Contracts Administrator

Job Description

The Contracts Administrator supports the mission of the AV Contracts Department by providing excellence in Contracts Administration to internal and external customers. One possesses basic knowledge and understanding of professional Contracts Administration within the aerospace and defense industry. The Contracts Administrator supports the bid, capture and contract negotiation processes, and then ensures efficient performance throughout the life of each contract, supporting amendments, data entry, contract closeouts and interpretations as necessary.

Position Responsibilities

• Work closely with Operations, the Contracts team and their immediate management chain, as well as other functions including Sales, Strategy and Marketing, Finance, and the Legal team on bid and proposal preparation, contract negotiation, contract review and administration for new and sustaining products and services.
• Perform contract administrative duties throughout the contract lifecycle including, but not limited to, proposal review and preparation, leading pre and post award negotiations, executing contract modifications, initiating contract close-outs and providing overall contracts support to assigned programs.
• Support reviewing and redlining various agreements such as, Non-Disclosure Agreements, Sales/Purchase Agreements, Subcontracts, Master Agreements, and other Contractual agreements, such as FAR based contracts, OTAs, etc.
• Support contract negotiations with contracts leadership.
• Serve as point-of-contact for assigned customer portfolio and serve as customer interface on pre-contract and active contract activities.
• Monitor the performance of long-term contracts and agreements. Analyze and concisely summarizes contractual obligations, commitments, and performance for internal stakeholders.
• Coordinate flow-downs of terms and conditions with all functional departments including program management, engineering, product support, finance, quality, supply chain management, manufacturing, as required.
• Assist Contracts Managers in ensuring the company compliance with the terms and conditions.
• Maintains an accurate audit file for each contract which will include original contract, all correspondence, changes/deviations, modification/amendments, clarifications, etc.
• Supports maintenance and retrieval of contract documents/files and validated data, preparation of reports and participation in status reviews.
• Research and provide recommendations on addressing contract related problems of limited scope.
• Follows standard practices and procedures in analyzing situations or data from which answers can be readily obtained.

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Associates and/or Bachelor degree in Business Administration is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
• Minimum 1-3 years relevant experience. Prior experience in an aerospace/defense/government contracting environment is preferred.
• Presently hold or capable of obtaining a U.S. Security Clearance (Secret, Top Secret Preferred).
• Demonstrated knowledge of federal acquisition process, government contracting principles and regulations (e.g., FAR, DFARS, contract-specific flow-downs, etc.) required.

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Demonstrates skill at multi-tasking and prioritization of workload.
• Demonstrates basic negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Provides the highest customer service experience to our domestic and international customers and internal customers.
• Works well with varying seniority levels, including staff, managers and external partners.
• Highly organized individual with the ability to conduct business in a professional manner.
• Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties.
• Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives.
• Committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company.
• Good written and verbal communication skills.
• Good analytical, time management and organizational skills.
• Good computer skills and proficiency with office software such as Microsoft Office Suite, to include, Word, PowerPoint and Excel and productivity tools.

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office environment (Constant).
• Constantly sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone.
• May require travel to sites/program and special functions.

Special Requirements

• You must be a U.S. Citizen.
• Must be able to travel within the Continental U.S. when required.

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.

About AV

• AeroVironment 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.
• We deliver 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.