Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

If forging a secure future excites you, look no further! Northrop Grumman’s Space Sector provides an arena where your passion for innovation and quest for exploration are welcome. As an Industrial Security Director – Level 1, your role at Redondo Beach, CA will be pivotal in supporting missions critical to national and global security. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.

The Industrial Security Director - Level 1 will be an innovative leader who can drive the Intelligence Systems Division (ISD) security strategy and implementation to its next level of maturity. They will partner closely with our government customers, business partners and internal customers. This individual must establish a modernized and sustainable strategy that is aligned to business objectives and the infrastructure requirements to support them. This will be a highly-visible role internally and externally. It will be important to ensure the ISD Industrial Security Director - Level 1 effectively delivers and executes a strategy that will maintain the integrity of the business and the clients they serve.

In this highly visible role, you will drive the ISD division SAP/SCI security strategy, partner closely with Government customers and senior Northrop Grumman leadership, and ensure that security capabilities mature in step with mission and business needs.

In this job, you will:

Provide strategic leadership for all industrial security activities within ISD, with a focus on special programs and SCI operations.
Develop and execute a sustainable security strategy aligned to business objectives, regulatory requirements, and infrastructure needs.
Serve as a key interface with Government security leadership, business partners, and internal customers, ensuring security enables mission execution while protecting sensitive information.

Key Responsibilities

Security Strategy & Execution
- Continuously assess security needs; develop, implement, and monitor the division‑level security strategy for ISD programs.
- Ensure consistent implementation and compliance with NISPOM, ICDs, DoD manuals, and customer‑specific requirements.
- Own security‑related budgets, schedules, and performance standards for the division.

Leadership & Team Development
- Lead and develop the ISD security organization, including CPSOs/CSSOs and other security professionals.
- Recruit, train, and retain a high‑performing, scalable security team, with particular focus on building a pipeline of future special programs leaders.
- Create energy and engagement at all levels; foster a culture of integrity, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

Stakeholder Engagement & Governance
- Build strong relationships with senior leadership, especially within security, information technology, and program management, and across the Northrop Grumman enterprise.
- Promote strategic relationships between internal resources and external entities, including Government, industry partners, and vendors.
- Work collaboratively with operating units to understand security issues, negative trends, and compliance challenges; represent the division in engagements with Government stakeholders to address issues and drive resolution.

Special Programs & SCI Leadership
- Provide SCI and special programs strategy and implementation aligned to Government expectations and business objectives.
- Engage in best‑practice sharing with peer organizations and support executive‑level briefings on SAP/SCI security posture and risk.
- Champion continuous improvement in program protection, CONOPS, OPSEC, and related security disciplines.

Work Attributes:

Senior level understanding of customers’ Security Structure and governance for SAP and SCI
Exceptional communication skills are necessary to advise and influence the senior management and government officials
Strategic leader who can drive a vision while maintaining an execution-oriented culture driving results; an entrepreneurial spirit; ability to serve as a hands-on leader
Strong influencing skills to get things done; a collaborative approach with the ability to partner with business leaders across the enterprise to overcome institutional resistance and achieve transformational change
Proponent of continuous improvement process and the ability to challenge the status quo
Accountability for providing an SCI programs strategy and implementation aligned to government customer expectations and business objectives
Skills required to provide insights into sector senior stakeholders
High level of personal integrity and the ability to professionally handle confidential matters and demonstrate the appropriate level of judgment and maturity in balanced risk decision making
Ability to understand the complex government regulatory environment and how best to navigate within it. Ability to provide thought leadership, critical thinking, and problem solving to the most challenging issues
Ability to operate in a highly dynamic environment with the ability to respond and react decisively in a changing set of circumstances and priorities. Ability to quickly assess complex situations and take appropriate action
Ability to identify and plan for multi-year opportunities and is prepared to invest time and patience to harvest a long-term, multi-year approach
Ability to communicate succinctly and clearly with peers, leadership, direct reports, and outside partner and stakeholders. Able to communicate at all levels up to and including the sector president and senior external customers. Excellent written and verbal communication skills; interpersonal and collaborative skills; and the ability to communicate SCI programs, security, information technology, and risk-related concepts to technical and non-technical audiences
Ability to lead and motivate cross-functional, interdisciplinary teams to achieve tactical and strategic goals. Project management skills; financial/budget management, scheduling, and resource management

As a leader with integrity, you ensure ethical conduct, balanced results, and partner satisfaction. You respect and nurture growth, fostering a culture of excellence. Skilled in building collaborative teams and customer trust, you communicate well, champion excellence, and embrace change.

Basic Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree with 10+ years of professional experience including people management experience – OR – Master’s degree with 8+ years of professional experience including people management experience
Requires an active Top-Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) clearance at time of application
Cross-functional experience with demonstrated success leading transformation change in large organizations
Experience communicating security related concepts to a broad range of technical and nontechnical audiences; will have to be an articulate and persuasive leader who can serve as an effective member of the senior leadership team
Experience successfully implementing change
Experience identifying corporate policies, processes, and procedures that are not optimally aligned with business objectives and recommending and implementing changes
A track record of assessing threat and vulnerability from a business as well as a technical perspective and the ability to develop and champion affordable, efficient, and timely security architectures and solutions that support growth of the Divisions business
Understanding of program protection
Thorough understanding of classified programs, including Collateral, Special Access Program (SAP), Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) governance, including government governance models, policy, compliance, and existing and planned government infrastructure, applications, and tools that may be leveraged by the company

Preferred Qualifications:

Masters degree and 8 years of experience in Industrial Security, to include 8 years in management with experience managing multiple programs/locations.
Proven ability and experience collaborating with US Government security leadership in DOD and IC security prog

Industrial Security Director - Level 1

About the role

Description