Program Manager

About the Role
In this role, you will be responsible for supporting the Emirates Portfolio Director and the respective Program Directors in the USA, overseeing the execution of the Emirates Programs from the Sales handover through delivery of the final aircraft and the closure of commitment letter items. You will lead and direct the Discovery Dubai employees (including Content Integration team members, lab facility management, and other local engineers), ensuring coordination with their US-based organizational leaders. You will work closely with the USA PM Leadership to manage cost and schedule performance as well as risk management for the Emirates Programs, ensuring effective communication of customer requirements and the execution of the program with both technical accuracy and profitability.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Support the PM Directors with regular meetings (daily preferred, at least weekly) with key Emirates representatives, ensuring effective communication of key messages between Emirates and the company teammates.
• Represent the USA PM Team at Dubai morning meetings, conveying important information back to the USA PM and Engineering teams.
• Attend in-service performance reviews at Emirates and act as the PM focal for in-service issues, ensuring USA teammates are informed and necessary support is secured.
• Lead the DD Team to ensure defined work scopes and clear deliverables in accordance with customer and program requirements for hardware and software topics.
• Support the bid process for Sales and Bid Management by developing Program Management bid inputs, identifying risks, and coordinating technical responses.
• Participate in the handover meeting from Sales and Bid Management to Program Management.
• Coordinate with functional managers to establish a cross-functional program team based on the established Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).
• Develop the program Bill of Materials (BOM), identifying risk areas and stabilizing the BOM as early in the program as possible.
• Conduct the internal program Kick Off Meeting (KOM) to communicate the airline customer expectations and the delivery schedule for parts/services and documentation.
• Ensure timely release of Internal Change Orders (ICOs) within normal production lead times, as permitted by customer agreements.
• Direct and oversee program activities to accomplish objectives profitably, meeting customer and company expectations.
• Implement and maintain the Manage Program (MAP) tracking tool for new programs, ensuring accurate and updated program records.
• Maintain a program master schedule that includes key milestones, technical data deliverables, and critical path decision gates.
• Conduct regular program team meetings to review performance, BOM status, risk areas, and customer satisfaction.
• Assess financial profit and loss data for the assigned program, monitoring non-recurring cost expenditures to ensure alignment with budgets and spending plans.
• Manage communication with external customers, ensuring all correspondence is accurate, timely, and respects intellectual property agreements.
• Prepare for and participate in program milestone meetings such as Preliminary Design Reviews (PDRs), Critical Design Reviews (CDRs), First Article Inspections (FAIs), and Program Management Reviews (PMRs).
• Assist the Finance Department in receiving Purchase Orders (POs) from customers, ensuring they are received in advance of shipping dates.
• Close projects by archiving documents and closing expenditure authorizations, sharing insights from the enterprise experience.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field with a minimum of 7-9+ years of experience, or a Master’s degree with a minimum of 5+ years of experience.
• At least 5 years of program management or PMO experience.
• Experience in the aviation industry or on international avionics projects.
• Strong customer-facing skills, particularly with high-level decision-makers.
• Proven financial savvy in business case development and value proposition.
• Capability to work in a fast-paced environment while maintaining accuracy.
• Proficient in MS Office applications (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Visio), with strong numerical skills.
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to motivate teams.
• Capable of managing multiple time-sensitive projects and working independently.

Preferred Qualifications

• IPMA or PMP Certification.
• Regional experience within UAE or Qatar.
• FAA Certification experience.
• Familiarity with SAP, Primavera, and Microsoft Project tools.
• Demonstrated accountability and leadership skills, with experience in Project Management.
• Proven capability in project planning, consolidating fundamental project components.
• Strong understanding of customer relations management, ensuring project deliverables align with customer vision.

At the company, we provide careers, not just jobs. With 80,000 employees in 68 countries, our mobility policy enables employees to develop their careers both domestically and internationally, in their existing fields or by branching into new areas. We believe embracing flexibility leads to smarter ways of working.