Head – Programs

Head – Programs & Projects / Head of PMO

Location: Bengaluru | Industry: Aerospace, Defence, Space

BGR-Global (Blue Genes Research) is a specialist executive search and talent advisory firm focused on mid-to-senior and leadership hiring for high-technology, manufacturing, and engineering-led organizations across India and global markets. For this mandate, BGR is partnering with a fast-growing, innovation-led aerospace and defence manufacturer to hire a Head – Programs & Projects / Head of PMO for its Bengaluru operations.

The Role

The Head – Programs & Projects / Head of PMO will own end-to-end delivery of strategic customer programs across aerospace, defence, space, and deep-sea application domains, spanning avionics, SatCom and data links, thermal systems, heat exchangers, and embedded/AI-based software. This is a senior leadership role reporting to the COO/Business Head, responsible for on-time, on-cost, on-quality program delivery and for building a world-class PMO and execution culture.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead multi-technology programs from concept through design, prototyping, qualification, industrialization, and production ramp-up, ensuring disciplined adherence to integrated master plans/schedules and contractual milestones (PDR/CDR, PPAP/AS9145, FAI, FAT/SAT).
• Establish and run a robust PMO governance framework including WBS, IMS, earned value, risk registers, dashboards, and standardized customer communication, aligned with aerospace and defence quality and certification standards.
• Act as the senior executive interface for key aerospace OEMs, defence PSUs, and space agencies, leading QBRs, technical reviews, escalations, and driving consistently high customer satisfaction.
• Oversee engineering design governance (requirements, architecture, DFMEA, system integration), driving design correction, manufacturability improvements, and first-pass qualification success across hardware, systems, software, and thermal engineering.
• Drive cross-functional execution with engineering, manufacturing, production planning, supply chain, quality, and finance to ensure program feasibility, margin retention, and revenue realization in line with business plans.
• Build, mentor, and scale a high-performing team of program managers and project leaders, institutionalizing KPI-driven performance, continuous improvement, digital PMO tools, and organizational capability in program management.

Ideal Profile

• 15–20 years (extendable to 18–25 years) of experience in program or project management within aerospace, defence, space, or closely related high-technology manufacturing environments.
• Strong engineering grounding with proven experience in design reviews, technical assessments, and manufacturability, preferably across avionics/RF systems, data links, SatCom, thermal systems, and embedded/AI-based defence software.
• Deep familiarity with aerospace standards and practices such as AS9100, AS9145, DO-178C, DO-254, MIL/STANAG, APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, and typical qualification protocols (EMI/EMC, vibration, thermal, HALT/HASS, DO-160).
• Hands-on expertise with program management tools (MS Project, IMS tools, Jira/Monday, risk registers, EVM) and strong understanding of supply chain, production processes, costing/operations finance, and contract execution implications (LDs, warranties, delivery terms).
• Demonstrated leadership in running PMO or large program portfolios, with strengths in stakeholder management, decision-making under pressure, conflict resolution, coaching senior PMs, and driving cross-functional alignment.

What Success Looks Like

Success in this role will be evidenced by high on-time delivery, strong milestone adherence, low schedule and cost variance, robust program margin retention, superior customer satisfaction, and visible improvement in process maturity, digital PMO adoption, and team capability. The mandate demands a leader who combines rigorous execution discipline with strategic program leadership in a complex, safety-critical environment.