IT Systems Manager

Advanced Navigation is the world's most determined innovator in AI robotics and navigation technologies across land, air, sea and space applications. Founded on a culture of research and discovery, Advanced Navigation's mission is to be the catalyst of the autonomy revolution. Fields of expertise include artificial intelligence, underwater sonar, GNSS, radio frequency systems, inertial sensors, robotics, quantum sensors and photonics.

Today, Advanced Navigation is a supplier to some of the world's largest companies, including Airbus, Boeing, Google, Tesla, NASA, Apple, and General Motors. Discover it for yourself: https://youtu.be/F7uAqs1gtuk

The IT Systems & Compliance Administrator will serve as the primary on-the-ground IT resource for Advanced Navigation's US facility. This is a hands-on, multi-disciplinary role that bridges day-to-day IT operations with the company's defense sector compliance objectives, most notably its work towards Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 and the development of the company's System Security Plan (SSP).

The successful candidate will act as the Key System Administrator for a suite of enterprise platforms, manage relationships with external IT vendors, and serve as a key liaison between the US operation and the global IT function.

This role is based on-site in Huntsville, AL and reports directly to the VP of Operations.

While deep technical specialization is not a prerequisite, the role demands solid foundational knowledge across core IT disciplines and a proven ability to operate within rigorous compliance frameworks. This will initially be a very hands-on role, and we are looking for someone who is willing to grow with it as the US operation scales, the scope and seniority of the position are expected to expand as the business matures.

Key Responsibilities

Compliance & Security

• Support the company's work towards achieving CMMC Level 2 certification, including the implementation and ongoing improvement of the required security controls across US operations.
• Operate diligently within a Special Security Agreement (SSA) company environment, ensuring strict adherence to foreign ownership, control, or influence (FOCI) mitigation protocols.
• Enforce and monitor IT policies in strict alignment with US Government requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) / Defense of War (DoW) contractors.
• Contribute to the development and upkeep of the System Security Plan (SSP) and associated Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M).
• Enforce access control, data handling, and information security policies in accordance with NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC requirements.
• Assist with periodic internal audits, vulnerability assessments, and compliance reviews.
• Maintain accurate asset registers, configuration records, and audit-ready documentation.

Systems Administration

• Act as Key Administrator for core enterprise systems including Microsoft 365, Dynamics 365 (Finance, Supply Chain, and Sales), and other business-critical platforms.
• Manage user provisioning, identity and access management (IAM), and license administration across SaaS and on-premise environments.
• Oversee on-premise infrastructure including network equipment (Fortinet firewall and switching stack), storage systems (TrueNAS Scale), CCTV, and physical access control.
• Support integration and operational continuity between cloud and on-premise environments.
• Monitor system health, respond to incidents, and coordinate escalations with global IT or specialist vendors.

Vendor & Stakeholder Management

• Serve as the primary day-to-day point of contact for IT managed service providers, software vendors, and specialist contractors operating in the US.
• Manage vendor performance against agreed service levels, escalating issues as required.
• Coordinate procurement of IT hardware, software, and services in line with approved budgets and compliance requirements.
• Liaise effectively with internal stakeholders at all levels, including operations, finance, legal, and executive leadership.
• Collaborate with the global IT team to ensure alignment of US systems with enterprise architecture standards and roadmaps.

IT Operations & Project Support

• Support the staged deployment of IT infrastructure across the US facility, including production OT environments.
• Maintain network segmentation controls and assist in managing isolated operational technology (OT) networks.
• Contribute to change management processes, ensuring changes are documented, approved, and implemented with minimal disruption.
• Provide end-user support and IT onboarding for US-based staff.

Skills & Experience

Essential

• This position requires an active US Federal Security Clearance (or the ability to successfully secure one). Under Executive Order 12968, US citizenship is a prerequisite for obtaining a security clearance
• Proven experience working within a Special Security Agreement (SSA) company environment.
• Demonstrated experience navigating and implementing US Government requirements for DoD/DoW contractors.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in an IT operations, systems administration, or IT compliance role.
• Demonstrated experience within a defense, government, aerospace, financial services, healthcare, or similarly regulated environment.
• Solid working knowledge of cybersecurity principles, including access control, incident response, vulnerability management, and data protection.
• Hands-on experience administering Microsoft 365 (Exchange Online, SharePoint, Teams, Intune/Entra ID).
• Familiarity with Dynamics 365 or comparable enterprise ERP/CRM platforms.
• Understanding of networking fundamentals (firewalls, VLANs, VPN, DNS, DHCP) - experience with Fortinet products highly regarded.
• Experience managing external IT vendors and/or managed service providers.
• Strong documentation discipline with the ability to produce compliance-ready records and reports.
• Excellent communication skills with a demonstrated ability to engage confidently across multiple levels of an organization.

Preferred / Highly Regarded

• Direct experience with CMMC, NIST SP 800-171, or equivalent compliance frameworks.
• Familiarity with SSP development or assessment processes.
• Exposure to operational technology (OT) or industrial control system (ICS) environments.
• Experience in a manufacturing or defense production setting.
• Relevant certifications such as CompTIA Security+, CISSP, Microsoft certifications (MS-900, SC-900, AZ-900 or above), or CMMC Registered Practitioner (RP).
• Experience with data sovereignty requirements and cross-border data management obligations.

Position Details & Location

• Location: Huntsville, AL (hybrid flexibility available).
• Reporting Line: Reports directly to the VP of Operations.

Personal Attributes

• Pragmatic self-starter who can operate with autonomy in a lean team environment.
• High attention to detail with a compliance-first mindset.
• Comfortable operating in an environment of competing priorities and evolving requirements.
• Trusted with sensitive and classified information; demonstrates discretion and professional integrity.
• Collaborative team player who can bridge technical and non-technical stakeholders effectively.
• Adaptable and comfortable with change as the business scales its US operations.