Abteilungsleitung Chapters (m/w/d)

Job title: Abteilungsleitung Chapters (m/w/d)

About the Role As the head of Chapters, you will be responsible for the disciplinary leadership, development, and strategic direction of all engineering staff across the company. You will ensure the organization has the right skills, at the right quality, and at the right time, and you will work closely with Human Resources.

What You'll Do

• Overall disciplinary leadership of all engineering staff across the Chapter structure, and direct leadership of the Chapter Leads.
• Ensure consistent HR processes including goal setting, performance management, feedback and development conversations, compensation, and career paths.
• Establish a fair, performance-oriented personnel structure and act as the central escalation point for engineering staff.
• Define and continuously develop the company-wide skill strategy; build competencies for future technology needs.
• Identify skill gaps and implement measures in collaboration with the Engineering Program Office and R&D; manage capacity and technological developments.
• Lead recruitment activities in engineering, including defining target profiles, priorities, and supporting Chapter Leads in the selection process.
• Collaborate with HR and domain experts; manage external resources; foster cross-site collaboration via Communities of Practice.
• Maintain a high and transparent standard of quality; nurture an engineering culture focused on ownership, quality, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Provide transparency about available engineering capacity (skills & FTE) and work with the Engineering Program Office to support staffing, project allocation, and prioritization.
• Ensure optimal utilization with no systematic over/under capacity; develop KPIs and structured training programs; clear career paths with HR.
• Promote internal mobility and targeted rotation of staff between projects, domains, and central functions (e.g., Program Delivery Units, Platform & Standards, R&D).

What We're Looking For

• Degree in an engineering discipline or equivalent qualification.
• Several years of experience in engineering organizations; experience in matrix organizations; strong understanding of multiple parallel and heterogeneous projects; experience in workforce planning, skill management, and performance management; ability to structure complexity and make decisions.
• Excellent communication across stakeholders; strong organizational and structuring skills; decisive, reliable and responsible demeanor.
• Professional, calm, and authoritative presence in technical and enterprise discussions; ability to convey complex technical matters clearly; high service orientation and clear communication; ability to prioritize for senior stakeholders.
• Entrepreneurial mindset; broad strategic viewpoint; high results orientation; strong cost awareness.
• Good knowledge of customers, competitors, and suppliers; understanding of products and technologies in the area; awareness of emerging trends.

Nice to Have

• Entrepreneurial thinking; big-picture view; result-driven; cost awareness.
• Ability to navigate complex environments with a proactive, collaborative style.

Compensation & Benefits

• Work-Life Balance: flexible working hours, sabbatical, 30 vacation days + special leave days.
• Mobile working: hybrid model and remote work abroad.
• Structured onboarding with buddy.
• Extensive training offers; individual development & annual employee dialogue.
• Space projects: 13th monthly gross salary, accident insurance & company pension.
• Catering: high-quality in-house restaurant & meal allowance.
• Active health management: health management, E-GYM Wellpass & sports groups.
• Family: kindergarten subsidy/places, childcare & paid child sick days for children.
• Mobility: subsidized Deutschlandticket, JobBike & parking.
• Company events: Christmas party, Satellite Launch Events, NextGen Speakers Night.
• Innovation: suggestion scheme & freedom for research and development.