PMO Director

About ADASI

ADASI is the regional leader in autonomous systems and services, dedicated to offering holistic solutions – from the development and production of unmanned systems to joint mission analysis and equipment acquisition. We manufacture, operate, and maintain next-generation autonomous capabilities for air, land, and sea, operating in demanding environments. Headquartered in the UAE, we are committed to advancing the region’s technological edge in defense innovation.

The Role

The PMO Director will lead the Project Management Office within ADASI , overseeing the execution of complex aerospace and defense programs—particularly in unmanned aerial systems (UAS). This role will drive program governance, standardize project execution frameworks, align projects with strategic goals, and ensure successful delivery in terms of scope, schedule, cost, and quality across cross-functional engineering initiatives. In addition to this, The Fighter UAV systems, platforms designed for speed, stealth, lethality and autonomy. This position will lead the charge on next-generation fighter jet/UAV programs by heading the Program Management Office. The backbone ensuring these cutting-edge, high-value defense assets hit critical milestones from design and prototyping through testing, production and deployment.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and scale the PMO function across engineering programs, with a focus on UAV and defense-related projects.
• Define and enforce PMO methodologies, tools, and templates aligned with global aerospace standards (e.g., PMI, INCOSE, ISO 21500).
• Oversee program and project lifecycle management, including planning, execution, risk management, resource allocation, and reporting.
• Collaborate closely with Engineering, R&D, Quality, Procurement, and Production teams to ensure integrated project delivery.
• Ensure project governance by monitoring KPIs, milestone reviews, change management, and compliance with defense industry requirements.
• Support bid and proposal development by providing project estimates, work breakdown structures (WBS), and integrated master schedules (IMS).
• Coach and mentor project managers and cross-functional leads to improve delivery capability and project maturity.
• Interface with internal executive stakeholders, customers, and governmental entities to report on program status, risk posture, and critical path progress.
• Lead portfolio management efforts to prioritize programs that align with ADASI’s strategic roadmap.
• Develop dashboards and reporting tools for executive decision-making using platforms like Power BI or Primavera.
  
  

• Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum 12-15 years of experience in aerospace and defense programs, with at least 5 years in a senior PMO or program leadership role.
• Proven experience in managing complex UAV, aerospace, or defense systems projects.
• Demonstrated success leading large-scale engineering project portfolios within government or defense sectors.
  
  

• PMP® (Project Management Professional) – PMI
• PgMP® (Program Management Professional) – PMI (preferred)
• SAFe® Program Consultant (SPC) or SAFe® Agilist
• PRINCE2® Practitioner or equivalent
• Certification in Earned Value Management (EVM) or equivalent
• INCOSE Systems Engineering certification (desirable)
  
  

• MS Project, Primavera P6, or equivalent scheduling tools
• ERP systems such as SAP or Oracle
• Project and portfolio dashboards (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)
• Jira, Confluence, or DevOps tools
• Risk management and quality assurance tools
  
  

• Deep understanding of the aerospace & defense project lifecycle and regulatory environment.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management, and executive communication skills.
• Highly strategic and analytical thinker with a track record of delivery excellence.
• Culturally agile and capable of leading diverse, multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to work in a high-paced, secure, and mission-critical environment.