About the Role
As a Forward Deployed Program Lead, you will own the first partnership built on our data platform, from strategy through to delivery. This role requires you to deeply integrate with the customer organization to understand their operational needs, map key stakeholders, and develop AI use cases that are successfully built and utilized. Additionally, you will coordinate a team of Forward Deployed Software Engineers, prioritize their work, ensure quality standards are met, and manage the multi-year roadmap for the partnership. Your early involvement in the project will give you the opportunity to shape both the product and the organization around it.
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Responsibilities
- Own the project partnership end-to-end: expand our presence with the customer through new use cases and maintain relationships with key stakeholders and sponsors.
- Define and manage the multi-year roadmap for the partnership, including a prioritized list of use cases, architecture for delivery, and a compelling pitch to support them.
- Run joint governance with the customer: communicate outcomes, prepare monthly steering committees and demos, and ensure alignment within the customer team.
- Coordinate development across use cases: prioritize tasks for the Forward Deployed Software Engineers, identify and remove blockers, and review their work to ensure it meets quality standards.
- Collaborate with the customer’s IT teams to facilitate data access and manage technical dependencies associated with the development team.
- Engage with the customer’s operational teams to identify pain points and refine the value proposition for each use case.
- Analyze operational data within the project platform to clarify the challenges before building solutions.
- Specify use case deliverables and requirements alongside the customer-side project manager.
- Provide feedback to the Product and R&D teams to shape the development of the platform based on insights gained from the partnership.
Requirements
- A product mindset: capable of understanding user needs and translating ambiguity into clear requirements for use cases.
- Proven project leadership experience with a history of managing end-to-end delivery in fast-paced environments against ambitious deadlines.
- Forward-deployed experience: adept at navigating large organizations, building relationships, and expanding customer engagement.
- Analytical and engineering mindset: comfortable working with data and AI, and credible in discussions with engineers.
- Self-starter with a high degree of autonomy.
- Humility: able to represent an agile startup within a large, established organization without causing friction.
- Willingness to maintain a frequent on-site presence with the customer.
- Proficiency in English is mandatory.
Nice to Have
- Experience in defense, public sector, or large regulated organizations.
- Background in delivering AI or data-platform projects with customers.
- Previous experience coordinating software or data engineering teams.
We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems.
