Program Manager C

Program Manager C5ISR

Turn strategic ambition into coherent, mission-ready capability.

At BSS Holland, you will lead one or more connected programs in a domain where technology, operations, security and organizational change come together. You create direction across projects, align investments and dependencies, and ensure that separate initiatives collectively deliver capability that works in the field.

About BSS Holland

BSS Holland helps defense, public safety and security organizations improve situational awareness, decision making and operational effectiveness. We work across the C5ISR domain, combining command and control, communications, computing, cyber, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance with sensor integration and manned, unmanned and remotely operated systems.

We are evolving from a start-up into a scale-up. That means you will find short lines, direct communication, personal responsibility and plenty of room to improve how we work. At the same time, our customers operate in professional, security-sensitive environments where reliability, discretion and mission focus matter. You should feel comfortable in both worlds.

Your role

As Program Manager C5ISR, you take ownership of the direction, coherence and governance of one or more strategic programs. Your focus is broader than the delivery of an individual project: you translate strategic and operational ambitions into a program roadmap, define outcomes and priorities, and steer the combined contribution of projects, workstreams, partners and organizational change.

You provide the framework within which Project Managers can deliver successfully. Project Managers remain accountable for the day-to-day control of their projects, including planning, scope, resources, budget, quality and delivery. You align their projects at program level, resolve cross-project dependencies and escalations, and support timely decisions by sponsors, customers and management. This creates deliberate overlap in stakeholder management, risk, governance and operational relevance, without duplicating project ownership.

You will work closely with the Managing Partners, Project Managers, Team Leads, engineers, customers, end users, suppliers and strategic partners. You act as the connecting point between long-term capability objectives and practical delivery.

What you will do

• Define and maintain the program vision, intended capability outcomes, roadmap, governance and decision structure.
• Translate strategic customer and organizational objectives into a coherent portfolio of projects, workstreams, and transition activities.
• Prioritize initiatives and investments across the program, balancing operational value, feasibility, capacity, risk, timing and commercial considerations.
• Appoint clear project scope and success criteria and enable Project Managers to take full ownership of day-to-day project delivery.
• Monitor overall program progress, benefits, budget, risks, assumptions and dependencies without taking over detailed project control.
• Coordinate cross-project dependencies, shared resources, interfaces and decisions, and intervene when issues exceed an individual project scope or budget.
• Create alignment between operational users, customers, management, technical teams, suppliers, industry partners and other stakeholders.
• Ensure coherence across C5ISR capabilities, systems, infrastructure, data, communications, information provision, training, support and organizational adoption.
• Guide the transition from concept and development through implementation, operational acceptance and sustainable support.
• Advise sponsors, customers and senior stakeholders on priorities, scenarios, trade-offs, investments and decisions.
• Promote interoperability, standardization, security, scalability and future readiness across the program.
• Improve program governance, portfolio reporting, lessons learned and ways of working as BSS continues to scale.

What makes you successful here

We are looking for an experienced Program Manager who can combine strategic perspective with enough operational and technical understanding to keep a complex program grounded. Formal certificates and a perfectly matching CV are less important than sound judgement, credibility and the ability to create shared direction across a demanding ecosystem.

• You keep sight of mission outcomes and long-term capability while understanding what teams need to deliver now.
• You create clarity in a setting with multiple interests, projects, suppliers, technologies and decision levels.
• You lead through direction, governance and influence rather than by taking over the responsibilities of Project Managers or technical specialists.
• You communicate directly and respectfully, build trust with senior stakeholders and make complex choices understandable.
• You are comfortable challenging assumptions, setting priorities and escalating when decisions or scope are unclear.
• You understand enough technology and operations to recognize dependencies, ask the right questions and connect strategic choices to delivery consequences.
• You combine political and organizational awareness with a pragmatic, results-oriented approach.
• You remain dependable under pressure, handle sensitive information with care and follow through on commitments.
• You are willing to travel and to work on-site with customers and partners when needed.

Essential requirements

• Proven program management experience involving multiple related projects, workstreams and stakeholder groups in a technical, high-tech, defense, security, industrial or similarly complex environment.
• Demonstrated ability to establish program governance, steer strategic roadmaps, manage cross-project dependencies and support executive decision making.
• NATO citizenship. This is mandatory for the role because of the projects and information involved.
• Professional command of Dutch and English. Dutch does not need to be your first language, but you must be able to operate confidently in Dutch-speaking teams and customer environments.
• Willingness and ability to undergo thorough screening. A valid Certificate of Conduct (VOG) and security clearance (VGB) are mandatory for this position.
• Ability to work from our location in 't Harde and at customer or partner sites, combined with travel abroad when required.

Useful, but not a checklist

Experience with C5ISR, defense acquisition, capability development, systems integration, secure communications, unmanned systems, multi-vendor ecosystems, organizational change, lifecycle management or military standards is valuable. Experience as an officer, staff officer, commander, CIS/C4I specialist, intelligence specialist or in a comparable operational or technical defense environment can also be relevant. However, we do not expect one person to have done everything. If you bring strong program leadership, the right mindset and the ability to learn quickly, we would like to hear from you.

How this role complements our Project Managers

The Program Manager owns the why, the overall what and the coherence across initiatives. Project Managers own the how and when of their assigned projects within the agreed scope and budget. Both roles engage customers, manage risk and support decisions, but at different levels: the Program Manager focuses on outcomes, priorities, governance and cross-project alignment; the Project Manager focuses on execution, delivery control and the performance of the project team. Success depends on transparent scope, shared information and mutual escalation rather than hierarchy for its own sake.

What we offer

• A visible strategic role with real influence on capability development, customers and the continued development of BSS Holland.
• Direct collaboration with Managing Partners, Project Managers, Team Leads, customers and strategic partners.
• Work on advanced, mission-relevant programs in a fast-moving C5ISR environment.
• An entrepreneurial culture with short decision lines, professional freedom and responsibility.
• Opportunities to learn continuously from customers, end users, specialists, suppliers and international partners.
• A company laptop and mobile phone, plus mileage reimbursement for business travel.

Interested?

Send your CV and a short motivation to . We are particularly interested in the programs or portfolios you have led, how you created alignment across multiple projects and stakeholders, and why the C5ISR domain appeals to you.