Senior Program / Project Manager (EU and Defence R&D)

Overview

Nortal's Applied Defence R&D serves as an innovation engine, transforming complex defence challenges into validated, deployable solutions. By combining cyber resilience, AI, data science, embedded security, and digital engineering, we deliver mission-ready prototypes and architectures. Partnering with governments, armed forces, industry, and academia, we create sovereign IP, dual-use technologies, and NATO/EU-aligned innovations that reduce risk and accelerate capability delivery.We are looking for a Senior Program/Project Manager to lead complex EU and defence R&D projects, and, where needed, a portfolio of related projects. You will own delivery against contractual scope, milestones, budget, and risk, and coordinate the consortium of partners, funding authorities, and internal teams behind a multinational programme.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex EU and defence R&D projects independently, from setup through execution, reporting, and closure

• Own project scope, schedule, milestones, deliverables, budget, and risk

• Coordinate multidisciplinary, distributed teams and manage consortium partners, funding authorities, and subcontractors

• Translate Grant Agreement and contractual obligations into executable project plans

• Track progress, spot deviations early, and drive corrective action

• Prepare and lead consortium reviews, steering meetings, and funding-authority presentations

• Own contractual deliverables, periodic reports, and audit-ready evidence through to completion

• Support proposal preparation and consortium formation for new R&D opportunities

Methods & Approaches

• Structured project management adapted to R&D and engineering environments

• Work-package, milestone, and risk management

• Agile and hybrid delivery combined with contractual project controls

• Financial planning and portfolio-level reporting

Deliverables

• Project plans, schedules, budgets, and risk registers

• Reviewed and finalised contractual deliverables and reports

• Decision records, change requests, and stakeholder communications

• Inputs to proposals and delivery models

Skills & Experience

• Significant experience leading complex technology, cyber security, defence, or R&D projects with high autonomy

• Strong project financial management, contract management, and stakeholder management

• Experience managing distributed teams and coordinating multiple external organisations

• Experience with EDF, Horizon Europe, EDA, ESA, NATO, or similar multi-partner programmes is a strong advantage

• Experience with Jira, Confluence, SharePoint, or MS Project

• Degree or equivalent experience in engineering, IT, cyber security, business, or project management

• PMI/PMP, PRINCE2, IPMA, or SAFe certification is an advantage

• Willingness to complete a government security clearance process

Why Nortal?

• We hire people not only for their skills but also for cultural add. We live by our values: commit to delivering value and results, take ownership, empower yourself and others, and own your future and growth. Besides our professionalism, we like to spice things up with good humour

• We care about your growth & development. At Nortal, we support constant improvement and knowledge sharing

• We prioritise your health & well-being by providing a flexible package for health insurance and sports initiatives

• We support your work-life balance and provide flexible working hours

• It's your choice whether you want to work from the office or remotely within Estonia

Salary range:

€4600-5900 gross/monthly (full-time).Final compensation will depend on factors such as relevant experience, role seniority, and skill set.

About Nortal

For over 25 years, we’ve been shaping digital transformation, delivering complex solutions for global enterprises and public sector organisations. Today, we are at the forefront of an AI-driven transformation era, helping organisations turn data into real business value. By combining deep domain expertise with data and AI, we design solutions that create immediate impact while scaling for the future.