---
title: 'Program Manager Middle East at Harmattan AI'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/program-manager-middle-east-harmattan-ai-united-arab-emirates-0z7k98ev5h65'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-09-14'
---

# Program Manager Middle East at Harmattan AI

- **Company:** [Harmattan AI](https://feeny.ai/companies/harmattan-ai)
- **Location:** United Arab Emirates
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** onsite
- **Posted:** 2026-09-14
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-14
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/harmattan-ai/0eae8695-33c2-4bbb-82ad-82fd95bb0a61

## Job description

## About Us

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces. Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected.

## About the Role

This is a client-facing role requiring precision, leadership, and domain expertise. You will ensure Harmattan AI delivers cutting-edge defense products while maintaining a centralized product vision that respects local program constraints. The Program Manager will be responsible for the end-to-end delivery of the project, collaborating closely with the team in France and managing a local team. He will serve as the main point of contact for the customer throughout the execution of the project.

## Responsibilities

- Customer Interface: Act as the single point of contact for the customer throughout program execution.
- Delivery Coordination: Lead and coordinate cross-functional teams to ensure on-time, on-spec delivery of complex and mass-produced systems.
- Compliance Oversight: Guarantee that all deliverables meet contractual, technical, and operational requirements.
- Crisis Management: Anticipate risks and lead rapid, structured resolution of issues as they arise.
- Invoicing & Revenue Triggering: Own the program timeline and ensure billing is activated at contractual milestones.
- Issue Management: Track and resolve program-level blockers, both technical and administrative.
- Local Interface Enablement: Ensure that centralized product policies are compatible with program-specific and customer-specific constraints.
- Enabler Identification: Identify missing enablers and escalate internally to unblock delivery or alignment.

Candidate Requirements

- 10+ years in defence/aerospace PM, having owned a €20M+ export contract end-to-end (scope, schedule, cost, risk, acceptance) in the Middle East region
- Direct MoD-level customer exposure: understands offset, local content and dual-use export licensing.
- Autonomous, structured, calm under customer pressure, hands-on: this is a scale-up where they build the PMO themselves.
- Engineering degree required (aerospace, EE, systems, mechatronics), PMP a plus, Arabic + English mandatory, mobile across Middle East.
- Strong knowledge of defense acquisition processes, program milestones, and compliance documentation.
- Ability to manage programs in cutting-edge/disruptive environments.
- Proficiency in managing a complete business plan.
- Detail-oriented with excellent documentation and organizational skills.
- Strong communication and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate and guide teams toward success.

We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.

## About Harmattan AI

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Harmattan AI builds autonomous defense systems—including strike and surveillance drones—using AI-driven autonomy and real-time intelligence for allied forces.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series B, unicorn status)
- **Headquarters**: Paris, France
- **Founded**: 2024
- **Founders**: Mouad M’Ghari (CEO & Co‑founder)

## Core Business
- **Primary industry**: Defense & autonomous systems
- **Target customers**: B2G – NATO member states, ministries of defence (UK, France, and others)
- **Mission**: Deliver scalable, sovereign AI capabilities to allied forces by building mission‑ready autonomous systems that respond in real time, adapt under pressure, and deliver an edge in contested environments. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/)

## Products & Services
- **Platform Autonomy**: AI‑driven autonomy layer for drones, enabling real‑time decision‑making and adaptation.
- **Mission Orchestration**: Software for coordinating multiple autonomous assets (e.g., collaborative air combat).
- **Precision Strike**: Attritable strike drones with embedded AI for target engagement.
- **VSHORAD (Very Short‑Range Air Defence)**: Counter‑drone interception systems.
- **Persistent ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance)**: Autonomous surveillance platforms for continuous battlefield awareness.
- **Electronic Warfare Platforms**: Systems for electronic attack and protection. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/)

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: $1.4 billion (as of January 2026, after Series B). [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/)
- **Key Metric**: Total funding ~$240 million ($200 M Series B led by Dassault Aviation + over $40 M prior). [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/)
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Dassault Aviation (lead investor & strategic partner), multiple NATO allies as customers.
- **Growth Signals**:
  - Achieved unicorn status within two years of founding.
  - Awarded several “programs of record” by UK and French Ministries of Defence. [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/)
  - Scaling industrial manufacturing of drone interception and electronic warfare platforms.
  - Headcount grew to 131 employees (Built In estimate). [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/harmattan-ai)

## Competitive Advantages
- **Two‑layer autonomy model**: Combines platform‑level AI with mission‑orchestration software for coordinated, scalable autonomous forces.
- **Sovereign AI**: Focus on delivering non‑dependent capabilities to allied nations, differentiating from US‑centric primes.
- **Attritable systems**: Cost‑effective, expendable drones that enable mass deployment without prohibitive losses.
- **Speed to relevance**: Claims rapid iteration and deployment cycles, with conflict‑ready production. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/)

## Strategic Focus
- Expand product offering into new operational domains (e.g., collaborative air combat with Dassault Aviation).
- Scale industrial manufacturing of drone interception, electronic warfare, and ISR platforms.
- Deepen integration of embedded AI into next‑generation air combat systems (future combat air systems). [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/)

## Why Work Here
- **Culture**: “Elite builders” who “thrive on complexity, move with urgency, and own their work end to end.” Emphasis on purpose, technical excellence, and real‑world impact. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/careers/)
- **Values**: Tackle the hardest problems, build what matters, move at the speed of relevance, and aim to redefine frontiers. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/careers/)
- **Work policy**: Hybrid model with a mix of remote and on‑site; many roles are in‑office at locations in Paris, Lausanne, London, Arlington (TX), Wissous, Poland, UAE, and Morocco. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/harmattan-ai)
- **Engineering culture**: Hands‑on development of mission‑critical autonomous systems; strong R&D focus across AI, computer vision, RF hardware, propulsion, and mission planning.
- **Perks**: Not explicitly listed, but the company highlights the opportunity to protect front‑line personnel and shape the future of autonomous defence.

## Sources
1. [harmattan.ai](https://harmattan.ai/)
2. [harmattan.ai/careers](https://harmattan.ai/careers/)
3. [harmattan.ai/open-roles](https://harmattan.ai/open-roles)
4. [builtin.com](https://builtin.com/company/harmattan-ai)
5. [tech.eu](https://tech.eu/2026/01/12/french-startup-harmattan-ai-hits-unicorn-status-as-it-strikes-deal-with-french-aerospace-group/)

## Other roles at Harmattan AI

- [VP Production Morocco](https://feeny.ai/job/vp-production-morocco-harmattan-ai-rabat-kfjmdrb7ygma) — Rabat, Morocco
- [Signal Processing Engineer (RF Processing & Analytics)](https://feeny.ai/job/signal-processing-engineer-rf-processing-analytics-harmattan-ai-paris-hjn8mgsqgzcf) — Paris, France
- [Module Lead, Guidance & Control](https://feeny.ai/job/module-lead-guidance-control-harmattan-ai-zurich-4xhs9vv4betd) — Zurich, Switzerland
- [Module Lead, Guidance & Control](https://feeny.ai/job/module-lead-guidance-control-harmattan-ai-paris-ne6eaja28d11) — Paris, France
- [Module Lead, Guidance & Control](https://feeny.ai/job/module-lead-guidance-control-harmattan-ai-lausanne-5z729t1f5em7) — Lausanne, Switzerland
- [Forward Deployed Software Engineer](https://feeny.ai/job/forward-deployed-software-engineer-harmattan-ai-united-arab-emirates-h1ph5ed6wera) — United Arab Emirates
- [Embedded Electrical Engineer - SoM](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-electrical-engineer-som-harmattan-ai-zurich-nfmnmqmj7qkw) — Zurich, Switzerland
- [Embedded Electrical Engineer - SoM](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-electrical-engineer-som-harmattan-ai-lausanne-25bs7fgkpqjz) — Lausanne, Switzerland
- [Product Operations Intern](https://feeny.ai/job/product-operations-intern-harmattan-ai-paris-598y5hqzq0v7) — Paris, France
- [Embedded Electrical Engineer - SoM](https://feeny.ai/job/embedded-electrical-engineer-som-harmattan-ai-paris-4kfy8a0s9nsw) — Paris, France