About Us 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. About the team <div style="text-align:justify;">The Operations Excellence team sits within the COO organization and serves as a strategic partner to managers, team leads, and colleagues across Stark. By delivering data-driven insights, leading critical projects, and driving continuous process improvement, we help the organization operate more efficiently, scale effectively, and achieve its goals faster.</div><div style="text-align:justify;">As an individual contributor, you will take end-to-end ownership of complex initiatives with significant business impact. Working closely with cross-functional stakeholders, you will have the opportunity to influence key decisions, shape core operating processes, and contribute directly to the success of one of Europe’s fastest-growing unicorns.</div> Your mission 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. Responsibilities <ul><li style="font-style:italic;">Establish the PMO: governance model, project intake process, reporting cadence, and tooling</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Own the programme portfolio — single view of all active initiatives, their status, dependencies, and risks</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Run stage-gate governance: define gates, facilitate reviews, hold project owners accountable to commitments</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Build and maintain milestone and risk dashboards for senior leadership</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Escalate issues and blockers early — surface problems before they become delays</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Partner with OPA, OAA, and functional leads to ensure all initiatives are planned and tracked properly</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Recruit, onboard, and develop the Senior PM, Junior PM, and Junior Project Coordinator</li></ul> Qualifications <ul><li style="font-style:italic;">8–12 years in project or programme management, with at least 3–4 years as a PMO lead</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Has set up a PMO or governance framework from scratch — not just inherited one</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Cross-functional programme management in a multi-workstream environment</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Risk and issue management — structured, proactive, not reactive</li><li style="font-style:italic;">Stakeholder communication and executive reporting — clear, honest, and without ego</li><li style="font-style:italic;">MS Project, Jira, Smartsheet, or equivalent</li><li style="font-style:italic;">BSc/MSc in Industrial Engineering, Business, or Operations Management</li></ul> Nice to have <ul><li style="font-style:italic;">Demonstrable experience in a manufacturing or industrial operations context</li><li style="font-style:italic;">PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification</li><li style="font-style:italic;">People management and team development experience</li></ul>

Project & Program Management Lead (All genders) @ Stark

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