Head of Project & Solution Design

Your mission

As Head of Project & Solution Design, you will build, lead, and scale a high-performing project management organization (PMO). You are accountable for delivering predictable, profitable project portfolios while ensuring excellence in execution, staffing, and methodology. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on portfolio steering.

Key Responsibilities

PMO Leadership & Strategy

• Build and lead a best-in-class Project Management Office (PMO)
• Define and implement standards, methodologies, and governance across all projects
• Drive continuous improvement of delivery processes and tools

Portfolio Management

• Own end-to-end project portfolio performance (delivery, profitability, predictability)
• Ensure high transparency on project status, risks, and financial performance
• Actively steer portfolio and responsible to meet business and margin targets, and financial results

Resource & Staffing Management

• Own staffing decisions based on rolling capacity planning (6–8 weeks horizon)
• Optimize resource allocation across projects to maximize utilization and outcomes
• Collaborate closely with leadership on hiring and workforce planning

Delivery Excellence

• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget
• Establish strong risk and escalation management practices
• Drive accountability and performance culture across all project managers

Stakeholder Management

• Act as senior counterpart for key internal and external stakeholders
• Support sales and solution design processes where needed
• Ensure alignment between delivery, sales, and strategic objectives

Key Outcomes

• High portfolio predictability (delivery accuracy within defined thresholds)
• Strong profitability across project portfolio (e.g., contribution margin targets)
• Consistent on-time and on-budget project delivery
• Scalable and standardized PMO setup

KPIs

• Portfolio contribution margin (weighted DB%)
• Plan vs. actual delivery performance
• Resource utilization and staffing efficiency
• Project predictability and delivery accuracy

Decision Authority

• Final ownership of staffing decisions based on capacity planning
• Authority over PMO standards, tools, and governance
• Accountability for portfolio performance and delivery outcome

Your profile

Must-Have

• 5+ years of experience in consulting, project management, or similar environments
• Proven leadership experience managing multiple project managers or teams
• Strong track record in managing complex project portfolios
• Deep understanding of project delivery, financial steering, and PMO structures
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills
• Good German and English language and willing to travel
• A security clearance may be required for this position.

Nice-to-Have

• Industry experience (e.g., Defence, Public Sector, Commercial)
• Experience in solution design or pre-sales environments
• Familiarity with scaling organizations or building PMOs

Leadership Level

• Senior leadership role with responsibility for a team of multiple Project Managers
• Strong strategic influence combined with operational accountability

What Success Looks Like
You create a highly predictable, scalable, and profitable project organization that consistently delivers excellence—while enabling growth and maintaining strong stakeholder trust.

Why us?

• High impact role with real ownership: Take full ownership of the PMO and directly influence delivery excellence, profitability, and company growth.
• Build, not maintain: Shape and scale a project organization from the ground up—define standards, processes, and culture instead of inheriting rigid structures.
• Close to strategy and leadership: Work directly with senior leadership and play a key role in steering the company’s project portfolio and strategic direction.
• Entrepreneurial environment: Operate in a fast-moving, outcome-driven culture where decisions are made quickly and ideas turn into action.
• Strong link between delivery and business success: Your work has a visible and measurable impact on margins, growth, and client satisfaction.
• Talented and collaborative team: Join a highly skilled, motivated team with strong expertise in data, AI, and digital solutions.
• Challenging and diverse projects
• Work on complex, high-impact projects across industries, often with cutting-edge technologies.
• Room to grow and shape your role
• Expand your scope as the company grows—this role evolves with your ambition and performance.

About us

north.io

We are the Ocean Big Data Specialists!

Since 2011, we’ve been developing cloud-native SaaS solutions that make complex geospatial and marine data accessible, shareable, and understandable.
Our international, English-speaking team of experts in computer science, geography, geophysics, and big data engineering works at the intersection of science and technology to create solutions that turn complex geodata into clarity.
Together, we help our customers from offshore wind and hydrography to defence, security, and public authorities to make informed, data-driven decisions.

Let's join our team!


Diversity and Inclusion are part of north.io GmbH values at the highest level. North.io commitment to diversity means providing a work environment for all that is welcoming, respectful, and engaging with opportunities for personal and professional development. We are an LGTBQ friendly company that offers equal opportunity to everyone. This in turn increases productivity, quality, creativity, and goal achievement. Therefore, we are committed to hiring people from diverse and unique personal and professional backgrounds. If you identify with these values and are looking to make a huge impact with your work, we would love to hear from you.