Principal Site Lead

ABOUT NOOKS

Are you seeking an exciting and unique opportunity to grow and support our national security? As a startup, we are offering a limited-time opportunity to be an equity owner in a pioneering new industry. Nooks is pioneering Classified Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS) to provide government and industry partners with the fastest, most efficient access to classified infrastructure. We are building a nationwide network of accredited classified spaces and systems, ensuring that the best technologies equip our nation’s warfighters. At Nooks, we value innovation, collaboration, and a service-first mindset.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking a versatile leader to oversee all operations at a Nooks facility. Reporting to the Director of CIASS Operations, this role combines strategic leadership with hands-on management, ensuring excellence across security, operations, customer experience, and team performance. You will be the driving force behind site success, fostering a high-performing team, maintaining operational efficiency, and delivering an outstanding experience for customers and partners.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead all aspects of the Nooks site, ensuring operational excellence, compliance, and smooth coordination across teams.
• Serve as the primary site representative for internal leadership, contractors, landlords, and external stakeholders.
• Manage security, compliance, and emergency planning, ensuring adherence to NISPOM, ICD 705, and DoDM 5205.07 Volume 2.
• Supervise a multidisciplinary team across Industrial Security, IT, Hospitality, and Support Services, cultivating accountability and high performance.
• Own site P&L in partnership with the CFO, optimizing revenue, costs, and resource allocation.
• Build and maintain relationships with government agencies, defense partners, and local communities.
• Represent Nooks in industry, local and government forums, supporting strategic growth and operational best practices.
• Stay current on emerging technologies and processes to continuously improve site operations.

THE SKILLSET:

• 15 years of experience leading complex teams and operations, ideally in national security or regulated environments.
• Proven success in personnel management, building high-performing teams.
• Strong financial and operational acumen, including P&L management.
• Established network within DoD and Intelligence Communities.
• Experience in business development, sales, or customer engagement is a plus.
• Knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) preferred.
• Ability to travel ~20%.

ELIGIBILITY CLEARANCE 

• U.S. citizenship is required.
• Top Secret (TS) security clearance with eligibility for Secret Compartmented Information (SCI). Candidates must be capable of maintaining eligibility up to the Top Secret/SCI level within 45 days of hire.