Senior Program Manager, Professional Services for Defense and Intelligence

Welcome to Planet. We believe in using space to help life on Earth.

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. This constellation delivers an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a revolutionary cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors. We are both a space company and data company all rolled into one.

Customers and users across the globe use Planet's data to develop new technologies, drive revenue, power research, and solve our world’s toughest obstacles.

As we control every component of hardware design, manufacturing, data processing, and software engineering, our office is a truly inspiring mix of experts from a variety of domains.

We have a people-centric approach toward culture and community and we strive to iterate in a way that puts our team members first and prepares our company for growth. Join Planet and be a part of our mission to change the way people see the world.

Planet is a global company with employees working remotely world wide and joining us from offices in San Francisco, Washington DC, Germany, Austria, Slovenia, and The Netherlands.

About the Role:

The Senior Program Manager, Professional Services for Defense and Intelligence is an experienced technologist who guides the strategy and execution of one or more teams across multiple projects or workstreams. They are an exemplary team leader who works with customers to make them successful users of Planet’s product offerings at a global scale.

This role provides leadership and technical oversight for the Professional Services team, independently identifying and tackling projects that solve open-ended, ambiguous problems to lead global customer engagements to successful outcomes.

This is a full-time, hybrid role which will require you to work from our Berlin, Haarlem or London office 3 days per week.

Impact You’ll Own:

Manage a team of Professional Services Solutions architects, deployment strategists and Software Engineers.
Apply experience in remote sensing and geospatial technologies to help Planet’s Defense and Intelligence customers be successful in their adoption of the Planet Platform globally.
Guide the strategy and execution of one or more teams across multiple projects or workstreams on six to twelve-month time horizons.
Lead the technical delivery of solutions to Planet’s customers and align Professional Services projects to global business and technology requirements.
Own the technical oversight of multiple major projects, leading technical delivery on time and under budget.
Plan for and execute on multiple impactful projects, work streams, and teams, identifying new opportunities that have organization-wide impact.
Champion team processes like agile, test-driven development, and source control.
Write technical specifications, reduce complexity, identify risks, and help the team course-correct around issues.
Structure the team so the right people are in the right roles and plan for long-term headcount and recruiting needs to guarantee the success of the organization.
Foster career growth of team members by taking into account their career goals and providing meaningful development experiences.
Hold the team accountable for performance expectations and take different approaches to motivating high performers and turning around low performers.
Attract and hire a diverse and talented team with a broad range of experiences and strengths, keeping in mind the long-term health of the global org.

What You Bring:

6+ years of relevant work experience and 4+ years supervisory / leadership experience
Degree in GIS, Computer Science, Remote Sensing, Geography, or a related field; an advanced degree is preferred
Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to provide solutions to address and unblock dynamic situations
Confidence in your technical expertise to drive project direction with teammates, customers, and partners
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to persuade others in sensitive, complex situations while preserving relationships
Experience influencing customer decisions at all levels of the organization, from individual contributor to executive leadership
Direct experience delivering high-impact or high-visibility geospatial solutions specifically tailored to Defense and Intelligence mission requirements
Track record of managing complex programs for national security or government agencies where technical precision and timely delivery are critical
Ability to work independently or collaboratively as part of a global team
Ability to translate company goals into relevant team plans and communicate results across Engineering, Product, and Design

What Makes You Stand Out:

5+ years of experience working in a technical geospatial or remote sensing role
Experience delivering professional services to large enterprise defense and intelligence customers
Expertise with QGIS, Esri software, GDAL, or other common geospatial software.
Familiarity with cloud-based architectures, AI, and machine learning
Ability to lead complex customer engagements and run workshops or training sessions with users
A solid pulse on team engagement and a proactive retention strategy
Active Security Clearance preferred; or the ability to obtain and maintain a clearance will make you stand out for this role

Application Deadline:

September 29, 2026 by 11:59p / 23:59 CET (Central European Time)

Benefits While Working at Planet:

These offerings are dependent on employment type and geographical location, based upon applicable law or company policy.

Paid time off including vacation, holidays and company-wide days off
Employee Wellness Program
Home Office Reimbursement
Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
Equity
Volunteering Paid Time Off

San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance
Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Why we care so much about Belonging.
We’re dedicated to helping the whole Planet, and to do that we must strive to represent all of it within each of our offices and on all of our teams. That’s why Planet is guided by an ultimate north star of Belonging—dreaming big as we approach our ongoing work. If this job intrigues you, but you’re thinking you might not have all the qualifications, please... do apply! At Planet, we are looking for well-rounded people from around the world who can contribute to more ways than just what is listed in this job description. We don’t just fill positions, we aspire to fulfill people’s careers, most excited about folks who are motivated by our underlying humanitarian efforts. We are a few orbits around the sun before we get to where we want to be, so we hope you’re excited to come along for the ride.

EEO statement:
Planet is committed to building a community where everyone belongs and we invite people from all backgrounds to apply. Planet is an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. Know Your Rights.

Accommodations:
Planet is an inclusive community and we know that everyone has their own needs. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation during the hiring process, please reach out to [email protected] or contact your recruiter with your request. Your message will be confidential and we will be happy to assist you.

Privacy Policy: By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Planet Data Privacy Notice for California Staff Members and Applicants, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

Privacy Policy (European Applicants): By clicking "Apply Now" at the top of this job posting, I acknowledge that I have read the Candidate Privacy Notice GDPR Planet Labs Europe, and hereby consent to the collection, processing, use, and storage of my personal information as described therein.

AI in Our Interviewing Process: Planet is committed to providing an exceptional interview experience for all candidates. We currently use Metaview to better focus on candidates and less on trying to capture notes. As such, with the candidate's consent, select interviews may be recorded and include a "Planet AI Notetaker" for transcription and summarization purposes. Should an interview involve use of AI interview technologies, the candidate will receive notification and have the ability to opt out both in advance and/or real-time. Opting out will not affect one's candidacy.

Candidate AI Policy: Planet embraces Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, and we encourage its responsible use. We understand that candidates may use various resources, including AI tools, to prepare for interviews and assessments. However, during any live interview stage or when actively completing assessments for this position, the use of AI tools—e.g. Large Language Models (LLMs), deep fake technology, etc.—is strictly prohibited unless explicitly prompted by an interviewer or assessment instructions. If you are unsure about acceptable use, please contact your recruiter for clarification. If an AI tool or similar technology is desired as an accommodation, please contact [email protected] with your request for assistance. Your message will be confidential, and we will be happy to assist you. Violation of this policy may result in disqualification of your application.

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