Project & Program Management Lead (All genders)

STARK is a new kind of defence technology company revolutionising the way autonomous systems are deployed across multiple domains. We design, develop, and manufacture high-performance unmanned systems that are software-defined, mass-scalable, and cost-effective — providing operators with a decisive edge in contested environments.

We are focused on delivering deployable, high-performance systems — not future promises. In a time of rising threats, STARK is bolstering the technological edge of NATO Allies and their Partners to deter aggression and defend Europe, today.

As Project & Program Management Lead, you run the PMO. You own project plans, milestone tracking, risk reporting, and stage-gate governance across all major operations initiatives. You escalate early, hold the line on commitments, and make sure projects land — not just start. You build the team and the governance structure from scratch.

• Establish the PMO: governance model, project intake process, reporting cadence, and tooling

• Own the programme portfolio — single view of all active initiatives, their status, dependencies, and risks

• Run stage-gate governance: define gates, facilitate reviews, hold project owners accountable to commitments

• Build and maintain milestone and risk dashboards for senior leadership

• Escalate issues and blockers early — surface problems before they become delays

• Partner with OPA, OAA, and functional leads to ensure all initiatives are planned and tracked properly

• Recruit, onboard, and develop the Senior PM, Junior PM, and Junior Project Coordinator

• 8–12 years in project or programme management, with at least 3–4 years as a PMO lead

• Has set up a PMO or governance framework from scratch — not just inherited one

• Cross-functional programme management in a multi-workstream environment

• Risk and issue management — structured, proactive, not reactive

• Stakeholder communication and executive reporting — clear, honest, and without ego

• MS Project, Jira, Smartsheet, or equivalent

• BSc/MSc in Industrial Engineering, Business, or Operations Management

• Demonstrable experience in a manufacturing or industrial operations context

• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification

• People management and team development experience