Senior Program Manager, Aerospace & Defense

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

Benefits offered by this job

Future-focused projects

Global collaboration

High-growth environment

Meaningful impact

Job summary

Destinus is seeking a Program Manager to lead strategic aerospace programs, delivering on time, on budget, and in line with business objectives. You will coordinate engineering, production, supply chain, and commercial teams across international borders, translating complex requirements into actionable plans.

The role requires 15+ years in program management within aerospace/defense, strong P&L oversight, and proven stakeholder management.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Aerospace, Industrial Management, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in Program Management or senior roles in aerospace/defense or regulated industries.
• Strong P&L management with budgeting, forecasting and profitability responsibility.
• Experience leading large, international, multi-stakeholder programs.
• Fluency in English; additional European languages are a plus.

Responsibilities

• Own the full lifecycle of strategic programs from contract award through delivery.
• Manage program financial performance, forecasting, budgeting, cost control, margin optimization, and financial reporting.
• Develop and execute program strategies that balance customer requirements, technical objectives, commercial goals, and operational constraints.
• Build trusted relationships with customers, government stakeholders, partners, and internal leadership teams.
• Identify, assess, and proactively mitigate program risks across technical, operational, financial, contractual, and supply chain domains.
• Lead cross-functional teams across engineering, production, procurement, quality, and operations to ensure successful program execution.
• Monitor program performance through KPIs, milestones, and financial metrics, driving corrective actions when needed.
• Support contract negotiations, change management activities, and commercial discussions throughout the program lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, regulatory requirements, and company governance standards.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance program execution, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Skills

P&L management

Program management

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Leadership

Budgeting

Contract execution

Customer facing

Manufacturing understanding

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's or Master’s in Engineering, Business Administration, Aerospace, Industrial Management

Job description

Destinus is seeking a Program Manager to lead strategic aerospace programs, delivering on time, on budget, and in line with business objectives. You will coordinate engineering, production, supply chain, and commercial teams across international borders, translating complex requirements into actionable plans.

The role requires 15+ years in program management within aerospace/defense, strong P&L oversight, and proven stakeholder management.