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Head of Mission and Delivery

STARK Berlin🇩🇪Germany

Quick overview

SeniorityLeader
Work modeHybrid
LocationBerlin, Germany
Talent AcquisitionEmbedded SystemsEncryptionRoboticsConfluenceCopyrightData PrivacyGDPRGreenhouseExpressJiraAgileProject Management

Job description

At Stark, we forge the future of European and national security through cutting-edge, AI-driven technology and unmatched engineering precision. As a premier defence technology company, our mission is clear: to equip NATO Allies and their partners with next-generation autonomous defence platforms and advanced AI-driven software built to perform in the world’s most demanding environments.

We believe that true security stems from relentless innovation. By combining elite engineering talent with agile technology and an AI-native operational culture, Stark turns complex defence challenges into field-tested, multi-domain solutions.

WHY JOIN US

  • The software and systems you work on directly protect personnel and defend European and national sovereignty.
  • You will work alongside industry-leading minds on autonomous systems, advanced propulsion, and secure cyber platforms.
  • We foster a fast-paced, collaborative environment where bold ideas are supported by serious R&D backing.

ABOUT THE TEAM

Minerva is STARK's command and control software — the brain that connects operators to autonomous systems across multiple domains in real time. The Minerva team is a small, senior software group based in Berlin and Munich, working directly with our systems and hardware teams to build mission-critical C2 capabilities deployed in active operational environments.

We move fast, ship real software, and operate under constraints most engineers never encounter — low-bandwidth networks, air-gapped devices, high-stakes decision loops. There is no room for abstraction for its own sake. Everything we build ends up in the hands of real operators in the field.

YOUR MISSION

As the Head of Mission Delivery and Operations, you are the bridge between Stark’s cutting-edge code and our customers' highest-stakes challenges. Your mandate is to:

  • Architect, build, and lead the unified engine that drives technical project management, mission enablement, and customer solutions engineering.
  • You will own the entire delivery lifecycle, ensuring that our software doesn’t just "deploy," but fundamentally transforms customer operations.
  • This involves creating the frameworks, hiring the talent, and designing the technical processes that turn complex, bespoke integrations into a scalable, repeatable science.

You are a systems-thinker who finds beauty in operational efficiency and possesses the grit to scale a department from the ground up in a fast-paced, high-growth environment where "good enough" is never the standard. The role is for someone who:

  • Thrives in chaos and operates with a calm sense of purpose.
  • Loves shaping teams for mission delivery.
  • Communicates crisply and persuasively across all levels.
  • Keeps teams aligned and executing flawlessly when stakes are at their highest.

Turns ambiguity into a clear, actionable direction.

WHAT YOU WILL DO AT STARK

  • Architect the Delivery Engine
  • Modular Delivery Framework: Design the end-to-end "Stark Way" for technical deployments, turning bespoke customer requirements into a scalable, modular delivery science that avoids the "custom-code trap."
  • Tactical Feedback Integration: Establish "boots-on-the-ground" feedback loops with end-users to bridge the gap between technical specs and frontline realities, ensuring software iterations are battle-hardened.
  • Rapid Tactical Deployment: Establish and lead a "Rapid Response" capability to execute high-velocity R&D prototypes and urgent, off-cycle system deployments. You will ensure the organization can pivot instantly to meet emerging threats or immediate customer requirements without compromising core stability.
  • Field-to-Engineering Translation: Build the pipeline that synthesizes complex field intelligence into actionable engineering priorities, ensuring "impact" is measured by mission success and user adoption.
  • Shape Cross-functional Synthesis
  • Strategic Executive Alignment: Prepare high-velocity decision briefs and risk assessments for the executive team, providing the technical and operational clarity needed to make high-stakes calls with confidence.
  • Operational Gatekeeping & Proxy: Serve as the primary filter for technical leadership, managing external demands and representing the program’s interests in high-level steering committees and partner meetings.
  • High-Impact Special Projects: Take full ownership of complex, company-wide initiatives that don't fit into a single bucket—such as cross-departmental product launches or emergency strategic shifts—and drive them to completion.
  • Stakeholder Trust & Relationship Architecture: Cultivate deep-rooted trust with key military partners and program offices, embedding Stark’s solutions into their long-term operational and budgetary frameworks.
  • Ensure operational Excellence & Real-Time visibility
  • Evolve the ‘Delivery OS’: Continually refine the internal operating processes of the mission delivery team, ensuring the organization can double in size and complexity without doubling in bureaucracy.
  • Strategic Talent Acquisition: Own the architectural design of your department's growth, personally identifying and landing "force-multiplier" talent to scale the mission delivery and solutions engineering teams.
  • Data-Driven Portfolio Oversight: Implement robust, lightweight reporting frameworks and real-time dashboards that provide absolute visibility into project health, team performance, and customer satisfaction.
  • Product Portfolio Roadmap: Drive the operational strategy for deploying STARK software solutions from a comprehensive product portfolio.

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE MISSION

  • 10+ years of experience in technical leadership, with a proven history of scaling delivery or operations teams in high-growth SaaS, GovTech, or deep-tech environments.
  • You’ve seen what "good" looks like at scale. You know how to build repeatable processes that don’t stifle innovation but rather provide the guardrails for speed.
  • A background in military service and especially in the Cyber / IT domain is a strong plus.
  • Exposure to defense, robotics, or embedded systems is helpful, but proven organizational mastery and execution discipline are paramount.

Core Qualities:

  • The "Stark" Factor: You are comfortable with ambiguity, thrive under pressure, and possess the "founder's grit" needed to build a department from a blank sheet of paper.
  • Systemic Thinker: You understand organizational mechanics—how teams interconnect and how decisions create ripples across the business.
  • Mission-First Mindset: You are obsessed with customer outcomes. You don’t consider a project finished until the customer has achieved their mission objective.
  • Risk Sentinel: You have an uncanny ability to spot problems, dependencies, and organizational tensions well before others notice them.
  • Crisp Communicator: You effortlessly distill complex technical and strategic contexts into simple, compelling written and spoken communication.
  • Trusted Operator: You build trust rapidly, operating with the highest levels of discretion, integrity, and a low-ego attitude.
  • Owner’s Mindset: You move with urgency, take full ownership, and relentlessly follow through until the result is delivered.
  • Execution Focused: Ultimately, you possess the drive and capability to simply get things done.

Tools & Mindset:

  • Proficient with modern tools like Jira, Confluence, and advanced planning/reporting platforms.
  • Highly proactive, exceptionally structured, and fully capable of independently driving complex projects to the finish line.
  • Able to partner closely with engineers, understanding their needs and matching it with needs of our military customers.
  • A mature understanding of handling classified information and supporting B2G (Business-to-Government) customers.

NICE TO HAVE

WHY STARK?

  • Direct Impact: Work alongside senior engineering leaders who are shaping the future of cutting-edge autonomous defense systems.
  • Trust and Responsibility: A high-trust environment offering significant responsibility and influence from Day One.
  • Mission Critical: Your work directly contributes to urgent defense capabilities for NATO-aligned nations.
  • Organizational Influence: A unique opportunity to define the organizational and operational backbone of a critical software platform.
  • Accelerated Learning: Experience a steep learning curve and unparalleled professional growth.

If you're interested in building the future of European Defence with us, and you see yourself reflected on the description above, please send us your CV in English. We're looking forward to meeting you!

SECURITY CLEARANCE

Due to the nature of our work in the defence sector, candidates must be eligible to obtain and maintain the appropriate security clearance required for this position. Details will be provided during the recruitment process.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

We are an equal-opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

DATA PRIVACY STATEMENT

This data privacy statement, which refers exclusively to data collected as part of the online application process, is to inform you about how your personal data that is collected as part of the online application process is handled at our end.

The controller

The controller under data protection law is:

SKD SE

Französische Strasse 12, 10117 Berlin

Commercial register entry number: HRB 260878

Registration Court: Amtsgericht Charlottenburg

Data Protection officer: heyData GmbH, Schützenstraße 5, 10117 Berlin, www.heydata.eu, datenschutz@heydata.eu

Personal data collected as part of the application process

Personal data means any information concerning the personal or material circumstances of an identified or identifiable individual. This includes information such as, for example, your name, address, telephone number and date of birth, but also data relating to your specific career etc. by reference to which a specific individual can be identified with reasonable effort. However, information which cannot be (in)directly associated with your real-life identity is not personal data.

Fundamentals and purposes of processing personal data collected from application documents and during the application process

If you apply to us electronically, i.e. via e-mail or using our online form, we will collect and process your personal data for the purpose of executing the application process and preparing contracts.

By submitting an application via our recruitment website, you express your interest in taking up work with us. In this context, you transmit personal data, which we will use and store exclusively for the purpose of your job search / application process.

In particular, the following data is collected during this process:

  • name (first and last names)
  • e-mail address
  • phone number
  • LinkedIn profile (optional)
  • channel through which you found us

Furthermore, you can choose to upload expressive documents such as a cover letter, your CV and reference letters. These may contain additional personal data such as date of birth, address etc.

Only authorized HR staff and/or staff involved in the application process have access to your data.

The personal data is stored, as a rule, exclusively for the purpose of filling the vacancy for which you have applied.

Your data will be stored for a period of 180 days after the application process has been concluded. This is usually done to fulfill legal requirements and/or defending ourselves against any claims arising from legal provisions. After this period, we are obligated to delete or anonymize your data. In case of anonymization, the data will only be available to us in the form of so-called metadata, without any direct personal reference, for statistical analysis (for example, share of male and/or female applicants, number of applications per specified period of time etc.).

Furthermore, we reserve the right to store your data for 180 days after the application process has been concluded for the purpose of adding it to our Talent Pool in order to identify any other vacancies that may be of interest to you. This includes, for example, applications for apprenticeships or internships. By accepting the data privacy statement, you consent to any further storage of your data as well as its inclusion in our Talent Pool.

Should you be offered and accept a position with us during the application process, we will store the personal data collected as part of the application process for at least the duration of your employment.

Disclosure of data to third parties

Data transmitted as part of your application will be transferred using TLS encryption and stored in a database. This database is operated by Greenhouse, which offers a human resource and applicant management software solution (https://www.greenhouse.com/data-processing-addendum). In this context, Greenhouse is our processor under article 28 of the GDPR. In this case, the processing is based on an agreement for the processing of orders between us as the controller and Greenhouse.

Rights of data subjects

If we as the controller process personal data, you as the data subject have certain rights under Chapter III of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), depending on the legal basis and the purpose of the processing, in particular the right of access (article 15 of the GDPR) and the rights to rectification (article 16 of the GDPR), erasure (article 17 of the GDPR), restriction of processing (article 18 of the GDPR), and data portability (article 20 of the GDPR), as well as the right to object (article 21 of the GDPR). If the personal data is processed with your consent, you have the right to withdraw this consent under article 7 III of the GDPR.

To assert your rights as a data subject in relation to the data processed during this online application process, please refer to our Data Protection Officer (see item 2).

Concluding provisions

We reserve the right to adjust this data privacy statement at any point in time to ensure that it is in line with the current legal requirements at all times, or in order to accommodate changes in the application process or other processes. In this case, the new data privacy statement applies to any later visit of this recruitment website or any later job application.

LEGAL NOTICE

1. Information according to § 5 DDG

SKD SE
Französische Str. 12
10117 Berlin


Internet: www.stark-defence.com
E-Mail: contact@stark-defence.com

SKD SE, Berlin (registered office of the company), is a Societas Europaea (legal form for joint stock companies), registered at the district court of Berlin (Charlottenburg) under the register number: HRB 260878 B, represented by the Executive Board: Uwe Horstmann, Dr. André Schneider, Johannes Schaback, Jan-Patrick Helmsen, Martin Rost.

Chairman of the Supervisory Board is Mr. Robert Maier.

VAT ID No.: DE369778559

2. Liability

We are responsible for the content of our website in accordance with the provisions of general law. All content is created with the necessary care and to the best of our knowledge and is for information purposes only. Insofar as we refer on our Internet pages to the Internet pages of third parties by means of hyperlinks, we cannot accept any liability for guarantee that the linked content is always up to date, correct and complete, as this content is outside our responsibility and we have no influence on its future design. If, in your opinion, content violates applicable law or is inappropriate, please let us know. The legal information on this page as well as all questions and disputes in connection with the design of this website are subject to the law of the Federal Republic of Germany.

3. Data Protection

You can find our data protection information here. There you will also find the contact details of our data protection officer.

4. Copyright Information

The texts, images, photos, videos and graphics on our website are generally protected by copyright. Any unauthorized use (in particular the reproduction, editing or distribution) of this copyright-protected content is therefore prohibited. If you intend to use this content or parts thereof, please contact us in advance using the details above. If we are not ourselves the owner of the required copyright usage rights, we will endeavor to arrange contact with the entitled party.

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