Project Manager - Model Launches & Product Delivery

About the role

The Institute of Foundation Models (IFM) is looking for a Project Manager in Abu Dhabi to oversee product and lab priorities and drive execution across research, product and community initiatives. The role is about orchestrating work rather than owning a single function: turning priorities into clear plans, keeping teams aligned and following through on the tasks that move models and products forward. It includes coordinating model launches end to end so that research, engineering, product, marketing and communications are aligned when a model goes live.

Key responsibilities

• Translate high-level priorities into project plans, milestones and timelines, and maintain up-to-date product roadmaps for the Abu Dhabi lab, highlighting dependencies, risks and decision points.
• Coordinate implementation of selected products or features and run regular check-ins such as standups, sprint reviews and planning sessions.
• Own end-to-end model launches (e.g. K2, JAIS, PAN), from research-to-production handoff through public release and post-launch follow-up, and coordinate readiness with Research and Engineering.
• Align launch timelines and dependencies across Product, Engineering, Legal and Marketing, and support operational readiness for launches, pilots and external partnerships.
• Run launch retrospectives and act as the link between technical teams and Marketing/Communications, including lab contributions to events, conferences and partner briefings.
• Help prioritize lab initiatives, coordinate with other IFM sites, and set up simple, transparent ways to track progress and report status to leadership.

Required profile

• 3-6 years of experience in project management, program management, product operations or a closely related role in a technology, research or product-building environment.
• Proven track record of running cross-functional projects end to end, with strong organizational skills and comfort managing multiple parallel workstreams.
• Comfortable working with technical teams and understanding basic technical concepts well enough to manage timelines, dependencies and risks.
• Clear communicator who can summarise complex work for different audiences, and able to work in a flat, fast-moving environment.
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering or a related field preferred.

Preferred experience

• AI/ML, deep-tech or research lab experience.
• Experience coordinating product or model launches and familiarity with product development lifecycles.
• Exposure to foundation models or large-scale AI systems.