Senior Project Manager

Location: Ukraine

Department: Product

Work setup: Remote

About OM Defence Systems

OM Defence Systems develops advanced drone and autonomy technologies for defence and security applications. Our mission is to build reliable, intelligent unmanned systems that integrate flight control, real-time communication, and AI-powered decision-making.

We are expanding our team and looking for a Senior Project Manager to lead complex, technically intensive initiatives. The role involves coordinating cross-functional engineering teams and overseeing delivery processes, organisational interfaces, and technical services to bring new products into operational use.

About the Position

We are seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead complex technical programmes in our advanced drone and autonomy technologies team. The role involves coordinating cross-functional engineering teams and overseeing delivery processes, organisational interfaces, and technical services to bring new products into operational use.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee technically complex programmes related to the development and production of advanced aviation and unmanned systems.
• Establish, apply, and continuously refine project delivery frameworks across Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid execution models.
• Develop and maintain integrated short- and long-term project plans, including milestone definition, schedule control, and resource allocation.
• Act as the primary interface with executive leadership and governance bodies to ensure strategic alignment and informed decision-making.
• Ensure consistent quality oversight throughout all phases of development, in line with internal standards and applicable industry requirements.
• Proactively manage schedule adjustments, scope changes, and priority shifts as programmes evolve.
• Define and institutionalise best practices across tools, processes, and team coordination to support high-reliability project execution.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate programme risks; anticipate issues and coordinate timely resolution with relevant stakeholders.
• Collaborate closely with internal and external stakeholders to translate business, operational, and technical requirements into executable project plans.
• Lead end-to-end project estimation, planning, and delivery in close cooperation with engineering and R&D teams.
• Direct, motivate, and support cross-functional project teams while maintaining accountability for outcomes.
• Prepare and deliver concise project briefings, status updates, and decision-support materials for senior stakeholders.
• Provide regular, structured reporting on project status, risks, and deliverables to internal management and designated stakeholders.

Requirements

• Minimum 5 years of experience in managing technically complex projects within regulated or high-technology environments such as aviation, unmanned systems, robotics, or defence-related industries.
• Experience coordinating multiple teams operating under both Agile and Waterfall frameworks within a single programme.
• Strong, hands-on experience managing hardware and firmware development programmes, including collaboration with embedded, electronics, and systems engineering teams.
• Proven track record of leading R&D-intensive projects involving uncertainty, iterative prototyping, and evolving technical requirements.
• Practical experience in budget oversight, pricing models, risk management, and resource planning.
• Practical expertise in Agile methodologies such as Scrum and Kanban and their application in mixed delivery environments.
• Understanding of firmware development lifecycles, hardware and software integration, and dependency management across mechanical, electrical, and embedded domains.
• Ability to execute core project management functions across initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure phases.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
• Good understanding of SDLC.
• Capacity to make timely, high-impact decisions in high-pressure conditions.
• Problem-solving mindset using systems-thinking approaches.
• Ability to delegate responsibilities effectively.
• Outcome-driven mindset with strong stakeholder focus.
• Strong time management and people management skills.
• Hands-on experience with project management tools such as Jira, MS Project, Confluence, or similar platforms.
• Upper-intermediate or higher proficiency in written and spoken English.

Nice to Have

• Experience in aerospace, defence-related, or other highly regulated high-technology environments.
• Technical education or hands-on background in engineering disciplines such as electronics, mechatronics, aviation systems, embedded or software engineering, or QA.

We Offer

• Involvement in the development of advanced, mission-critical technologies within the unmanned and autonomous systems domain.
• Competitive and performance-aligned compensation. Meaningful participation in strategically important programmes with high ownership and impact.
• Collaboration within a highly skilled, multidisciplinary team in a modern, results-oriented environment.

Apply Now

For more information and to apply, please visit our careers page.