Senior Technical Program Manager - Riyadh

Overview

Technical & Industrial Expertise

• Source, evaluate and prioritize novel technologies, informing strategic decisions and pilot designs as well as supporting research (conducting interviews, reviewing startups, investment trends, market reports etc). Specifically, able to:
• assess startups holistically team, technology readiness, engineering risk, market opportunity, and fit with Newlab and its industry partners;
• demonstrate a systems-level understanding of technical and commercial risks across complex industrial value chains, with depth in energy systems, mobility systems, and/or mining and heavy industry; and
• pressure-test assumptions and troubleshoot challenges across pilots and programs knowing when to go deep technically, when to reframe strategically, and when to bring in the right experts
• Balance technical rigor with strategic vision, ensuring programs are grounded in feasibility while designed for real-world adoption and scale
• Apply strong critical thinking to navigate ambiguity leveraging data, AI tools, and Newlab s network to clarify risks, identify bottlenecks, and help founders de-risk and scale

Ecosystem Intelligence & Strategic Insight

• Maintain a strong pulse on industry, startup, and investment ecosystems tracking emerging technologies, capital flows, policy signals, and shifting priorities of corporates and regulators
• Identify and interpret technology signals from major industry players and venture capital; tracking who s-investing-in-who, company and sector strategic shifts, and how these shifts relate to Newlab s strategy
• Turn insight into action. Funnel what you learn into smarter programs, stronger partnerships, and higher caliber programs for our founders and partners
• Proactively identify and cultivate new partners to sustain and grow Newlab s commercialization efforts over time

Program Leadership & Delivery

• Run the show. Lead the end-to-end definition, scoping and execution of Newlab commercialization programs from aligning on client goals and success metrics, to managing startup participants, delivery timelines, and quality of outputs
• Serve as the primary point of accountability for program performance, ensuring milestones, deliverables, and scope of work commitments are met with rigor and consistency
• Build and maintain relationships with a diverse set of external stakeholders including Newlab partners, entrepreneurs, academics, and industry experts
• Collaborate within and across Newlab strategy, membership, marketing, operations and finance teams to deliver on an array of SOWs
• Translate complexity into clarity. Build crystal-clear program plans with milestones, deliverables, roles/responsibilities, and all the behind-the-scenes infrastructure (CRM, decks, dashboards, the works)
• Support program leadership to shape what comes next - support creating and developing new programs with new and returning clients

& Experience

• Bachelor s degree in Mining Engineering, Geological Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline (Master s degree preferred)
• 5 8+ years of progressive technical or program leadership experience in mining, heavy industry, energy, or adjacent industrial systems
• Demonstrated ability to define, scope and lead complex, multi-stakeholder technical programs from concept through execution
• Strong analytical skills with experience evaluating technical performance, operational constraints, and commercialization risk
• Proven strength in stakeholder alignment, quality control, and program troubleshooting in fast-moving, high-accountability environments
• Bilingual (English/Arabic) with full professional proficiency is required

Preferred Experience

• Experience working directly with early-stage or growth-stage deep tech companies
• Exposure to pilot-scale testing, industrial demonstrations, or first-of-kind deployments
• Familiarity with design-centered innovation, open innovation models, or corporate startup collaboration
• Experience supporting technical diligence for venture investment or strategic partnerships