UFORCE is a combat-systems integrator transforming Ukrainian battlefield experience into deployable defence technology for allied nations. Built by Ukrainian practitioners and global technology leaders, UFORCE brings together unmanned air, sea, and land systems, software, command-and-control, and operational expertise into one adaptive combat architecture.
Our mission is to make defence dramatically faster, more scalable, and more cost-effective than traditional military systems — helping free nations deter aggression by making defence 100× cheaper than offence. We are building a new category of defence company: combat-proven, open to allied integration, shaped by real-world frontline experience, and focused on protecting democratic societies at speed.
About the Role
The COO Portugal owns and scales UFORCE's Portugal operations from ramp-up to predictable, repeatable production execution — building the country operating engine across Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, Production Planning, and cross-functional execution.
Success looks like Portugal hitting build-rate, quality, supply-chain readiness, and production-plan commitments consistently, while building the operating cadence and execution culture required for scale.
Responsibilities
Manufacturing execution — Own production line accountability, standard work, takt and cycle-time visibility, and systematic constraint removal from ramp-up through stable output
Quality systems — Embed quality controls, CAPA, and traceability into production as part of the operating standard, not as a post-build activity
Supply chain and material readiness — Own supplier performance, material readiness, kitting, shortage resolution, and procurement risk management before they disrupt production
Production planning and operating data — Own the planning process end-to-end and ensure operating data — build progress, quality, shortages, constraints — is trusted and consistently maintained
Country operating system — Install the daily and weekly operating cadence, decision rights, KPIs, and escalation rules that integrate all functions into one coherent production system
Requirements
Essential:
Senior operations leadership with direct ownership of production output, build rate, quality, and cost
Supply chain and material-readiness ownership, including supplier OTD, procurement risk, and shortage management
Quality system and root-cause discipline — embedded controls and CAPA into a production environment, not managed quality as a separate function
Production planning and execution rigor — translated targets into weekly plans with owners, constraints, and escalation paths
Clear judgment on functional boundaries — partners with Finance, People, Engineering, and Quality without absorbing their ownership
Preferred:
Defence, aerospace, maritime, robotics, industrial hardware, or automotive manufacturing background
High-mix, low-to-mid volume production experience where standard work has to be built, not inherited
Familiarity with configuration control, traceability, or regulated manufacturing environments
Experience scaling a country or site operation, not just running a function
The nature of combat has changed.
Tomorrow’s battlefield success depends on autonomy, speed, and adaptability.
And UFORCE is ready.
Are You?
