Program Director - Germany

Job description

ROLE HIGHLIGHTS: - Program Director - Germany - Location: Germany (regular travel is expected) - we can provide relocation support - Department: Missions - Reports to: VP Missions Program - Employment type: Permanent - Workplace model: Hybrid - Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required) WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS: Define and lead ICEYE’s Missions delivery capability in Germany, driving strategic customer success, scalable program execution, and long-term mission growth across defense and intelligence customers. You will own the full lifecycle of customer missions—from contract strategy through delivery and renewal—serving as the senior accountable leader across engineering, product, operations, and commercial teams. You will set the standard for how ICEYE delivers sovereign and turnkey ISR missions, building the model, the team, and the customer relationships that underpin repeatable mission success. This role is central to ICEYE’s ambition to become the world’s leading provider of space-based ISR infrastructure. You will shape the Missions function in the region, influence how ICEYE engages at the highest levels of government, and contribute to the strategic and commercial direction of the business. The role is based in Germany with regular travel to Espoo (Finland) and to customer sites across the region as required. WHO WE ARE ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth.   ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system.   ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future.   Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. EXPECTED OUTCOMES   - Satellite Mission programs are delivered predictably on schedule, within budget, and meeting or exceeding agreed performance and quality targets, with the Director accountable for program-level health and risk posture. - ICEYE establishes and sustains trusted, senior-level partnerships with German defense and intelligence customers, reflected in strong satisfaction scores, program renewals, and expansion into new mission areas. - A scalable Missions delivery model is established in Germany — with the team structure, processes, tooling, and KPIs required to grow reliably as the customer base expands. - Commercial opportunities across renewal, expansion, and new mission areas are proactively identified, with the Director aligning signals and pursuit strategies with Sales and Product teams. - Strategic risks, dependencies, and customer escalations are owned and resolved at the Director level, ensuring continuous delivery and protecting the ICEYE relationship at all stakeholder levels. - Program management practices drive measurable improvements in delivery efficiency, scalability, and predictability across the German programs. - Stakeholders at all levels — from technical users to C-level sponsors — have timely, accurate visibility into program status, enabling informed decision-making and early intervention where needed.   WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR Must haves: - Strategic thinking and customer engagement experience, working at multiple levels of customer organizations — from technical users to C-level sponsors — while maximizing customer value through win-win solutions. - Experience of successfully building, leading, and scaling a customer engagement model, team, processes, tooling, and KPIs in a recurring B2B business; balancing people leadership, process discipline, and cross-functional collaboration. - Commercial acumen to identify and pursue renewal and expansion opportunities, feeding signals and aligning with Sales and Product teams. - 10+ years’ experience leading complex, multi-stakeholder programs in advanced technology environments (e.g. space, defense, telecommunications, or national security sectors). - Demonstrated track record of operating at Director or equivalent level, owning program portfolios and accountability for customer outcomes. - Proven experience building and leading high-performing teams in international, matrixed organizations. - Expertise in end-to-end program governance, planning, financial control, risk, and performance management at scale. - Ability to navigate ambiguity and drive decisions in high-stakes, time-pressured environments. - Exceptional communication and execu