Senior Product Specialist

About SES

At SES, we believe connectivity should empower people, communities, and businesses everywhere. As a global leader in satellite-enabled communications, we operate the world’s only multi‑orbit GEO and MEO constellation, delivering high‑performance connectivity and media services across aviation, maritime, government, enterprise, and mobility sectors.

Our culture is built on innovation, customer focus, technical excellence, and global collaboration. We solve complex challenges, develop cutting‑edge technologies, and deliver mission‑critical services with real‑world impact. If you’re driven by curiosity and passionate about shaping the future of connectivity, SES offers a place to build and grow your career.

Product Program Manager

Experience Level: 7–10 years

Location: Romania

Department: Product Portfolio and Program Management

About the Role

SES is seeking an experienced Product Program Manager to lead cross-functional, end-to-end product development programs across our diverse service portfolio. In this role, you will drive complex initiatives spanning engineering, product, network, operations, and vendor teams to ensure alignment, execution excellence, and delivery of high-impact products for SES’s global customers.

This position requires strategic thinking, the ability to dive into technical details, and the skills to build strong cross-functional relationships and lead through influence within a highly collaborative, international organization.

Key Responsibilities

Program Leadership & Execution

• Lead end-to-end, cross‑functional product development programs spanning engineering, product, operations, legal, procurement, and go‑to‑market teams.
• Build and maintain master schedules, manage critical paths, and drive alignment across teams.
• Oversee planning and iterative delivery using SAFe LPM and Agile frameworks.
• Track program health to ensure goals, scope, timelines, and deliverables stay on target.

Technical Program Management

• Partner with engineering and product teams, diving into technical workstreams to understand issues and connect cross-functional impacts.
• Facilitate technical discussions, resolve dependencies, and ensure solutions meet SES quality standards.
• Support Program Increment planning and guide Agile execution aligned with portfolio priorities.

Operational Excellence & Governance

• Develop and maintain key governance artifacts including RACIs, risk logs, mitigation plans, decision logs, and status reports.
• Identify and manage risks early, communicating clearly with stakeholders and leadership.
• Produce concise, executive-ready reporting on program status, risks, and financials.

Vendor & Contract Management

• Review, negotiate, and manage vendor SOWs.
• Track vendor milestones and deliverables, ensuring seamless integration with internal teams.
• Support milestone verification, acceptance criteria, and invoice approvals.

Financial & Budget Management

• Manage program budgets, forecasting, and cost tracking.
• Work with Finance on accruals, spend tracking, POs, and invoice processing.
• Ensure decisions align with financial targets and portfolio priorities.

Communication & Stakeholder Collaboration

• Build strong relationships across Engineering, Product, Finance, Operations, Regulatory, and Commercial teams to execute on program.
• Communicate goals, milestones, risks, and decisions clearly and consistently.
• Navigate a fast-paced, multicultural, distributed environment while managing multiple initiatives simultaneously.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s in engineering, Computer Science, Telecommunications, or related field.
• 7–10 years in Technical Program Management, Product Development or Product management.
• Proven track record leading complex, cross-functional, end-to-end programs in technical environments.
• Strong knowledge of SAFe LPM and Agile delivery frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability in building schedules, RACIs, risk management, and program dashboards.
• Experience managing budgets, accruals, financial reporting, and vendor invoices.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to connect cross-functional dependencies.
• Experienced in using project management tools such as Azure DevOps, PowerBI, JIRA, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to use AI in everyday project management activities.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and organizational skills.

Preferred

• Experience in the satellite communications industry, including familiarity with satellite networks, service delivery platforms, ground systems, or network operations.

• Background in telecommunications or connectivity-based services, such as enterprise networks, mobility services, or broadband.
• Experience managing global, distributed engineering or vendor teams.
• Certifications in SAFe, Agile, PMP, or similar frameworks.