Programme Manager – Air Domain

Overview

In this role you will own the delivery plan for Helsing’s UK air programmes, coordinating with industry partners and defence customers to convert operational needs into engineering priorities. You will align milestones, manage interfaces, and advocate for air-power context in design and trials. You will present status to senior military and industry audiences and stand in for the Senior Programme Manager when needed. This is a mission-driven position at a cutting-edge defence AI company with impact on deployed capability and ethical innovation.

Pay / Benefits

• Competitive salary
• VSOP options
• Relocation support
• Learning allowance
• Health & wellness (gym, mental health)
• Parental leave and remote work options

Responsibilities

• Act as the main liaison between Helsing and partner engineering teams to resolve integration blockers
• Manage customer relationships and translate operational requirements into a prioritized engineering backlog
• Own the delivery plan, milestones, and cross-partner dependencies with a clear view of progress, risk, and critical path
• Brief senior stakeholders on programme status, risk, and capability; deputise for the Senior Programme Manager when required
• Incorporate operational air-power context into design and trial decisions and communicate it in practical terms
• Track delivery of capability to users to ensure milestones move toward deployment

Key requirements

• Operational air-power experience and understanding of combat air mission planning and execution
• Experience delivering a complex programme with external partners or government customers
• Ability to translate operational requirements into technical priorities and communicate constraints to senior audiences
• Knowledge of UK defence acquisition, OTE, and airworthiness processes
• Credible communication with senior defence and industry stakeholders, even on short notice
• UK security clearance or eligibility and UK basis of residence

• Credible in front of senior stakeholders
• Strategic thinker with operational judgement
• Collaborative and proactive problem solving
• Programme management with external partners
• Operational requirements translation to technical backlogs
• Understanding of defence acquisition and airworthiness processes

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