Senior Manager

About the role

As the Senior Manager - Security & Trade Controls, you will be the strategic leader responsible for designing, implementing, and managing the company's comprehensive security and export control framework. This pivotal role is essential to our international expansion and our commitment to national security obligations in Australia, the United States, and Europe. You will serve as the primary subject matter expert, ensuring our deep-tech products are developed, handled, and exported in full compliance with all relevant defence and trade regulations.

What you'll do

You will be responsible for maturing our Australian operations, including elevating our DISP membership to a higher level of assurance, while simultaneously establishing and accrediting new secure facilities and protocols in our key international markets. You will work cross-functionally with Engineering, Operations, Go To Market and Product Departments to embed a culture of security and compliance, enabling the company to scale responsibly and capture global opportunities within the defence sector.

Key duties for this position include:

• Acting as the company's Chief Security Officer (CSO) and primary liaison for the Defence Security and Vetting Service (DSVS).
• Managing and maintaining all aspects of our Defence Industry Security Program (DISP) membership, including ownership across elevating the company's assurance level.
• Manage personnel security clearances, facility accreditation, and information and communications technology (ICT) accreditation.
• Establishing a US entity compliant with the National Industrial Security Program (NISP),  and a UK entity compliant with government security requirements 
• Oversight across the establishment and administration of a Special Security Agreement (SSA) or similar FOCI mitigation arrangement in the US and assistance in achieving List X status and managing ongoing compliance with the Defence Security & Assurance Services (DSAS).
• Oversee the establishment and administration of Special Security Agreements (SSAs) or similar FOCI mitigation in the US, and assist in achieving List X status, and manage ongoing Defence Security & Assurance Services (DSAS) compliance in the UK.
• Own the end to end Australian export control requirements and ensure goods classification against the Defence and Strategic Goods List (DSGL) and permits from the Defence Export Controls Office (DECO) are compliant.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive UK/EU export control program, ensuring compliance with the Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) for shipments into Europe and other regions.
• Provide expert guidance on US export regulations (ITAR and EAR) as they apply to the company's technology and supply chain.
• Develop and implement global trade compliance policies, conduct risk assessments, and manage all necessary licenses, record-keeping, and reporting.
• Chair the internal Export Controls Committee to ensure executive oversight, developing and executing company-wide training on security protocols, export control responsibilities, and secure handling of sensitive technology.
• Monitor and interpret evolving legislation and security requirements across all relevant jurisdictions and advise leadership on potential impacts.

Qualifications

• Must be an Australian citizen and hold (or be able to obtain and maintain) a minimum NV1 Australian Government Security Clearance. This is a mandatory requirement.
• Experience in a fast-paced, high-growth technology or engineering environment
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in a defence security and/or export controls role within the defence industry.
• Ability to engage effectively and build trust with government security agencies (DSVS, DECO, US Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency, UK DSAS), as well as internal engineering and commercial teams.
• Demonstrable experience managing an Australian DISP membership, ideally with experience in elevating a membership level.
• Proven, hands-on experience in establishing or managing security and/or trade compliance frameworks in either the US or the UK. Experience across all three is highly desirable.
• Meticulous attention to detail, with an ability to execute  
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex regulations into practical guidance for all staff.
• Experience working directly with government security and export control agencies.
• Tertiary qualifications in a relevant field (e.g., Law, International Relations, Security Studies, Business, Engineering) and ADF experience is highly regarded