Senior Manager, Physical Security

AV; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 141,000 - 215,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

401K with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holidays

Job summary

AV is seeking a Senior Physical Security Manager to lead 24/7 security operations (Physical Security, Plant Protection, Incident and Emergency response) and contract security personnel. This role reports to the Director, Industrial Security and manages a developing physical security team across the company.

The successful candidate will develop enterprise-wide security policies, standards, and metrics, align with AV's risk posture, and coordinate campus monitoring, access control, and threat

Qualifications

• 13+ years of hands-on physical security experience across the security spectrum.
• 6+ years of management/leadership experience building/leading a physical security program.
• Experience with physical security technology, guard force management, and defense-in-depth principles.
• Current U.S. DOD Secret clearance (Top Secret preferred).
• Ability to travel up to 50%.

Responsibilities

• Lead full lifecycle of physical security assessment: analysis, design, execution, reporting, and mitigation tracking.
• Perform comprehensive security assessments across facilities and regions.
• Define and maintain the physical security assessment strategy and standards.
• Conduct risk analysis for infrastructure, identify vulnerabilities, and develop risk-reduction strategies.
• Develop and implement physical security control strategies balanced with operational needs.
• Create repeatable processes and tools to accelerate delivery across the organization.
• Communicate findings to diverse audiences via reports and presentations to executives.
• Lead projects and programs within the physical security portfolio, tracking milestones to completion.
• Evaluate security implications of technology projects and infrastructure changes.

Skills

Security leadership

Risk assessment

Security program management

Security policy development

Travel up to 50%

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Tools

Security systems

Job description

Job Description

AV is seeking a Senior Physical Security Manager to lead 24/7 security operations (e.g., Physical Security, Plant Protection, Incident and Emergency response) and contract security personnel. This position will report directly to the Director, Industrial Security. This position manages all Physical Security operations, programs, and personnel in a developing physical security team. This role will oversee and coordinate integrated security program efforts including the development, implementation, and operation across the company.

AV is seeking a Senior Physical Security Manager to lead 24/7 security operations (e.g., Physical Security, Plant Protection, Incident and Emergency response) and contract security personnel. This position will report directly to the Director, Industrial Security. This position manages all Physical Security operations, programs, and personnel in a developing physical security team. This role will oversee and coordinate integrated security program efforts including the development, implementation, and operation across the company.

The successful candidate will develop and implement enterprise-wide security policies, standards, and metrics to measure program effectiveness and ensure alignment with the company's risk posture. Work directly with the Director, Industrial Security to defining AV's strategy for physical safety, workforce protection, and business resiliency. Develop and manage a security ecosystem for campus monitoring, access control, and converged threat detection to physical assets and facilities.

Worker Type

Regular

Summary

AV is seeking a Senior Physical Security Manager to lead 24/7 security operations (e.g., Physical Security, Plant Protection, Incident and Emergency response) and contract security personnel. This position will report directly to the Director, Industrial Security. This position manages all Physical Security operations, programs, and personnel in a developing physical security team. This role will oversee and coordinate integrated security program efforts including the development, implementation, and operation across the company.

Position Responsibilities

• Own the full physical security assessment lifecycle --from analysis, design through execution, reporting, and mitigation tracking
• Lead comprehensive physical security assessments across varying facility types and geographic regions using desktop and field research
• Define and maintain the overall physical security assessment strategy; ensuring methodologies stay current, standards-aware, and consistently applied across infrastructure types and project timelines
• Conduct security risk analysis for new and existing infrastructure; identifying vulnerabilities, evaluating physical security factors, and developing risk reduction strategies for unique operating environments
• Develop and implement physical security control strategies that balance security requirements against operational and business needs
• Build repeatable processes, tools, and mechanisms that increase speed and consistency of physical security delivery across the organization
• Communicate assessment findings and recommendations to diverse audiences; from practitioners to senior executives -- through written reports, presentations, and direct engagement
• Lead project and program execution across the physical security portfolio; managing stakeholders, tracking milestones, and driving efforts to completion
• Evaluate security implications of technology projects and infrastructure changes from a physical security perspective

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Candidates must have at least 13+ years of hands‑on experience in Physical Security across the entire security spectrum (Physical Security, Executive Protection, Crisis Management, Emergency response).
• Must have at least 6+ years of demonstrated management and/or leadership experience developing a physical security program, managing resources, and budgets for small security teams
• Must have demonstrated experience in physical security technology, guard force management, and defense‑in‑depth security principles.
• Candidates must have a current DOD Secret level security clearance in order to be considered, Top Secret preferred.
• Ability to travel up to 50%

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Proficient in a variety of conventional system and application software, including task/project management, visitor management, and facility management
• Membership in professional networking groups such as ASIS, InfraGard, or other physical security groups
• Proven ability and experience working with US Government security leadership in DOD and IC security programs
• Demonstrated experience in the construction of secure spaces such as Closed Areas, SCIFs and/or SAPF
• Possess a breadth of demonstrated business and management skills, knowledge and abilities.

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office environment (Constant)
• Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)

Special Requirements

• U.S. Citizenship Required.

Clearance Level

Secret

The Salary Range For This Role Is

$141,000 - $215,000

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations ("ITAR") and/or the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR"). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR

• 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits

AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown.

For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

About AV

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizenship is required. Secret or Top Secret clearance, or the ability obtain a clearance is desired.