IT Systems Manager

About the role

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).

Responsibilities

• 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.
• Aid in periodic internal audits, vulnerability assessments, and compliance reviews.
• Maintain accurate asset registers, configuration records, and audit-ready documentation.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

Requirements

• 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.
• 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.

Benefits

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.

Pay

Negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Schedule

Hybrid work schedule available.

Location

Huntsville, AL