Project & Program Management Lead (All genders)

stark

Munich

Posted Aug 20, 2026

Full-time
Operations Excellence
experienced

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Job description

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

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.

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.

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

Establish the PMO: governance model, project intake process, reporting cadence, and tooling
Own the programme portfolio — single view of all active initiatives, their status, dependencies, and risks
Run stage-gate governance: define gates, facilitate reviews, hold project owners accountable to commitments
Build and maintain milestone and risk dashboards for senior leadership
Escalate issues and blockers early — surface problems before they become delays
Partner with OPA, OAA, and functional leads to ensure all initiatives are planned and tracked properly
Recruit, onboard, and develop the Senior PM, Junior PM, and Junior Project Coordinator

Qualifications

8–12 years in project or programme management, with at least 3–4 years as a PMO lead
Has set up a PMO or governance framework from scratch — not just inherited one
Cross-functional programme management in a multi-workstream environment
Risk and issue management — structured, proactive, not reactive
Stakeholder communication and executive reporting — clear, honest, and without ego
MS Project, Jira, Smartsheet, or equivalent
BSc/MSc in Industrial Engineering, Business, or Operations Management

Nice to have

Demonstrable experience in a manufacturing or industrial operations context
PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification
People management and team development experience