Associate Program Manager

Associate Program Manager

We are a rapidly growing, US-based space startup revolutionizing satellite imaging using advanced in-orbit capabilities. Specifically, our expertise lies in leveraging in-space assets for Space Domain Awareness (SDA) and Non-Earth Imaging (NEI). As an international company, we navigate a unique landscape while delivering critical services to our clients. Having recently secured several significant contracts, we are expanding our team to meet the exciting demands of our growth.

To support this next phase, we’re building a high-performing, interdisciplinary team capable of pushing the boundaries of space technology. We’re looking for talented, passionate people who value collaboration, growth, and learning to join us.

HEO is a post-Series A company backed by high-profile venture funds including Airtree, Y Combinator, and In-Q-Tel. We are headquartered in Sydney, Australia, with offices in London, UK, and Washington, D.C., USA.

We are seeking a high-energy Associate Program Manager to serve as the operational bridge between our engineering teams and our US Government national security clients. In this role, you will support the delivery lifecycle of our fused SDA products, ensuring complex satellite data moves from our satellites to the client’s desk seamlessly and professionally. This is a  utility player  role designed for someone who loves the intersection of space technology, government mission success, and operational excellence.

As you master our global delivery process, you will have the opportunity to take on increasing responsibility for smaller projects and contracts.

• Product Delivery Pipeline: Facilitate the end-to-end coordination of all-source technical SDA products, ensuring they are formatted, reviewed, and delivered to government clients according to contract schedules.
• Cross-Functional Liaison: Act as the operational bridge between US clients and our Australia-based engineering team to align delivery timelines across time zones.
• Project Tracking & Reporting: Maintain project dashboards (Jira, , or similar) to track milestones, identify bottlenecks in the delivery process, and provide weekly status updates to leadership.
• Contractual Deliverables: Prepare Monthly Status Reports (MSRs), technical meeting minutes, and data item deliverables (CDRLs/SDRLs) required under government contracts.
• Mission Support: Support the planning and execution of Technical Interchange Meetings (TIMs) and Program Management Reviews (PMRs) with government and commercial stakeholders.
• Graduated Autonomy: As you master the HEO ecosystem, you will take lead responsibility for smaller pilot programs and commercial contracts, managing the timeline, technical deliverables, and client interface independently.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree (BA/BS). While STEM is preferred, we value demonstrated experience in complex delivery environments over a specific degree.
• Experience: 3 years in Project Management, Mission Operations, or Program Support within a high-stakes industry (e.g., Space, Defense, Robotics, or Deep Tech).
• Operational Rigor: You are comfortable with the documentation and reporting requirements of high-value contracts (e.g., status reports, milestone tracking, and compliance).
• Startup Agility: Experience thriving in fast-paced, semi-structured environments where you are expected to build processes, not just follow them.
• Technical Fluency: Experience working alongside engineering teams with the ability to translate complex technical data into professional stakeholder insights.
• Stakeholder Management: Experience acting as a professional interface for external partners, whether they are government program managers or commercial enterprise clients.
• Tools: Proficiency with project management software. Experience with data viz tools or scripting (Python) for automation is a major plus.
• Communication: Strong presence in meetings; ability to lead a sync with engineers in the morning and a project review with clients in the afternoon.
• Security Requirement: Must have the ability to obtain or maintain a US government Top Secret security clearance.