Technical Program Manager

Do you enjoy bringing structure, direction and momentum to complex technical programmes – and turning ambitious plans into tangible results? As Thunderstrike continues to develop its Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and expand its Engineering organisation, we are looking for a Technical Program Manager to play a central role in driving programme execution and supporting the continued development of the organisation. This is a newly established position, acting as the second-in-command to our VP Engineering. You will take responsibility for the non-technical side of Engineering, with delegated authority over schedules, resources, budgets and hiring, while working closely with the VP Engineering, who retains final technical authority. You will act as the first point of coordination and resolution when schedule, resource or requirement conflicts arise, and stand in for the VP Engineering when needed. You will help connect Engineering with the wider business, ensuring that priorities, resources and plans come together to move our platform programme forward. Key Responsibilities Programme Execution & Planning

• Own the short- to mid-term programme plan and schedule, ensuring progress across the platform programme and its sub-projects.
• Track milestones, identify delays and dependencies, and work with project owners to address issues and keep delivery on track.
• Establish and maintain the programme management framework, including planning cadence, stage gates and progress follow-up, shared across Engineering and relevant business functions.
• Ensure that segment and sub-project owners maintain progress and deliver on their agreed responsibilities.

Resources, Budget & Coordination

• Identify resource and capability requirements, including people, equipment and external partners, and initiate acquisition within your delegated authority.
• Coordinate external partners and consultants, and plan future Engineering hires in collaboration with HR, including participation in interviews.
• Oversee and follow up on the approved Engineering budget, including spending, financial variances and quarterly actual-versus-expected assessments, in close coordination with Finance.
• Act as the first point of coordination and resolution for schedule, resource and requirement conflicts within Engineering, across departments and with external partners, before escalating technical matters to the VP Engineering.

Cross-functional Collaboration & Management

• Represent Engineering in management forums, alongside or on behalf of the VP Engineering, and ensure that management decisions and cross-departmental plans are communicated and implemented within the team.
• Coordinate with Manufacturing, Quality, HR and Finance, balancing schedule and resource decisions against their impact on production, certification and customer deliveries.
• Support the VP Engineering in the day-to-day management and continued development of the Engineering organisation, serving as the VP's deputy in operational matters while the VP retains final technical authority.

Certification & External Authorities

• Drive progress on certification and approval processes once launched, coordinating contact with relevant authorities and stakeholders, including EASA representatives and the airport.
• Coordinate technical input and involve the VP Engineering when technical answers or decisions are required.

What You Need from Day One

• A bachelor's degree or equivalent. A technical or engineering education is an advantage, not a requirement.
• Hands-on experience in project or programme management, including leading at least one long and complex project through its full lifecycle.
• The ability to manage budgets, monitor financial performance and translate financial constraints into realistic priorities.
• Strong communication and coordination skills, with the ability to navigate competing priorities and bring different stakeholders together.
• Fluent English, both written and spoken. Danish is an advantage.

You do not need to be the technical authority on the platforms or the deepest specialist in every engineering discipline. You do need to understand how complex programmes come together, identify what stands in the way of progress and take ownership of moving things forward. Developing Your Expertise You will gain an in-depth understanding of our Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) programme and the many technical and organisational dependencies involved in bringing it forward. Working closely with the VP Engineering and colleagues across the organisation, you will develop your understanding of our engineering environment, certification activities and the practical challenges of scaling a technical programme from development towards production. You will also have the opportunity to shape and refine the programme management structures that will support Engineering as the organisation grows. Nice to Have – Not Required

• A technical or engineering educational background.
• Experience from aerospace, defence, engineering or other complex technical or autonomous-systems projects.
• Strong financial management and budget-control experience.

How We Work We own the outcome - You take responsibility for agreed plans, schedules and budgets. When something does not go as expected, you address it openly, adjust the plan and focus on finding a way forward rather than defending the original decision. We seek to understand, and we adapt - You understand the perspectives and constraints of the people involved, actively seek input and adjust priorities and plans when circumstances or new information require it. Why Join Thunderstrike? This is an opportunity to take on a central role in a growing company and help shape how Engineering operates and delivers. As the right hand to the VP Engineering, you will have:

• A key position in driving the execution of our platform programme and its sub-projects.
• The opportunity to establish and develop the planning frameworks, programme cadence and stage gates that will support our continued growth.
• A broad mandate across schedules, resources, budgets and hiring, with close involvement in Engineering's strategic and operational priorities.
• A collaborative role working across Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, People & Organisation and Finance, as well as with external partners and authorities.
• A workplace at HCA Airport in Odense N, with regular presence in the hangar and opportunities to participate in flight tests.

At Thunderstrike, we are building both our platforms and the organisation around them. There is still work to be done, structures to establish and challenges to solve. You will have a genuine opportunity to influence how we move forward. How to Apply If you recognise yourself in most of this, but not all of it, we would still like to hear from you. When applying, we would like to hear about a complex programme or project you have managed. What were the main challenges, how did you bring the different stakeholders and resources together, and what did you learn along the way? Successful completion of the required security clearance process is a mandatory final step in the recruitment process.