Sr. Manager, Strategic Programs

Sr. Manager, Strategic Programs

Location: New York Metropolitan Area (Remote)

Classification: Exempt / Full-Time

About Airspace Link

Airspace Link is a leading aviation technology company enabling the safe integration of drones into communities at scale. As an FAA-approved provider of LAANC airspace authorization and B4UFLY safety services, Airspace Link powers critical digital infrastructure supporting drone operations across government, public safety, transportation, and commercial sectors nationwide.

Headquartered in Detroit and backed by institutional investors, Airspace Link partners with cities, states, federal agencies, and enterprise organizations to modernize low-altitude airspace management and accelerate the future of advanced air mobility.

The Opportunity

Airspace Link is seeking a highly capable Sr. Manager, Strategic Programs to lead one of the most ambitious urban drone integration initiatives in the United States: the deployment and operationalization of the nation's largest citywide drone operations management program.

This role will serve as the operational and strategic lead for a high-profile public-private partnership involving municipal leadership, transportation agencies, infrastructure partners, hardware vendors, and cross-functional internal teams. The Sr. Manager, Strategic Programs will be responsible for ensuring successful execution across software delivery, technical integrations, sensor infrastructure deployment, stakeholder coordination, operational readiness, and long-term program success.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of urban aviation and advanced mobility at scale within one of the most complex and visible operating environments in the world.

Location & Work Environment

This is a remote-first role based in the New York metropolitan area. While Airspace Link is headquartered in Detroit, our team operates in a highly collaborative distributed environment across the United States.

The role will require regular in-person engagement with New York City agencies, partners, and stakeholders, including meetings, program reviews, deployment coordination, and strategic working sessions.

What You’ll Do

Program Leadership & Execution

• Lead end-to-end program execution for a city-wide initiative, ensuring alignment across scope, timelines, deliverables, risks, and stakeholder expectations.
• Establish operational rigor through structured planning, milestone management, governance processes, and executive-level reporting.
• Drive cross-functional coordination across engineering, product, operations, data, regulatory, and external implementation partners.

Strategic Stakeholder Management

• Serve as a primary relationship lead for city agencies, transportation authorities, public-sector stakeholders, and strategic partners.
• Facilitate executive communications, program reviews, and stakeholder alignment across complex organizational environments.
• Represent Airspace Link with professionalism and credibility in high-visibility meetings and external engagements.

Technical Integration & Operational Coordination

• Lead coordination of complex technical integrations across software platforms, operational systems, sensor infrastructure, and external technology partners.
• Partner closely with engineering and product teams to ensure integration requirements, deployment dependencies, and operational workflows are clearly defined and successfully executed.
• Translate external stakeholder needs and operational realities into actionable internal priorities across technical and non-technical teams.
• Facilitate cross-functional issue resolution and maintain alignment across implementation partners throughout deployment and operational phases.

Technical & Infrastructure Oversight

• Coordinate deployment and ongoing management of sensor and operational infrastructure supporting urban drone operations.
• Partner closely with technical teams to ensure software systems, integrations, and operational workflows meet performance, safety, and scalability requirements.
• Identify and proactively mitigate operational, technical, and programmatic risks.

Regulatory & Industry Alignment

• Maintain awareness of evolving FAA regulations, UAS traffic management frameworks, and urban drone operating standards.
• Support the development of scalable operational models aligned with regulatory and public safety requirements.
• Contribute to broader industry advancement efforts around urban air mobility and drone ecosystem development.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience leading complex technical or operational programs in highly cross-functional environments such as aerospace, transportation, smart cities, mobility, aviation, infrastructure, government technology, or related industries.
• Demonstrated success managing large-scale deployments or enterprise implementations involving multiple stakeholders, technical integrations, and operational workstreams.
• Experience leading programs involving systems integration, enterprise software implementation, infrastructure deployment, or multi-party technical coordination.
• Strong executive presence with exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to navigate complex organizational and public-sector environments with professionalism, diplomacy, and accountability.
• Experience partnering closely with engineering, product, and operational teams to drive successful outcomes.
• Strong organizational leadership skills with the ability to operate strategically while remaining execution-oriented and detail-conscious.
• Ability to thrive in ambiguity, adapt quickly, and lead effectively in dynamic, evolving environments.
• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Aviation, Computer Science, Public Policy, or a related technical discipline.

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with drone operations, UAS ecosystems, aviation technology, or adjacent mobility sectors sufficient to engage credibly with customers and stakeholders in the space.
• Deep subject matter expertise in aviation or drone operations is not required; however, the ability to quickly learn technical and regulatory concepts is essential.
• Experience in aviation, urban mobility, transportation technology, smart infrastructure, or public-private infrastructure initiatives.
• Consulting, systems integration, or enterprise transformation experience.
• PMP, Agile, or comparable program management certification.
• MBA or advanced degree preferred.

You May Be a Strong Fit If You…

• Are energized by building programs that operate at the intersection of technology, infrastructure, and public impact.
• Excel in environments requiring both strategic thinking and operational execution.
• Communicate effectively with technical teams, executives, and government stakeholders alike.
• Bring a strong sense of ownership, accountability, and follow-through.
• Are motivated by shaping emerging industries and deploying technology that influences how cities operate in the future.

Compensation & Benefits

Airspace Link offers a competitive compensation package including salary, equity participation, comprehensive benefits, 401(k) match, work flexibility. Most importantly, this role provides the opportunity to lead a nationally significant initiative at the forefront of aviation innovation and urban technology.