Program Manager

IDEMIA Public Security; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 550,000; Full time

Job summary

IDEMIA Public Security in Abu Dhabi seeks a seasoned Programme Manager to own and drive major customer programmes. You will lead cross‑functional teams, manage governance and reporting, and ensure financial performance across revenue, margins and cash flow.

You will be based in Abu Dhabi with regular site visits, engaging government clients and delivering on schedule, cost and quality while identifying value-adding opportunities and managing risks.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Information Technology or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum 5 years of programme or complex project management experience, ideally within technology, systems integration, biometrics, security, public safety or a related environment.
• Proven experience managing complex programmes directly with government or public-sector customers is essential within the Middle East.
• Strong programme-management fundamentals, including risk management, governance, KPI dashboards, milestones and executive reporting.
• Fluent Arabic and English are essential; French is an advantage.
• PMP, PRINCE2 or Agile certification is welcome but not essential.
• Based in Abu Dhabi, with regular presence at customer sites (typically 2–3 days per week), and willingness to travel approximately 20–30% across the Middle East depending client requirements.

Responsibilities

• Act as the customer’s primary management point of contact, building trusted relationships, gathering feedback and driving customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.
• Lead and align cross-functional teams across engineering, supply chain, purchasing, legal, finance, sales, partners and suppliers to deliver agreed scope, schedule, cost and quality.
• Plan and govern programme execution using IDEMIA’s Programme Management System, including tollgates, governance reviews, KPI monitoring and management reporting.
• Own programme financial performance, including revenue and cost forecasting, margin tracking, invoicing accuracy, cash-flow milestones and financial risk management.
• Identify, assess and manage programme risks and dependencies; define mitigation plans and escalated where additional support or decisions are required.
• Ensure contractual compliance throughout the lifecycle of the programme, including amendments, claims, obligations, deliverables and change control.
• Lead change-request activity for assigned programmes, working with Sales and internal teams to shape scope, prepare commercial and financial offers, and support pricing and negotiation.
• Contribute to pre-sales activities and programme transition where required, ensuring commitments are realistic, commercially sound and operationally deliverable.
• Provide clear, concise programme reporting to senior management, highlighting progress, financial performance, key decisions, risks and required actions.
• Support account growth by identifying delivery-led opportunities, customer needs and areas where additional services or solutions can create value.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Governance & reporting

Risk management

Arabic & English fluency

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering/Information Technology

Job description

Job description:

• Act as the customer’s primary management point of contact, building trusted relationships, gathering feedback and driving customer satisfaction and continuous improvement


• Lead and align cross-functional teams across engineering, supply chain, purchasing, legal, finance, sales, partners and suppliers to deliver agreed scope, schedule, cost and quality


• Plan and govern programme execution using IDEMIA’s Programme Management System, including tollgates, governance reviews, KPI monitoring and management reporting


• Own programme financial performance, including revenue and cost forecasting, margin tracking, invoicing accuracy, cash-flow milestones and financial risk management


• Identify, assess and manage programme risks and dependencies; define mitigation plans and escalated where additional support or decisions are required


• Ensure contractual compliance throughout the lifecycle of the programme, including amendments, claims, obligations, deliverables and change control


• Lead change-request activity for assigned programmes, working with Sales and internal teams to shape scope, prepare commercial and financial offers, and support pricing and negotiation


• Contribute to pre-sales activities and programme transition where required, ensuring commitments are realistic, commercially sound and operationally deliverable


• Provide clear, concise programme reporting to senior management, highlighting progress, financial performance, key decisions, risks and required actions


• Support account growth by identifying delivery-led opportunities, customer needs and areas where additional services or solutions can create value

Profile description:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Information Technology or a related technical discipline


• Minimum 5 years of programme or complex project management experience, ideally within technology, systems integration, biometrics, security, public safety or a related environment


• Proven experience managing complex programmes directly with government or public-sector customers is essential within the Middle East


• Strong programme-management fundamentals, including risk management, governance, KPI dashboards, milestones and executive reporting


• Fluent Arabic and English are essential; French is an advantage


• PMP, PRINCE2 or Agile certification is welcome but not essential


• Based in Abu Dhabi, with regular presence at customer sites (typically 2–3 days per week), and willingness to travel approximately 20–30% across the Middle East depending client requirements

What success looks like

• Customers see you as a trusted, credible and proactive programme partner


• Programmes are delivered with clear governance, strong financial control and early visibility of risks


• Commercial commitments, contractual obligations and cash-flow milestones are actively managed rather than reactively escalated


• Change requests and account-growth opportunities are identified, shaped and progressed in close coordination with Sales


• Internal stakeholders have clear visibility of programme performance, decisions and priorities