Project & Program Management Lead (All genders)

STARK; München; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Stark is seeking a PMO Lead in Munich to establish and lead the central Program Management Office, aligning company initiatives with strategic defense objectives. You will own the programme portfolio, implement stage-gate governance, and build transparent dashboards for executive visibility.

You will recruit and mentor a high-performing team of project and programme managers, collaborating with operational stakeholders to ensure mission-aligned delivery in a defense-focused environment.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of proven experience in project and programme management roles.
• Demonstrated track record of setting up and scaling a Program Management Office (PMO).
• Strong experience managing complex cross-functional initiatives across engineering and business teams.
• Expertise in risk management frameworks and mitigation strategy execution.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across all organizational levels.

Responsibilities

• Establish and scale the central Program Management Office (PMO) from the ground up.
• Own the overall programme portfolio, ensuring alignment with corporate and strategic objectives.
• Design and run stage-gate governance frameworks to track project lifecycles and milestone delivery.
• Build and maintain executive dashboards to provide full visibility into project health and performance metrics.
• Identify, escalation, and resolve project risks and critical issues in a timely manner.
• Partner effectively with OPA/OAA to ensure strategic alignment and seamless operational execution.
• Recruit, mentor, and grow a team of high-performing project and programme managers.

Skills

PMO leadership

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Cross-functional leadership

Communication

Tools

Jira

Smartsheet

Job description

At Stark, we forge the future of European and national security through cutting-edge, AI-driven technology and unmatched engineering precision. As a premier defence technology company, our mission is clear: to equip NATO Allies and their partners with next-generation autonomous defence platforms and advanced AI-driven software built to perform in the world’s most demanding environments.

We believe that true security stems from relentless innovation. By combining elite engineering talent with agile technology and an AI-native operational culture, Stark turns complex defence challenges into field-tested, multi-domain solutions.

WHY JOIN US

• The software and systems you work on directly protect personnel and defend European and national sovereignty.
• You will work alongside industry-leading minds on autonomous systems, advanced propulsion, and secure cyber platforms.
• We foster a fast-paced, collaborative environment where bold ideas are supported by serious R&D backing.

About The Team

The Project & Portfolio Management (PPM) team oversees the end-to-end execution and strategic alignment of Stark's key defence initiatives. Working directly with cross-functional leadership, the team drives operational excellence, transparent reporting, and structured governance across complex projects. We operate in a collaborative, high-impact environment where robust project management directly supports our core defence mission.

YOUR MISSION

As PPM Lead, you will establish and drive our central Program Management Office (PMO) to align company initiatives with strategic defense objectives. You will own the program portfolio, implement rigorous stage-gate governance, and build transparent dashboard reporting. In this critical leadership role, you will partner closely with key operational stakeholders and recruit a high-performing project management team.

What You Will Do At Stark

• Establish and scale the central Program Management Office (PMO) from the ground up.
• Own the overall programme portfolio, ensuring alignment with corporate and strategic objectives.
• Design and run stage-gate governance frameworks to track project lifecycles and milestone delivery.
• Build and maintain executive dashboards to provide full visibility into project health and performance metrics.
• Identify, escalation, and resolve project risks and critical issues in a timely manner.
• Partner effectively with OPA/OAA to ensure strategic alignment and seamless operational execution.
• Recruit, mentor, and grow a team of high-performing project and programme managers.

What You Bring To The Mission

• 8–12 years of proven experience in project and programme management roles.
• Demonstrated track record of setting up and scaling a Program Management Office (PMO).
• Strong experience managing complex cross-functional initiatives across engineering and business teams.
• Expertise in risk management frameworks and mitigation strategy execution.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across all organizational levels.

NICE TO HAVE

• Proficiency with modern project management and reporting tools such as Jira and Smartsheet.

SECURITY CLEARANCE

Due to the nature of our work in the defence sector, candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance required for this position. Details will be provided during the recruitment process.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.