Director of Defense Security

About the role

We are looking for a highly technical and operationally strong Director (target) / Sr. Director of Security to lead defense security, compliance, and IT for our growing Gov Business Unit. This is not a “check-the-box” compliance leadership role. This leader will architect, scale, and operate secure environments handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), classified workloads, regulated development environments, and mission-critical defense programs across multiple geographies and regulatory regimes. You will be leader a team of 10+ security and IT professionals, as well as 6 secure facilities across Applied U.S. locations and drive the execution across security engineering, IT, compliance, and classified operations while partnering closely with the Global Security org, Engineering, Product, Legal, Facilities, Government Programs, and executive leadership.

At Applied, you will

• Lead security and IT strategy for the Defense Business Unit across classified and unclassified environments.
• Lead and scale the Government Security, Defense Cyber, and Defense IT organizations.
• Architect and operate secure enterprise and engineering environments supporting CUI and classified data handling.
• Build and scale secure networks, enclave architectures, endpoint security, identity systems, monitoring capabilities, and operational controls for defense programs.
• Drive implementation and operational maturity for:
  • CMMC
  • IL4 / IL5 / IL6 environments
  • UK Cyber Essentials Plus
  • NIST 800-171 / 800-53
  • Additional global government and defense security requirements as business needs evolve
• Partner with engineering and product organizations to enable secure development and deployment pipelines for regulated environments.
• Own execution for:
  • Secure enterprise architecture
  • Classified network operations
  • Identity and access management
  • Detection and response
  • Vulnerability management
  • Asset management
  • Endpoint and infrastructure security
  • Security operations and monitoring
  • Insider risk and data protection
• Collaborate closely with the Enterprise Security and IT org to align long-term security, infrastructure, and operational strategy across the company.
• Work closely with key Defense Business Unit stakeholders including the General Manager, Government Program Management organization, and defense program leadership teams to ensure security and IT capabilities enable business growth and mission execution.
• Lead audits, assessments, accreditations, and ongoing compliance operations across government programs.
• Partner with Facilities and physical security teams to support secure spaces, classified operations, and government inspection readiness.
• Influence executive stakeholders and drive security-first operational maturity across rapidly scaling defense initiatives.
• Manage, mentor, and scale high-performing security and IT teams.
• Build strong relationships with government customers, assessors, auditors, and defense partners.

We’re looking for someone who has

• 10+ years of experience in cybersecurity, infrastructure, enterprise IT, or security engineering leadership roles.
• Experience leading security and IT programs in defense, aerospace, government, or highly regulated environments.
• Strong hands-on understanding of:
  • CUI handling requirements
  • Classified environments and networks
  • Secure enclave architectures
  • Government cloud and hybrid environments
  • Enterprise security architecture
  • Zero Trust principles
• Deep familiarity with one or more of the following:
  • CMMC
  • IL4 / IL5 / IL6
  • NIST 800-171
  • NIST 800-53
  • DFARS
  • FedRAMP
  • UK Cyber Essentials Plus
• Proven experience building and operating security programs beyond baseline compliance requirements.
• Strong technical depth with the ability to engage directly in architecture and operational decisions.
• Experience leading mature operational teams and driving execution in fast-paced environments.
• Excellent cross-functional communication and executive influence skills.
• Ability to balance security, operational agility, and engineering velocity.

Required Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship required.
• Active security clearance preferred, or willingness and ability to obtain and maintain one.
• Ability to work onsite 5 days per week from Virgina/DC office location.

Nice to have experience

• Experience in commercial-first or dual-use technology companies selling into defense and government customers (vs. traditional defense primes or pure government contractors)
• Familiarity with integrating acquired teams, facilities, or security programs into a parent organization's security posture
• Experience operating in high-growth, fast-paced environments where security programs must scale alongside rapid business expansion
• Comfort navigating the tension between engineering velocity and security/compliance requirements in software-driven organizations
• Experience with international defense security frameworks or foreign military sales (FMS) compliance beyond U.S. domestic requirements

Compensation

For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full-time position in the location listed is: $200,000 - $260,000 USD annually.