Senior Program/Project Manager – EU & Defence R&D

About the role

We are looking for a Senior Program/Project Manager to lead complex EU and defence research & development projects within Nortal’s Applied Defence R&D unit. You will own delivery against contractual scope, milestones, budget and risk while coordinating a multinational consortium of partners, funding authorities and internal teams.

Key responsibilities

• Lead EU and defence R&D projects from setup through execution, reporting and closure, owning scope, schedule, milestones, budget and risk.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary, distributed teams and manage consortium partners, funding authorities and subcontractors.
• Translate Grant Agreements and contractual obligations into executable project plans and track progress, driving corrective actions when needed.
• Prepare and lead consortium reviews, steering meetings and funding‑authority presentations, and deliver contractual reports and audit‑ready evidence.
• Support proposal preparation and consortium formation for new R&D opportunities.

Required profile

• Significant experience leading complex technology, cybersecurity, defence or R&D projects with high autonomy.
• Strong project financial management, contract management and stakeholder management skills.
• Proven ability to manage distributed teams and coordinate multiple external organisations.
• Experience with multi‑partner programmes such as EDF, Horizon Europe, EDA, ESA or NATO is a strong advantage.
• Willingness to complete a government security clearance process.

Required skills

• Project management tools: Jira, Confluence, SharePoint, MS Project.
• Methodologies: Agile, hybrid delivery, PMI/PMP, PRINCE2, IPMA, SAFe.
• Financial planning and portfolio‑level reporting.
• Risk management and change control.

What we offer

• Flexible working hours and the choice to work from the office or remotely within Estonia.
• Health insurance and sports initiatives supporting well‑being.
• Continuous growth and development opportunities aligned with company values.
• Competitive salary range €4,600‑€5,900 gross per month.