Director, V-BAT Middle East & Asia-Pacific Programs (R6512)

Shield AI•Dallas, TX

3d•$174,400 - $261,600

About The Position

Shield AI is seeking a Program Director to lead a team of Program Managers delivering and sustaining unmanned aerial vehicle systems. The role leads and grows the company’s Middle East and Asia-Pacific Direct Commercial Sales (DCS) programs, manages the program portfolio against company Annual Operating Plan objectives, and supports successful customer missions through strong program execution and team leadership. The Director oversees customer relationships and serves as the escalation point for program and operational performance issues. The position guides the initiation and sustainment of DCS contracts for V-BAT systems, improves DCS program-management processes and tools, and ensures programs meet budget, schedule, scope, and technical requirements. It also develops and supervises Program Managers, allocates and prioritizes team work and resources, and establishes an effective cadence of meetings and follow-up. The role reports directly to Shield AI’s Senior Director of Program Management and may involve hands-on management of projects as the program grows.

Requirements

Program-management experience with Direct Commercial Sales, Foreign Military Sales, or Department of Defense programs.
Proven experience building, growing, and leading a program team.
Deep expertise in project and program management.
Willingness and ability to travel internationally as needed.
Ability to focus on long-term business objectives.
Ability to run advanced programs consisting of multiple interrelated projects in a largely self-directed manner.
Experience with scheduling tools such as Microsoft Project or Smartsheet.
Significant experience and strong skills with Microsoft Office Suite.
Strong leadership, time-management, organizational, and team-management skills.
Strong interpersonal skills and verbal and written communication abilities.
Expert understanding of complex project financials.
Demonstrated record of hard work, trustworthiness, holding oneself and others to high standards, and treating others with kindness.

Responsibilities

Lead a team to sustain and grow Shield AI’s Middle East and Asia-Pacific Direct Commercial Sales programs.
Manage the portfolio of programs to meet or exceed company Annual Operating Plan objectives.
Deliver reliable performance in support of customer and end-user missions through effective program management and team leadership.
Shape and codify processes and procedures for collaborating with, motivating, and managing stakeholders to deliver programs early, under budget, and with strong technical performance.
Balance priorities across functions and adapt to changing customer priorities related to program cost, schedule, and technical parameters.
Guide the initiation and sustainment of DCS contracts for Shield AI’s V-BAT systems.
Identify, develop, and implement improvements to DCS program-management processes and tools.
Provide hands-on management of projects and programs as needed while the program grows.
Oversee customer relationships and serve as the key escalation point for program, project, and operational performance issues.
Drive efforts to meet budget, schedule, and scope requirements.
Ensure accurate and timely tracking and reporting of budget, resource, and project-management metrics.
Conduct critical-path analyses, evaluate ways to accelerate programs, and mitigate identified risks.
Identify potential bottlenecks or delays and drive efforts to keep projects on schedule.
Partner with leadership to prioritize projects and guide resource utilization.
Hire and supervise project and program managers as needed to support international-sector growth.
Develop Program Managers responsible for planning, scheduling, and controlling complex projects spanning multiple organizations.
Provide leadership and support to DCS project and program managers so they manage projects in accordance with applicable processes, policies, and procedures.
Oversee the distribution, prioritization, quality, and volume of the DCS Program Management team’s work.
Establish and lead a consistent cadence of organized, effective meetings, including preparation and follow-up.
Support an environment where accountability and program-execution excellence are core.
Foster collaboration and shared accountability for outcomes with Leadership.