Senior Program Manager, Aerospace & Defense Strategy

Destinus; Hengelo, Katwijk; Hybrid; EUR 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Destinus is seeking a Program Manager to lead strategically important aerospace programs. You will own the full lifecycle, drive financial performance, mitigate risks, and build strong customer relationships across engineering, production, and supply chain.

You will coordinate multidisciplinary teams, ensure on-time, on-budget delivery, and align programs with business objectives. Fluency in English is essential; additional European languages are advantageous.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Aerospace, Industrial Management, or related field.
• Minimum 15 years of experience in Program Management, Senior Project Management, or Business Management in aerospace/defense/manufacturing or regulated industries.
• Strong P&L management experience with budgeting, forecasting, and profitability responsibilities.
• Experience leading large-scale, international programs with multiple stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Own full lifecycle of strategic programs from contract award to delivery, ensuring alignment with objectives and capabilities.
• Manage program financial performance including P&L, forecasting, budgeting, cost control, and reporting.
• Develop and execute program strategies balancing customer requirements, technical objectives, and operational constraints.
• Build trusted relationships with customers, government stakeholders, partners, and internal leadership.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate program risks across technical, operational, financial, contractual, and supply chain domains.
• Lead cross-functional teams across engineering, production, procurement, quality, and operations.
• Monitor program performance through KPIs, milestones, and financial metrics; drive corrective actions.
• Support contract negotiations, change management, and commercial discussions throughout the lifecycle.
• Ensure compliance with contractual obligations, regulatory requirements, and governance standards.

Skills

Leadership

P&L management

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Program governance

Communication

Negotiation

English fluency

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Engineering/Business/Aerospace/Industrial Management

Job description

Destinus is seeking a Program Manager to lead strategically important aerospace programs. You will own the full lifecycle, drive financial performance, mitigate risks, and build strong customer relationships across engineering, production, and supply chain.

You will coordinate multidisciplinary teams, ensure on-time, on-budget delivery, and align programs with business objectives. Fluency in English is essential; additional European languages are advantageous.