Program Director (m/f/d)

Mission Brief As Program Director, you are accountable for delivering Isar Aerospace's Spectrum launch vehicle on schedule. You own the integrated program timeline, drive execution across all departments, and ensure alignment of technical, resource, and business priorities to achieve key development and flight milestones. As the leader of the Program Management function, you provide functional guidance to Program Managers embedded within the technical departments, establishing common planning, reporting, and execution standards across Spectrum. Your Role in Our Space Mission: Own the integrated Spectrum program schedule and maintain the master roadmap across all development, qualification, production, and launch activities Identify, monitor, and drive resolution of critical path items, schedule risks, and cross‑functional dependencies Lead program planning, milestone management, and program reviews to ensure timely delivery of key objectives Drive execution across engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, test, and launch operations Provide regular program status, schedule forecasts, and recovery plans to Executive Leadership Enable rapid decision‑making by highlighting risks, trade‑offs, and opportunities impacting schedule and program objectives Lead the Program Management function across Spectrum and provide functional direction to Program Managers through a matrix organization Establish and continuously improve planning, reporting, risk management, and governance processes across the company Facilitate alignment between Directors, Vice Presidents, Program Managers, and Executive Leadership to ensure successful execution of the Spectrum roadmap Qualification Checklist M.Sc. in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Systems Engineering, Business Engineering, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent experience) 15+ years of experience leading complex technical development programs in aerospace, space, defense, automotive, or similar high-technology industries Proven track record of delivering highly complex products on aggressive schedules Extensive experience in integrated master scheduling, critical path management, risk management, and cross‑functional leadership Experience leading program management teams and matrix organizations Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including Executive Leadership engagement Ability to operate effectively in a fast‑paced environment with evolving priorities and demanding timelines Proficiency in English; German is a plus