Senior Defense Program Manager - Middle East

Harmattan AI; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 600,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Job summary

Harmattan AI seeks a senior Program Manager in the UAE to drive end-to-end delivery of defense projects. You will act as the customer’s main contact, coordinate cross-functional teams across regions, and ensure compliance with contractual and technical requirements.

The role requires a resilient leader capable of navigating complex, multi-stakeholder programs in a demanding defense environment. The ideal candidate has 10+ years in defence/aerospace PM, Arabic and English fluency, and a proven

Qualifications

• 10+ years in defence/aerospace PM with end-to-end ownership of a €20M+ export contract in the Middle East region.
• Direct MoD-level customer exposure: understands offset, local content and dual-use export licensing.
• Autonomous, structured, calm under customer pressure, hands-on: this is a scale-up where they build the PMO themselves.
• Engineering degree required (aerospace, EE, systems, mechatronics), PMP a plus, Arabic + English mandatory, mobile across Middle East.
• Strong knowledge of defense acquisition processes, program milestones, and compliance documentation.
• Ability to manage programs in cutting-edge/disruptive environments.
• Proficiency in managing a complete business plan.
• Detail-oriented with excellent documentation and organizational skills.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and guide teams toward success.

Responsibilities

• Customer Interface: Act as the single point of contact for the customer throughout program execution.
• Delivery Coordination: Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure on-time, on-spec delivery of complex and mass-produced systems.
• Compliance Oversight: Guarantee that all deliverables meet contractual, technical, and operational requirements.
• Crisis Management: Anticipate risks and lead rapid, structured resolution of issues as they arise.
• Invoicing & Revenue Triggering: Own the program timeline and ensure billing is activated at contractual milestones.
• Issue Management: Track and resolve program-level blockers, both technical and administrative.
• Local Interface Enablement: Ensure that centralized product policies are compatible with program-specific and customer-specific constraints.
• Enabler Identification: Identify missing enablers and escalate internally to unblock delivery or alignment.

Skills

Customer Interface

Delivery Coordination

Compliance

Crisis Management

Invoicing & Revenue

Issue Management

Local Interface

Enabler Identification

PMO Setup

Cross-functional Leadership

Education

Engineering degree (Aerospace/EE/Systems/Mechatronics)

Job description

Harmattan AI seeks a senior Program Manager in the UAE to drive end-to-end delivery of defense projects. You will act as the customer’s main contact, coordinate cross-functional teams across regions, and ensure compliance with contractual and technical requirements.

The role requires a resilient leader capable of navigating complex, multi-stakeholder programs in a demanding defense environment. The ideal candidate has 10+ years in defence/aerospace PM, Arabic and English fluency, and a proven