Program Delivery Director

Arkeus Port Melbourne, Victoria, Australia About Arkeus Arkeus is a world leader in the provision of wide‑area autonomous optical search systems in the Search, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance space for Defence, Civil Defence and Environmental Sustainment applications. We specialise in the design, fabrication, manufacture and distribution of these innovative systems. Backed by the billion‑dollar deep‑tech and industry expert investors Main Sequence, Beaten Zone Venture Partners, and Salus Ventures we are scaling the deployment of our next‑generation hardware‑enabled software platform to help our customers improve security and save lives. We are a small yet fast‑growing company with energy, passion and ambition. Our inclusive, transparent and merit‑based culture focuses on building a diverse and capable workforce – one that attracts skilled individuals who share our purpose and values. About the Role Arkeus is seeking an experienced Program Delivery Director to lead program delivery across multiple concurrent engineering and production initiatives. This is a critical leadership role, balancing program execution, customer engagement and disciplined delivery processes, directly contributing to business success. In this role you will directly implement and oversee project and program governance frameworks, manage budgets and resources in a highly specialized and multi‑disciplinary environment, ensure alignment of work packages against customer success themes. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will be a key member of the leadership team and work closely with the C‑Suite to align program outcomes with Arkeus’ strategic growth goals. What You’ll Do Lead cross‑functional product and technical leads, fostering a culture of accountability, discipline and delivery excellence. Oversee the ongoing implementation and maintenance of program governance and process optimisation to drive efficiency, quality and scalability. Collaborate with the leadership team to align program objectives with business strategy and customer needs. Own program budgets, forecasting, resourcing and risk management across multiple concurrent projects. Negotiate customer requirements and commitments during the bid‑phases, translating them into executable delivery plans, and directly manage the project delivery experience of the customer. Ensure smooth transition from R&D to production and maintain delivery discipline throughout the lifecycle. Qualifications Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in a relevant field (Engineering, Science, or related discipline). Proven program leadership delivering multi‑million‑dollar Defence, Aerospace or complex systems programs through to production. Demonstrated success managing multiple major programs, including budgets, cost control, resource allocation and risk mitigation. Strong customer‑facing and negotiation experience, particularly with Defence primes or government partners. Demonstrated ability to balance strategic business focus with structured program delivery. Experienced in embedding program discipline within delivery and commercial teams to support governance frameworks and executive reporting. What We Offer We make incredible things - you will be working in a company at the forefront of innovation in Australia. You will collaborate with experienced leaders, with backgrounds in aerospace, Defence and academic research and development and just as much passion and energy as you have. You will become a part of a close‑knit, inclusive and connected team, immersed in a dynamic startup culture. We focus on recruiting the best. This is the opportunity to surround yourself with other driven professionals who enjoy working in an environment where we are inspired by the passion and capability of the very people we work with. You will benefit from workplace flexibility and work‑life balance. You have an opportunity to get in on the ground floor with our Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP) consistent with senior leadership roles. We will give you the chance to make a real difference. If this sounds like you, please apply even if you don't check every box listed above and join our growing team in improving security and saving lives #J-18808-Ljbffr