribution matters.

Saab is a leading defence and security company with a clear purpose: to help nations keep their people and society safe. With 28,000 talented employees, Saab continuously pushes the boundaries of technology to create a safer and more sustainable world.