Engineering Program Manager - Mission Systems
Lead the engineering delivery of mission-critical naval defense systems used worldwide.
As Engineering Program Manager, you ensure multidisciplinary engineering teams deliver complex defence projects on time, within budget and according to quality standards. Working across the Netherlands, Portugal and Romania, you drive execution, mitigate risks and continously improve engineering performance.
Based in Hengelo, you work closely with engineering leaders, Work Package Managers and project teams across the Netherlands, Portugal and Romania to drive predictable engineering delivery throughout the full project lifecycle.
Your impact
As Engineering Program Manager, you ensure engineering activities are delivered: on schedule; within budget; according to quality standards; in line with customer commitments.
You identify delivery risks early, support engineering teams in overcoming obstacles and continuously improve the way engineering projects are executed.
What you will do
Drive engineering delivery
- Monitor engineering performance using KPIs and delivery metrics;
- Safeguard engineering planning, scope and quality;
- Improve delivery predictability across complex projects;
- Proactively identify and mitigate risks.
Enable engineering teams
- Support Work Package Managers in planning and execution;
- Facilitate decision-making and escalation processes;
- Ensure alignment between scope, resources and milestones.
Improve engineering excellence
- Optimize engineering delivery processes and ways of working;
- Increase project management maturity across engineering teams;
- Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives.
Collaborate internationally
- Work closely with System Engineering Architects, Engineering Managers and Project Managers;
- Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across software, systems, mechanical and electrical engineering;
- Support collaboration across international engineering locations.
What you bring
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science or a related technical discipline;
- Experience in technical program management, engineering project management or engineering delivery management;
- Experience working in multidisciplinary engineering environments;
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills;
- Experience managing schedules, risks and delivery performance;
- Analytical mindset with a focus on continuous improvement;
- Ability to create structure in complex environments.
Nice to have
- Experience within defence, aerospace, maritime or other mission-critical industries;
- Experience working in international matrix organisations;
- IPMA, PMI or equivalent certification.
What we offer
- The opportunity to contribute directly to advanced naval defence systems used worldwide;
- A challenging role within a leading high-tech environment;
- International collaboration across multiple countries;
- Extensive learning and development opportunities;
- Hybrid working possibilities;
- Competitive salary and benefits package;
- 40 days of paid leave per year.
Security requirements
Because of the sensitive nature of our work, eligibility for a Dutch security clearance (AIVD Screening B) is required.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Computer Science or related technical discipline
- Experience in technical program management, engineering project management or engineering delivery management
- Experience working in multidisciplinary engineering environments
- Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
- Experience managing schedules, risks and delivery performance
- Analytical mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
- Ability to create structure in complex environments
- Eligibility for a Dutch security clearance (AIVD Screening B)
- Experience within defence, aerospace, maritime or other mission-critical industries
- Experience working in international matrix organisations
- IPMA, PMI or equivalent certification
Thales Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Thales and has not been reviewed or approved by Thales.
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Retirement Support — Retirement plans with employer contributions and matches, profit sharing, and share purchase opportunities are emphasized across multiple regions. These elements are positioned as competitive components of total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Generous PTO that increases with tenure, paid holidays, and paid military, maternity, and paternity leave are described. This breadth supports work–life balance across locations.
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Flexible Benefits — Hybrid work options, flexible schedules, and parental supports such as childcare benefits and leave for sick children are available in several markets. Flexibility is presented as a core part of the employee experience.
Thales Insights
What We Do
Thales is a global high technology leader investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations – connectivity, big data, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum technology – to build a future we can all trust, which is vital to the development of our societies. The company provides solutions, services and products that help its customers – businesses, organisations and states – in the defence, aeronautics, space, transportation and digital identity and security markets to fulfil their critical missions, by placing humans at the heart of the decision-making process.
