Robert
Michie

Summary

I lead complex, multinational programs that turn strategic priorities into executable plans—often across borders, time zones, and organizational boundaries. Over the past ten years, I've managed software integrations, negotiated international data-sharing agreements, and led system migrations serving thousands of users with zero downtime. Most recently, I cut critical approval timelines from over 24 hours to under one hour, safeguarding billions in infrastructure. I translate technical complexity into executive decisions and build the frameworks that let teams move faster.

Impact

Experience

1. 2023-Present

   Senior Technical Program Manager

   Royal Air Force (RAF) / Combined Space Operations Center (CSpOC), US Space Force ·

   Show the military equivalent

   • Coordinated response to several infrastructure outages and security incidents across multiple partner organizations, running incident calls, assigning fixes to engineering teams, and tracking remediation through to closure with post-incident reviews.
   • Drove approval process optimization for global communications infrastructure deployment, reducing timelines from over 24 hours to under 1 hour by designing and implementing a delegation framework that distributed decision-making authority to lower organizational levels, safeguarding billions of dollars in military infrastructure.
   • Orchestrated a 6-month infrastructure migration with zero downtime, replacing key systems serving thousands of personnel across 3 partner organizations while maintaining continuous operational coverage and execution quality.
   • Translated strategic priorities from senior leadership into executable team plans, removing blockers and maintaining cross-functional visibility across multiple concurrent activities and organizational boundaries.
   • Briefed executive leadership on program progress, risks, and trade-offs, distilling complex technical information into actionable decisions for senior stakeholders.

2. 2020-2023

   Technical Program Manager

   Royal Air Force (RAF) / CSpOC, US Space Force ·

   Show the military equivalent

   • Orchestrated $10M software integration program with Palantir, guiding 6-person team through requirements definition, 2-week sprint cycles, prototype validation, and user feedback across 6 tools; delivered scalable engineering solutions that improved cross-organizational data sharing.
   • Automated 7 legacy processes previously requiring multiple personnel and dozens of hours each, reducing operational toil and increasing execution velocity across partner organizations.
   • Identified critical gap in international data-sharing infrastructure, designed new technical agreements with partner governments, and negotiated coverage expansion worth billions of dollars by connecting stakeholders across multiple approval chains.
   • Drove data-driven decision making by building tailored briefings that mapped each tool and program outcome to executive priorities, rescuing program from loss of senior leadership support through clear communication of technical value.

3. 2017-2020

   Program Manager, RAF High Wycombe

   Royal Air Force (RAF) / UK Space Operations Centre (UKSpOC) ·

   • Analyzed shared sensor tracking data from several partner countries to spot recurring anomalies and data quality problems, briefing the operations team on findings and changing onboarding checks to catch them earlier.
   • Spearheaded 3-year international data-integration program that scaled from 12 to 20 participating countries, architecting foundational frameworks that evolved into the Universal Data Library; demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional collaboration and deliver scalable solutions across distributed teams.
   • Orchestrated onboarding of new sensors into shared analytical infrastructure supporting tens of thousands of objects, executing validation and calibration protocols across multiple data formats supplied by partner organizations; improved data quality and interoperability across heterogeneous systems.
   • Directed execution of annual program cycle across 5 partner teams, delivering successful end-to-end integration testing and operational readiness validation; coordinated cross-organizational stakeholders to achieve program closure and deployment milestones.
   • Developed deep subject-matter expertise in new operational domain within months of role start, becoming senior technical reference for internal team and international partners; identified process improvements and built institutional knowledge that enhanced program execution and partner confidence.

4. 2014-2017

   Air Operations (Systems), Identification Duty Officer

   Royal Air Force (RAF) ·

   • Led air operations coordination within a 24/7 command center overseeing UK airspace monitoring and joint exercise planning
   • Managed cross-functional collaboration with international partners to enhance operational readiness and execution quality
   • Coordinated air component planning for a joint multi-domain exercise involving 800-1,000 personnel across a six-month deployment, translating strategic objectives into executable operational plans and earning commander's commendation with a four-person team

5. 2009-2014

   Technical Leadership - Weapons Systems Maintenance and Operational Readiness

   Royal Air Force (RAF) ·

   • Coordinated maintenance and operational readiness programs for weapons systems and ejection seats across multiple airfields, ensuring mission-critical equipment met deployment standards and safety requirements
   • Led dotted-line teams of 4 peers during Afghanistan deployment operations, managing cross-functional coordination under high-pressure conditions and contributing to combat mission success
   • Progressed from technician to commissioned officer through competitive 12-month selection process and 9-month training pipeline, demonstrating advanced leadership capability and technical mastery of complex systems

Skills

Education and certifications

Service record

Branch

U.S. Air Force

Rank

Flt Lt (O3)

Years served

17

Specialty / MOS

13S

Security clearance

DV