Freelance Technical Program Manager

Loop Earplugs; Antwerpen; Hybrid; EUR 83,000 - 152,000; Full time

Job summary

Loop Earplugs is seeking an experienced freelance Technical Program Manager to own complex cross-functional delivery across product, design, engineering, operations and commercial workstreams. You’ll independently lead moderately complex New Product Development (NPD), Front-End Innovation, Technology Development or Sustaining programs from initiation through launch and monitoring.

You’ll bring the structure, judgment and momentum needed to keep teams aligned, surface risks early and turn complex

Qualifications

• 5+ years leading cross-functional new product development or related technical programs coordinating product, design, engineering, operations and commercial workstreams from initiation through launch.
• Independently lead moderately complex New Product Development (NPD), Front-End Innovation, Technology Development or Sustaining programs from initiation through launch and monitoring.
• Bring structure, judgment and momentum to keep teams aligned, surface risks early and turn dependencies into an executable program.

Responsibilities

• Own the integrated cross-functional program plan, translating approved scope into milestones, deliverables, dependencies and decision points.
• Connect planning across Product, Design, Engineering, Operations, Marketing and specialist Program Managers.
• Maintain one reliable source of truth for NPD and technical program delivery, tracking progress against timing, capacity and budget assumptions.
• Spot critical-path changes, planning conflicts, resource constraints and program risks early, driving mitigation actions through to closure.
• Apply Loop’s governance framework including risk management, scope and change control, budget and capacity tracking, and gate-readiness reviews.

Skills

Cross-functional program management

New product development

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Project planning & scheduling

Governance & gate reviews

AI in workflow

Job description

Location: Antwerp or Amsterdam | Hybrid
Contract: Freelance
Experience: 5+ years leading cross-functional new product development or related technical programs, coordinating product, design, engineering, operations and commercial workstreams from initiation through launch

Own technical product programs and help turn ambitious ideas into successful launches.
We’re looking for an experienced freelance Technical Program Manager who can step in, get up to speed quickly and take ownership of complex cross-functional delivery. You’ll independently lead moderately complex New Product Development (NPD), Front-End Innovation, Technology Development or Sustaining programs from initiation through launch and monitoring. You’ll bring the structure, judgment and momentum needed to keep teams aligned, surface risks early and turn complex dependencies into a program everyone can execute against.

Location: Antwerp or Amsterdam | Hybrid
Contract: Freelance
Experience: 5+ years leading cross-functional new product development or related technical programs, coordinating product, design, engineering, operations and commercial workstreams from initiation through launchOwn technical product programs and help turn ambitious ideas into successful launches.
We’re looking for an experienced freelance Technical Program Manager who can step in, get up to speed quickly and take ownership of complex cross-functional delivery. You’ll independently lead moderately complex New Product Development (NPD), Front-End Innovation, Technology Development or Sustaining programs from initiation through launch and monitoring. You’ll bring the structure, judgment and momentum needed to keep teams aligned, surface risks early and turn complex dependencies into a program everyone can execute against.

The role You step into ownership from the start. You’ll connect Product, Design, Engineering, Operations, Marketing and specialist workstreams around one integrated program plan, creating visibility across milestones, dependencies, risks, capacity and budget. As a freelance Technical Program Manager, you’ll drive cross-functional alignment, accountability and timely decisions across NPD and related programs. You’ll work independently within Loop’s existing teams and governance structures, bringing the experience to quickly understand what matters, where delivery is at risk and what needs to happen next. Product owns the proposition, requirements and prioritization. Functional leads own technical decisions, quality and team execution. You own bringing the pieces together, keeping the program moving and escalating significant trade-offs when they need a decision.

What You’ll Do (and What You Won’t)

• You own the integrated cross-functional program plan, translating approved scope into clear milestones, deliverables, dependencies and decision points.
• You connect planning across Product, Design, Engineering, Operations, Marketing and specialist Program Managers.
• You maintain one reliable source of truth for NPD and technical program delivery, tracking progress against timing, capacity and budget assumptions.
• You spot critical-path changes, planning conflicts, resource constraints and program risks early, then drive mitigation actions through to closure.
• You adapt and apply Loop’s NPD program-management framework, including governance, risk management, scope and change control, budget and capacity tracking, and gate and launch-readiness reviews.
• You assess how changes affect workstreams across the program and elevate significant risks or unresolved trade-offs with clear impact, options and a recommendation.
• You run effective cross-functional governance and keep teams aligned on priorities, responsibilities, decisions and next steps.
• You translate technical and operational information into decision-ready program and business impact for teams and leadership.

You won’t

• wait to be told what needs attention when the signals are already there.
• hide behind processes when a decision or escalation is needed.
• take functional ownership away from the teams accountable for technical decisions, quality or execution.
• talk about AI without practicing it in your workflow.

How You’ll Succeed You’ll bring experience, structure and sound judgment from day one. You’ll quickly create clarity across complex, cross-functional NPD and technical programs, giving teams a reliable view of what needs to happen, where dependencies sit and what could put delivery at risk. Success means milestones are delivered reliably against agreed scope and quality expectations, program readiness is clear at gates and launch, and capacity or budget constraints surface early. Risks are identified before they become surprises, critical mitigation actions close on time, and stakeholders have a clear and reliable view of program status. You’ll apply Loop’s NPD governance framework consistently while adapting it to the needs of each program. You’ll make day-to-day sequencing and prioritization decisions within approved scope, timing, budget and capacity, and bring significant changes to the right accountable leaders with a clear recommendation.

What You’ll Bring

• You bring at least 5 years of experience leading cross-functional new product development or related technical programs.
• You can step into an existing program environment, get up to speed quickly and operate with a high degree of independence.
• You can turn approved product scope into clear, executable plans across multiple functional workstreams.
• You can manage milestones, dependencies, risks, capacity and budgets while maintaining a reliable view of overall program readiness.
• You can navigate competing priorities and elevate significant trade-offs with clear impact assessments, options and recommendations.
• You communicate complex technical and operational information clearly to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• You’re comfortable working through change and ambiguity without losing momentum.
• You use AI intentionally in your work to improve quality, output, experience or decisions, not just speed. You apply critical judgment to what it produces, validate outputs against a clear bar and stay accountable for the work you deliver.
• You bring the ownership and judgment to make an impact without needing a detailed playbook.

This Freelance Assignment Will Suit You If You

• Take initiative and can create momentum quickly.
• Focus on impact rather than activity.
• Are comfortable stepping into work that is still taking shape.
• Know when alignment is needed and when it is time to make a decision.

Still listening? Good. We’re looking for someone who can step in and make an impact. Someone who brings experience, speaks up when it matters and takes real ownership of delivery. If that sounds like how you work, we’d like to hear from you. AI capability is part of how we assess people working with Loop. During the interview process, we’ll explore how you use AI in your work, where you choose to use it and where you don’t, and how you apply judgment and quality checks to AI-assisted outputs.