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Senior Program Manager

Unlock employer Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Direct to Company 2 hours ago · 13 Oct 2026

Financial

  • Estimate: $120k - $200k*
  • Zero income tax location

Accessibility

  • Office Only
  • Visa Provided

Requirements

  • Experience: Senior
  • English: Professional

Position

ABOUT THE ROLE
Lead the end-to-end mobilization and execution of the company’s programs, acting as the primary interface with the UAE Navy and other strategic stakeholders. The role is accountable for integrating all program workstreams and partners to deliver contractual commitments, service outcomes, schedule, cost, quality and customer expectations.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Translate the contract and the CEO's strategic intent into an executable program plan.
  • Establish clear workstreams, milestones, responsibilities, governance forums and resource priorities required to launch and sustain delivery.
  • Own the integrated delivery of all program scopes, ensuring dependencies between Fincantieri, ADSB, procurement, contracts, planning, finance and document control are actively managed.
  • Serve as the first and principal interface with the UAE Navy and relevant government stakeholders.
  • Establish and lead program governance, including performance reviews, steering meetings, decision logs and executive reporting. Maintain a consolidated view of milestones, cost, risks, issues, procurement status, deliverables and customer actions to support timely management decisions.
  • Oversee program financial and commercial performance in coordination with the CFO, Chief Commercial Officer and functional leads. Monitor delivery against approved budgets and ceiling values, understand the impact of scope changes and ensure that material commercial exposures are escalated and addressed.
  • Ensure the program is delivered in accordance with the main contract, applicable UAE defense requirements and company policies. Own the program-level risk and issue framework, approve mitigation priorities within delegated authority and escalate matters with strategic, financial or reputational impact.
  • Provide direction for the management of key partners and suppliers, ensuring that their outputs are aligned with the main contract and customer requirements.

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS

  • Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Project Management or a relevant discipline
  • Postgraduate qualification is advantageous
  • PMP, MSP or equivalent program / project management certification preferred
  • 15-20 years in defence, government services, maritime support, MRO or other complex service-contract environments
  • Demonstrated accountability for a large, multidisciplinary program or portfolio
  • Experience managing senior customer and government relationships, preferably involving the UAE Navy and/or Tawazun
  • Evidence of delivering against significant contractual, financial and operational commitments

WHY CHOOSE THE COMPANY
Launched in November 2019, the company is one of the world's leading advanced technology groups, established to develop agile, bold and disruptive solutions for defence and beyond, and to be a catalyst for change and transformation. It is dedicated to bringing breakthrough innovations, products, and services to market with greater speed and efficiency, to position the UAE as a leading global hub for future industries, and to creating clear paths within the sector for the next generation of highly skilled talent to thrive.

At the company, the real investment goes beyond compensation. Through our dedicated learning academy and digital learning platforms, employees have access to extensive opportunities to develop new skills, deepen their expertise, and advance their careers. Combined with the freedom to innovate, strong career support, and the opportunity to collaborate with world-class talent from across the globe, the company is a place where you can continue to grow, keep learning, and turn ambitious ideas into meaningful outcomes.

Working at the company also comes with a package that genuinely reflects how much we value our people. Salaries are highly competitive and tax-free and, depending on your role and seniority, benefits can include family visas, annual flight tickets, medical insurance for you and your dependents, and education allowances for your children.

CANDIDATE PRIVACY & EQUAL OPPORTUNITY STATEMENT
If you feel your skills, experience and potential are a strong match for a role, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement. We are genuinely interested in what you can bring to the company.

Any information you share as part of your company candidate profile or job application will be handled in accordance with applicable data protection and privacy regulations.

The company is an equal opportunity employer committed to building a diverse, inclusive, and high-performing workforce. We believe every individual deserves to be treated with fairness, respect and dignity, and our employment decisions reflect that. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, nationality, ethnicity, religion, gender, marital status, age, disability, pregnancy or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

As a global organisation, effective collaboration across international teams is central to how we work, so English proficiency is required for all roles unless otherwise stated in the job posting.

Please note that the company does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Any resumes in the absence of a formally executed agreement in place will be deemed the property of the company, and no placement fees or compensation will be payable in respect of such submissions.

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