R&D Senior Project Manager

An established defence technology company in Abu Dhabi is hiring an R&D Senior Project Manager on a permanent basis, with recruitment handled by Tektora. The programmes develop hardware and software together, covering PCB, FPGA, firmware and RF alongside the software stack, and candidates from outside the UAE are welcome, with relocation support for the person chosen.

R&D senior project manager job details in Abu Dhabi

The post is tactical and hands-on: it sits under a Programme Manager and owns schedule, budget and risk directly, rather than reporting on them. It is not a portfolio or governance position.

Responsibilities

• Writes project charters and work breakdown structures that fix scope and project boundaries
• Guards the scope baseline through firm change management
• Leads cross-functional teams day to day across technical and business tracks
• Maps and watches the critical path, spotting blockers early and clearing them
• Builds roadmaps, project plans and team schedules in line with the product roadmap
• Owns the project budget, forecasting and tracking actual costs to keep a healthy Cost Performance Index
• Runs qualitative and quantitative risk analysis, keeps the risk response register, and models and levels resources across people, hardware and software
• Works with Supply Chain and Procurement on timely delivery of critical materials and third-party resources, and reports performance to the Programme Manager, steering committees and executive sponsors

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Electrical, Aerospace, Computer or Systems) or a related technical field
• PMP or PRINCE2, plus an Agile credential such as SAFe, PMI-ACP or CSM
• A track record of delivering complex R&D projects on time, on budget and in scope
• Deep understanding of the hardware and software development cycle
• Budget ownership, cost forecasting and CPI tracking experience
• Strong working knowledge of MS Project, Jira and Confluence or equivalents, and experience using AI to optimise project or PMO processes
• Understanding of military standards such as MIL-STD
• Experience leading highly specialised engineering teams toward a single milestone, with excellent written and spoken English

Preferred qualifications

• An MBA or a Master’s degree in Project Management
• Projects involving PCB, FPGA, firmware and RF design
• Hands-on implementation of AI to optimise company or PMO processes
• Start-up and agile working experience
• A background in defence, aerospace or another regulated, high-assurance environment

Benefits

• Relocation support for candidates moving to Abu Dhabi

How to apply

Candidates send their CV through the application button below, and Tektora then follows up to discuss the package and relocation support.