Senior Director, Program Delivery

About this role

AST SpaceMobile and our global partners are building the first and only space-based cellular broadband network to be accessible by standard smartphones. Called SpaceMobile, this ultra-powerful network is being designed to provide connectivity at 4G/5G speeds everywhere on the planet – on land, at sea and in flight.

Position Overview

We are seeking a Senior Director, Program Delivery & Governance to join our Program Management Office (PMO) and lead end-to-end service readiness and delivery execution across strategic telecommunications partner programs. This role is responsible for establishing delivery priorities, overseeing governance processes, and driving successful program execution from initial planning through commercial launch and operational readiness.

As a senior leader, you will own the governance framework that guides multiple concurrent programs, ensuring alignment across business, engineering, operations, and external partner organizations. You will oversee a team of program managers responsible for executing complex deployment initiatives while maintaining accountability for program outcomes, risk management, executive reporting, and delivery excellence.

The ideal candidate combines strong telecommunications experience, program leadership expertise, and the ability to influence cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, highly technical environment. Success in this role requires strategic thinking, executive communication skills, operational discipline, and the ability to drive alignment across diverse stakeholder groups.

Key Responsibilities

• Establish the vision, priorities, and sequencing across multiple telecommunications partner programs

• Align delivery plans with commercial commitments, technical readiness milestones, and strategic business objectives

• Evaluate competing priorities and drive decisions regarding resource allocation, scheduling, and program execution

• Approve program baselines, delivery plans, mitigation strategies, and recovery plans

• Own and continuously improve the program governance framework, decision-making processes, review cadence, and accountability structures

• Chair lifecycle reviews, readiness assessments, and executive governance meetings

• Establish standards for risk management, issue resolution, dependency tracking, escalation procedures, and change control

• Ensure functional teams maintain ownership of commitments, milestones, deliverables, and readiness requirements

• Hold cross-functional teams accountable for program outcomes and drive corrective action plans when milestones are at risk

• Maintain executive-level visibility into program status, risks, dependencies, and key decisions

• Lead end-to-end delivery planning and execution across multiple regions and partner programs

• Coordinate integrated planning activities involving deployment, activation, integration, testing, launch readiness, and operational handoff

• Support partner-facing leadership teams by providing program recommendations, readiness assessments, and delivery status updates

• Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing team of program management professionals

• Establish clear performance expectations, development plans, and growth opportunities for program management staff

• Support workforce planning, resource allocation, and organizational scaling initiatives

• Collaborate closely with partnership leaders, technical teams, operational stakeholders, and external partners to ensure program success

• Drive structured change control processes and governance reviews for evolving program requirements

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives focused on delivery excellence, operational efficiency, and process standardization

• Sponsor automation, reporting enhancements, and digital tools that improve program visibility and decision-making

• Define and monitor key performance indicators related to delivery timelines, launch readiness, stakeholder satisfaction, and operational outcomes

Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, Business Administration, Program Management, or a related field

• MBA or Master's degree in Engineering, Telecommunications, Systems Management, Business Administration, or a related discipline preferred

Experience:

• Minimum 15 years of experience in telecommunications program delivery, network deployment, service delivery, professional services, or large-scale technical program management

• Minimum 7 years of leadership experience managing program management, project management, or delivery organizations

• Proven track record leading large-scale, multi-stakeholder telecommunications deployment or service launch initiatives

• Experience managing strategic programs involving external partners, vendors, and executive-level stakeholders

• Experience establishing governance processes, delivery frameworks, and organizational operating models

• Experience leading geographically distributed teams and coordinating global program execution

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supporting satellite communications, direct-to-device services, or next-generation telecommunications platforms

• Leadership experience with major telecommunications operators, network infrastructure providers, systems integrators, or technology vendors

• Experience building or scaling a Program Management Office (PMO) within a high-growth organization

• Experience managing international programs across multiple regulatory, operational, and commercial environments

• Familiarity with non-terrestrial network concepts and advanced telecommunications architectures

• Experience supporting field trials, launch readiness programs, beta deployments, and commercial service activations

• PMP, PgMP, SAFe, or other related project and program management certifications

Soft Skills:

• Strong executive presence and leadership capabilities

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills

• Proven…