Technical Programme Lead

Sava; Greater London; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

SAVA in London is seeking an experienced Technical Programme Lead to drive cross-functional product development, scale-up, clinical preparation, and regulatory readiness across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and clinical operations.

You will own cross-functional planning, risk assessment, and ensure milestones are met as the company scales from pilot to large-scale manufacturing, aligning with senior leaders.

Qualifications

• 7-10+ years in technical programme management, operations, or cross-functional delivery.
• Experience leading complex hardware/medtech programmes across engineering, manufacturing and quality.
• Strong ability to identify dependencies, risks, gaps, and sequencing.
• Organised and structured, with experience using programme tools like Jira and Notion.

Responsibilities

• Own cross-functional programme plans end-to-end (timelines, dependencies, critical paths, resources).
• Orchestrate company-wide readiness for milestones: design freezes, verification/validation, pilot builds, pivotal-trial readiness, regulatory submissions.
• Identify risks early, drive mitigation plans, and resolve blockers.
• Lead structured programme reviews with senior leadership and technical leads.
• Evaluate, introduce, and scale tools and processes that improve execution and systems.
• Own communication structures and cross-functional workflows across engineering, operations, quality, and clinical teams.

Skills

Cross-functional coordination

Stakeholder communication

Risk management

Structured planning

Decision making

Tools

Jira

Notion

Job description

About SAVA

All the health information we need is within us. Just below the skin. SAVA is redefining the way people interact with their health by developing the most advanced biosensing technology science has to offer, capable of accessing bodily information in a painless, real-time and affordable way.

The Role

We are hiring an experienced Technical Programme Lead to drive the execution of SAVA's most critical technical programmes, including product development, scale-up, clinical preparation, and regulatory readiness. These programmes sit across engineering, manufacturing, quality, and clinical operations, requiring strong coordination, communication, and decision-making.

In this role, you will own cross-functional programme planning, risk management, and operational readiness as SAVA moves from pilot-line production to large-scale manufacturing and prepares for regulatory submissions. You will turn company priorities into executable plans, define dependencies and sequencing, surface risks early, and ensure teams stay on track with key milestones.

This is a central, high-ownership role with a direct impact on delivering SAVA's product development and scale-up programmes. You will work closely with senior leaders to steer a highly complex, cross-functional product forward and to build the operational systems and workflows to scale it.

The role is primarily in-person at our central London HQ.

What You'll Do

Programme Leadership & Delivery

• Own cross-functional programme plans end-to-end (timelines, dependencies, critical paths, resource needs, and decision points)
• Orchestrate company-wide readiness for major milestones: design freezes, verification/validation, pilot builds, pivotal-trial readiness, and regulatory submissions
• Identify risks early, drive mitigation plans, and ensure issues are resolved before they become blockers
• Lead structured programme reviews with senior leadership and technical leads

Operational Excellence & Process Development

• Evaluate, introduce, and scale tools and processes that improve programme execution and company-wide operational systems
• Own communication structures and cross-functional workflows that drive visibility and alignment across engineering, operations, quality, and clinical teams. Identify organisational friction points early and lead continuous improvements

What We’re Looking For

• 7-10+ years of experience in technical programme management, operations, or cross-functional delivery in complex hardware, medtech, or advanced manufacturing
• Proven track record leading complex, multidisciplinary programmes involving engineering, manufacturing, and quality
• Strong operational intuition - you naturally see dependencies, risks, gaps, and sequencing
• Highly organised and structured, with mastery of programme tools (Jira, Notion, etc.)
• Ability to engage confidently in technical discussions and challenge assumptions constructively
• Experience thriving in ambiguity and guiding teams through evolving priorities
• Clear, concise communicator who can hold teams accountable without friction
• Bias for action - confident in making decisions, escalating appropriately, and driving to closure

Bonus Points For

• Experience in medtech, sensor technology, wearables, or regulated hardware
• Exposure to automated manufacturing or scaling complex assemblies from pilot to volume
• Experience working in regulated environments (medical preferred)

Why SAVA?

This is a high-ownership, high-responsibility role in a company that’s building something complex, meaningful, and fast. The expectations are high, the learning curve is steep, and the work is often messy - but the impact is real. We don't have room for egos or passengers. What we do have is a team of thoughtful, driven, and mission-aligned people who are committed to building something better - and doing it with urgency and integrity.