Programme Manager

Destinus; Madrid; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Destinus is seeking a Programme Manager to turn technical direction into disciplined execution across a multi-national European consortium. You will own the schedule, budget, risks, actions, and governance, coordinating with industrial partners and national stakeholders to keep delivery on track.

In this role you will lead a small senior engineering team, manage export-control procedures, and ensure milestones and reviews are tracked to closure in a regulated defense environment.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of programme or project management experience in defence, aerospace, or another regulated technical environment.
• Experience running complex multi-party or international programmes involving industrial and government stakeholders.
• Hands-on experience with export-controlled and/or classified programmes, including security, releasability, and information-control procedures.
• Strong experience with integrated scheduling, budgets, milestones, risk management, action tracking, and document control.
• Technical literacy to confidently follow engineering reviews and translate decisions into clear actions.
• Fluent professional English, with French, German, or Dutch considered a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own the integrated programme schedule across Destinus and partner work packages, tracking critical paths, dependencies, milestones, and deliverables
• Run the programme operating rhythm, including technical boards, work-package reviews and partner meetings, ensuring decisions and actions are tracked to closure
• Own budget tracking, programme risks, issues, and escalation to programme leadership
• Manage export-control, security, releasability, document control, and controlled information flows across consortium partners
• Coordinate partner deliverables, interfaces, data exchanges, and review preparation
• Support governmental and customer milestones with clear programme status, documentation, and reporting

Skills

Programme management

Defence industry experience

Stakeholder management

Export controls

Scheduling

Budgets

Risk management

Document control

Technical literacy

English proficiency

Foreign languages (French/German/Dutch

Job description

Imagine this, you are running the programme engine behind a four-nation European consortium developing an anti-ballistic missile system at operational pace. Destinus is the programme prime and responsible for the exo-atmospheric interceptor, engineered for affordability and production at scale.

As Programme Manager, you will turn technical direction into disciplined execution. You will own the schedule, budget, risks, actions, programme governance, and information flow across industrial partners and national stakeholders, keeping a small senior engineering team focused on delivery.

At Destinus, we are revolutionizing the defense industry with cutting-edge Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Our innovative technologies are designed to meet the unique demands of modern defense operations, delivering unparalleled speed, precision, and cost effectiveness. Destinus partners with government agencies and defense organizations worldwide to provide advanced solutions for mission-critical operations, enabling a new era of efficiency and technological superiority. Join us in shaping the future of defense with groundbreaking aerospace innovations.

What You'll Do

• Own the integrated programme schedule across Destinus and partner work packages, tracking critical paths, dependencies, milestones, and deliverables
• Run the programme operating rhythm, including technical boards, work-package reviews and partner meetings, ensuring decisions and actions are tracked to closure
• Own budget tracking, programme risks, issues, and escalation to programme leadership
• Manage export-control, security, releasability, document control, and controlled information flows across consortium partners
• Coordinate partner deliverables, interfaces, data exchanges, and review preparation
• Support governmental and customer milestones with clear programme status, documentation, and reporting

Requirements

• 10+ years of programme or project management experience in defence, aerospace, or another regulated technical environment
• Experience running complex multi-party or international programmes involving industrial and government stakeholders
• Hands-on experience with export-controlled and/or classified programmes, including security, releasability, and information-control procedures
• Strong experience with integrated scheduling, budgets, milestones, risk management, action tracking, and document control
• Technical literacy to confidently follow engineering reviews and translate decisions into clear actions
• Fluent professional English, with French, German, or Dutch considered a plus

Highly Desirable

• Experience with missile, aerospace, weapons, or other government defence programmes
• Experience establishing programme structures and processes for a new or early-phase development programme