Programme Manager – Land

Helsing · London, England, United Kingdom

  • Senior
  • Full-time
  • Posted 2026-09-23
  • Confirmed live on 25 September 2026

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Job description

Who we are

Helsing is a defence AI company. Our mission is to protect our democracies. We aim to achieve technological leadership, so that open societies can continue to make sovereign decisions and control their ethical standards.

As democracies, we believe we have a special responsibility to be thoughtful about the development and deployment of powerful technologies like AI. We take this responsibility seriously.

We are an ambitious and committed team of engineers, AI specialists and customer-facing programme managers. We are looking for mission-driven people to join our European teams – and apply their skills to solve the most complex and impactful problems. We embrace an open and transparent culture that welcomes healthy debates on the use of technology in defence, its benefits, and its ethical implications.

The role

As Programme Manager for Helsing's Land domain, you run a workstream within a complex defence programme, keeping delivery on track and stakeholders aligned. You own working-level relationships with customers and partners and actively support commercial outreach by identifying opportunities as they emerge. Drawing on a broad internal network, you coordinate across Helsing's engineering, commercial and operational functions, pulling the right capabilities into your workstream at the right moment. You maintain robust programme tracking, translate technical progress into clear reporting, and escalate risks before they affect delivery.

The day-to-day

• Drive end-to-end technical programme delivery using structured project management methods, owning master schedules, Gantt charts, critical path analyses, and milestone tracking.

• Navigate MoD gated review processes (DE&S reviews, CADMID cycle, ASG), ensuring all technical, qualification, and contractual entry/exit criteria are rigorously fulfilled.

• Plan and lead live customer trials, range tests, and field demonstrations, coordinating operational logistics, safety protocols, and cross-functional engineering support on-site.

• Oversee Safety Case management and qualification testing workflows, ensuring compliance with standards such as Def Stan 00-035 and MIL-STD-810.

• Manage Tier 1 and Tier 2 hardware subcontractors, fabrication partners, and component suppliers, ensuring on-time delivery while maintaining strict compliance with ITAR and UK Export Control Regulations.

• Maintain programme risk and opportunity registers, surfacing technical and supply chain bottlenecks early to execute swift, structured mitigation actions.

• Provide clear, data-driven technical progress reporting and dashboards to senior leadership and technical customer counterparts.

You should apply if you

• Have proven experience delivering into UK defence programmes, with a strong track record in hardware delivery (or hybrid hardware/software systems) on formal Programmes of Record, ideally across multiple complete delivery cycles.

• Possess deep, practical knowledge of the UK MoD Acquisition Lifecycle, including the CADMID cycle, Acquisition System Guidance (ASG), and DE&S gated reviews.

• Have practical experience leading live trials, field demonstrations, or range tests in rigorous operational defence environments.

• Demonstrate solid exposure to Defence Safety Case management and environmental qualification standards (e.g., Def Stan 00-035, MIL-STD-810).

• Have managed complex supply chains, including Tier 1/2 manufacturing partners and hardware subcontractors, with working knowledge of ITAR and UK Export Control Regulations.

• Apply structured project management methodologies to build and manage detailed schedules, Gantt charts, and risk frameworks in high-accountability engineering environments

• Hold an active UK Security Clearance (SC), or are fully eligible and willing to undergo the UK national security vetting process

• Communicate with full fluency in English (written and spoken) and are willing to travel regularly across trials, test ranges, and supplier sites

Note: We operate in an industry where women, as well as other minority groups, are systematically under-represented. We encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all the listed qualifications; ability and impact cannot be summarised in a few bullet points.

Nice to Have

• Have some familiarity with defence procurement structures or government contract environments, gained through supporting bids, proposals or contract delivery

• Practical experience applying Agile or hybrid project management methodologies to physical hardware or integrated systems delivery.

• Exposure to Artificial Intelligence (AI) / Machine Learning technologies, edge computing, or embedded software integration.

• PMP, APM (PMQ), PRINCE2, or equivalent formal project management accreditation

Join Helsing and work with world-leading experts in their fields

•
Helsing’s work is important. You’ll be directly contributing to the protection of democratic countries while balancing both

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