Director of Compliance

KDA, Inc. is a 212-year old American start up with Norwegian heritage. We are seeking an agile, strategic, and mission-driven Director of Compliance to serve as the architect and leader of our integrated compliance framework.

This role offers an exceptional opportunity for an accomplished professional to step into a high-visibility leadership position. The Director will oversee and harmonize three vital pillars: Ethics & Corporate Compliance, Export Control, and Facility/Physical Security, including industrial security under the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM).

Because KDA, Inc. operates under a Special Security Agreement requiring FOCI mitigation, a cornerstone of this role is constructing, implementing and monitoring a fit-for-purpose compliance infrastructure from the ground up, incorporating the corporate values and principles of Norwegian parent company, Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace (KDA Inc.). The Director will act as a people leader, an empowering coach, and a trusted advisor across our five (5) corporate offices and US-based manufacturing operations.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Ethics & Compliance

• Establish a modern, risk-tailored compliance infrastructure aligned with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (ECCP) guidelines.
• Review global policies from KDA AS; adjust and adopt corporate standards to ensure full compliance with U.S. legal requirements while strictly preserving the FOCI mitigation boundaries established by the SSA.
• Manage differences between U.S. standards and Norwegian compliance frameworks, including the Norwegian Working Environment Act (Arbeidsmiljøloven Chapter 2A whistleblower requirements), the Norwegian Transparency Act (Åpenhetsloven human rights/supply chain due diligence), and anti-corruption standards enforced under the Norwegian Penal Code and Økokrim guidance.
• Champion an accessible, transparent, and non-retaliatory reporting environment across both corporate staff and shop-floor manufacturing personnel. Oversee whistleblower hotline operations, triage concerns, and establish trusted case-resolution protocols.
• Lead and supervise internal investigations regarding alleged violations of code of conduct, conflict of interest, fraud, or organizational policies; partner with HR and executive leadership to ensure fair, consistent corrective actions.
• Develop and deliver engaging, plain-language ethics and compliance training for production operators, engineers, and executive leaders, driving a culture of personal accountability.

1. Export Control

• Lead, mentor, and resource the regional export compliance team (including Export Compliance Officers); cultivate technical proficiency and business-enabling problem-solving within the team.
• Ensure operational adherence to all relevant U.S. trade control regimes, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR - 22 CFR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR - 15 CFR), and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions.
• Oversee the implementation, periodic audit, and continuous improvement of the company’s Internal Control Plan (ICP), Local Control Plans (LCPs) at manufacturing and testing sites, and ITAR Part 130 political contributions, fees, and commissions reporting.
• Institutionalize consistent, defensible commodity jurisdiction (CJ) and classification processes (USML and ECCN) for components, software, and technical data across all business lines.
• Oversee automated and manual screening mechanisms, identify regulatory "red flags," lead root-cause assessments, and coordinate with inside/outside counsel regarding voluntary disclosures when warranted.

1. Security

• Provide direct executive oversight and mentorship to the Physical Security Officer / PSOC personnel and Facility Security Officers (FSOs) across facilities.
• Direct the execution of industrial security requirements mandated by the National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual (NISPOM / 32 CFR Part 117) and the company’s specific Special Security Agreement.
• Monitor and enforce the Technology Control Plan (TCP) and Electronic Communications Plan (ECP), ensuring robust firewalls, access barriers, and monitoring tools prevent unauthorized transfer of classified or controlled unclassified information (CUI/ITAR) to foreign parent personnel.
• Advise the teams on access-control infrastructure, visitor badging protocols, Foreign National visit approvals, secure conference facilities, and armory/ordnance storage requirements where applicable (e.g., Department of Defense Arms, Ammunition, and Explosives regulations (AA&E).
• Partner closely with Information Technology and cybersecurity teams to ensure classified networks, CUI repositories, and digital enclaves comply with Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.204-7012 and NIST SP 800-171/CMMC frameworks.

1. Governance, Reporting & Matrixed Stakeholder Management

• Act as a liaison to the KDA, Inc. Board of Directors and its Government Security Committee (GSC), providing periodic reporting on FOCI mitigation, compliance health, audits, and risk heat maps.
• Maintain professional, productive relationships with KDA AS leadership and functional colleagues in Norway, facilitating necessary business integration while maintaining rigorous SSA compliance firewalls.
• Direct comprehensive periodic compliance reviews, fit-checks, and internal audits; track audit findings through remediation and closeout.

1. Additional Responsibilities

• KDA, Inc. is on a journey to maturity and lacks the bench strength to specialize into narrow verticals. The Director will be expected to embrace and tackle any number of requests made by leadership.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, International Relations, Criminal Justice, Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field.

  • (Note: A Juris Doctor is not required for this position).

Skills and Experience:

• Ten (10) years of broad corporate experience in regulated environments, with a track record demonstrating rapid professional progression, integrity, and proactive leadership.

• Minimum of five (5) years directly managing or coordinating functional compliance, trade control, or security workflows and leading professional personnel.
• Demonstrated experience building, scaling, or substantially upgrading a corporate compliance program, rather than merely maintaining a pre-existing mature system.
• Strong working comprehension of the U.S. DOJ Evaluation of Corporate Compliance Programs (ECCP), the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and international anti-corruption best practices.
• Familiarity with or demonstrated ability to quickly master European/Nordic compliance paradigms (e.g., the Norwegian Working Environment Act’s whistleblower protections, the Norwegian Transparency Act, and Økokrim compliance expectations).
• Practical experience managing whistleblower hotlines, conducting sensitive internal inquiries, and driving corporate culture initiatives across both office and manufacturing/shop-floor demographics.
• Working knowledge of the ITAR (State Department / DDTC), EAR (Commerce Department / BIS), and OFAC regulations within an aerospace, defense, or high-technology environment.
• Familiarity with the lifecycle of Technical Assistance Agreements (TAAs), export licenses, commodity classifications, and compliance mechanisms associated with ITAR Part 130 and Internal Control Plans (ICPs).
• Capability to lead and mentor experienced technical teams, challenge assumptions constructively, and ensure sound operational decisions.
• Working knowledge of operating within a FOCI-mitigated entity (SSA, Proxy Agreement, or Voting Trust), including implementing Technology Control Plans (TCPs), Electronic Communications Plans (ECPs), and foreign visitor protocols.
• Practical appreciation of security measures necessary for defense manufacturing plants, secure storage, and classified or controlled work areas.

Other Position Considerations:

• Job Type: Full Time, Exempt
• Location: Position operates out of the Kongsberg US Headquarters office, currently located in Alexandria, VA.
• Schedule: M-F, 9/80
• Travel: Must have or be able to obtain a US passport. Occasional travel - both domestically and internationally - expected.
  • Able to obtain or maintain a US Passport
• Security Clearance: Active, or able to obtain and maintain) U.S. Secret Clearance, required.
• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The term “qualified individual with a disability” means an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position.

Benefits:

• Health Insurance: Employer paid premiums, 100%
  • Medical Insurance
  • Dental Insurance
  • Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent care Flexible Spending Account
• 401(k) matching
• Employee Assistance Program
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Life Insurance
• Paid Time Off
• Sick Time Off
• Flexible Schedule

U.S. PERSON REQUIREMENT: “To comply with U.S. national security requirements mandated under the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, Inc. will consider only applicants who are U.S. Persons for this position.” OR “Applicant must be a U.S. Person within the meaning of United States International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) governing export control.” “A U.S. Person is a United States Citizen or National, Lawful Permanent Resident, Lawful Temporary Resident, Refugee or Asylee.”

Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, Inc. is part of Kongsberg Gruppen (KONGSBERG), an international knowledge-based group that supplies high technology systems and solutions to its customers engaged in oil and gas production, the merchant marine, and the defense and aerospace industries. Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, Inc. performs final assembly and testing of Remote Weapon Stations. The company also performs repair and overhaul (R&O) of Remote Weapon Stations that come back from field operations. In addition to competitive wages, we provide an excellent package of benefits, which presently includes company-paid health, vision and dental insurance, 401(k) with competitive match, a 9/80 work schedule, life insurance, employee stock purchase option, sick time and paid time off (PTO).

Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. Kongsberg Defense & Aerospace, Inc. provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.