Job Title: Senior Project Manager – Software Development (Freelance)
Location: Brussels (Haren), Belgium – Hybrid
Contract Type: Freelance / Contract
Industry: Aviation / Air Traffic Management
Role Overview
We are seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager (Freelance) to lead software application development projects for a major client operating in the aviation and air traffic management sector.
The role focuses on delivery of software solutions and applications, working closely with development teams and technical stakeholders. This is not an infrastructure project management role; the focus is specifically on application development initiatives.
The ideal candidate combines strong project leadership with a solid understanding of software development practices, and brings the patience and composure required to coordinate complex technical teams and stakeholders in a highly regulated environment.
This is a hybrid role based in Brussels (Haren) with regular on-site collaboration required.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead and deliver end-to-end software development projects from planning through implementation.
* Coordinate cross-functional teams including software engineers, architects, product stakeholders, and external partners.
* Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, and delivery roadmaps.
* Facilitate project ceremonies and coordination in Agile or hybrid development environments.
* Manage project risks, dependencies, and technical constraints.
* Ensure clear communication between technical teams and business stakeholders.
* Monitor project progress and provide regular status updates and reporting.
* Support teams in resolving blockers while maintaining a structured, patient, and solution-oriented approach.
Required Experience
* Strong experience as a Project Manager in software/application development projects.
* Proven experience delivering software products, platforms, or enterprise applications.
* Strong understanding of the Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
* Experience working with Agile, Scrum, or hybrid delivery models.
* Ability to effectively engage with technical teams and software engineers.
* Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
* Ability to maintain calm, patience, and clarity when managing complex technical projects.
* Experience with project management tools such as Jira, Azure DevOps, Confluence, or similar.
Technical Understanding
While this is not a hands-on engineering role, the candidate should have a fair degree of technical knowledge, including:
* Software architecture and development processes
* APIs, integrations, and application ecosystems
* Development team workflows and release cycles
Nice to Have
* Background working with complex, mission-critical software systems
* Certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, or Agile/Scrum
* Experience working with international or distributed development teams