Senior Project Manager

The Project Manager will lead multidisciplinary teams and coordinate customers, government stakeholders, industry partners, and suppliers to deliver strategic space programs and sovereign capability development initiatives. The role requires strong project management expertise combined with an understanding of space systems, satellite programs, systems engineering, and defense acquisition environments. The successful candidate will be accountable for program planning, execution, governance, stakeholder engagement, risk management, and customer satisfaction throughout the program lifecycle. This is a leadership role requiring exceptional stakeholder management skills, with responsibility for managing complex customer relationships, aligning diverse stakeholder interests, and ensuring successful delivery of high-value national space programs. RESPONSIBILITIES Program Delivery & Governance Lead end-to-end delivery of space programs from initiation through acceptance and operational handover. Develop and maintain integrated project plans, schedules, milestones, and resource forecasts. Ensure program delivery meets agreed scope, schedule, budget, quality, and contractual requirements. Establish effective project governance structures, reporting frameworks, and decision-making processes. Monitor program performance and implement corrective actions where necessary. Manage project risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, and change control processes. Stakeholder & Customer Management Serve as the primary interface between customers, government stakeholders, partners, suppliers, and internal teams. Build and maintain strong relationships across complex stakeholder environments, ensuring alignment of technical, operational, commercial, and strategic objectives. Manage customer expectations and provide regular communication on program status, risks, milestones, and key decisions. Lead executive reviews, steering committees, governance boards, and customer engagement activities. Support proposal development, contract negotiations, and program transition activities. Technical & Delivery Oversight Coordinate engineering, systems engineering, mission operations, supply chain, quality, and commercial teams throughout program execution. Ensure effective management of requirements, interfaces, verification, validation, integration, testing, and acceptance activities. Oversee readiness reviews and transition into operational service. Coordinate activities across satellite, payload, ground segment, and external partner workstreams where applicable. Technology Transfer & Capability Development Manage Technology Transfer (ToT) and Transfer of Knowledge (ToK) activities to support sovereign capability development objectives. Coordinate training, mentoring, and knowledge-sharing activities with international partners and suppliers. Track contractual ToT and ToK commitments, ensuring successful execution and measurable outcomes. Support the development of sustainable in-country technical and operational capabilities. BASIC QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Space Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline. Minimum 8 years of experience managing complex aerospace, defense, satellite, or space-related programs. Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale technical programs involving multiple stakeholders, suppliers, and engineering disciplines. Experience managing project schedules, budgets, risks, resources, and contractual deliverables. Strong understanding of systems engineering processes, including requirements management, verification, validation, and configuration management. Proven experience managing customer-facing programs and executive-level stakeholder engagement. Strong communication, leadership, negotiation, and relationship management skills. Ability to operate effectively within complex and high-visibility program environments. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Direct experience managing Electro-Optical (EO) satellite programs. Direct experience managing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite programs. Experience managing Earth Observation, remote sensing, GEOINT, ISR, or related space system programs. Experience managing satellite, payload, ground segment, mission operations, or integrated space system projects. Experience managing Technology Transfer (ToT), Transfer of Knowledge (ToK), training, or capability development programs. Experience working with international space partners, system integrators, and technology providers. Experience delivering programs for government, defense, intelligence, or sovereign customers. PMP , PgMP , PRINCE2 Practitioner, or equivalent project management certification. Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Space Systems, Systems Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. Understanding of satellite mission lifecycles, spacecraft development, system integration, and operational deployment. Knowledge of GEOINT, ISR, Earth Observation, and national security space applications. Familiarity with UAE government procurement processes and strategic national programs. Knowledge of the UAE space and defense ecosystem, including key government entities, industry stakeholders, and regulatory frameworks. Established professional network within the UAE space and defense sectors is advantageous.

Desired Candidate Profile

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Space Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Project Management, or a related discipline. Minimum 8 years of experience managing complex aerospace, defense, satellite, or space-related programs. Demonstrated experience delivering large-scale technical programs involving multiple stakeholders, suppliers, and engineering disciplines. Experience managing project schedules, budgets, risks, resources, and contractual deliverables. Strong understanding of systems engineering processes, including requirements management, verification, validation, and configuration management. Proven experience managing customer-facing programs and executive-level stakeholder engagement. Strong communication, leadership, negotiation, and relationship management skills. Ability to operate effectively within complex and high-visibility program environments. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Direct experience managing Electro-Optical (EO) satellite programs. Direct experience managing Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellite programs. Experience managing Earth Observation, remote sensing, GEOINT, ISR, or related space system programs. Experience managing satellite, payload, ground segment, mission operations, or integrated space system projects. Experience managing Technology Transfer (ToT), Transfer of Knowledge (ToK), training, or capability development programs. Experience working with international space partners, system integrators, and technology providers. Experience delivering programs for government, defense, intelligence, or sovereign customers. PMP , PgMP , PRINCE2 Practitioner, or equivalent project management certification. Master's degree in Aerospace Engineering, Space Systems, Systems Engineering, Business Administration, or a related field. Understanding of satellite mission lifecycles, spacecraft development, system integration, and operational deployment. Knowledge of GEOINT, ISR, Earth Observation, and national security space applications. Familiarity with UAE government procurement processes and strategic national programs. Knowledge of the UAE space and defense ecosystem, including key government entities, industry stakeholders, and regulatory frameworks. Established professional network within the UAE space and defense sectors is advantageous.