Contracts Manager

Description

The Contract Manager will oversee the administration, negotiation, and management of complex federal contracts, subcontracts, and research-related agreements supporting health research and public health programs. This individual will serve as a key contracts resource supporting projects funded by agencies such as NIH, CDC, FDA, and HHS, ensuring compliance with contractual requirements, federal regulations, and organizational policies. The successful candidate will independently manage a portfolio of federal awards, provide guidance on contract administration matters, support audits and compliance initiatives, and partner closely with program teams, finance, legal, and research operations staff to ensure successful contract execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the full lifecycle of federal contracts, subcontracts, task orders, and modifications
• Review, negotiate, and administer contractual agreements with federal agencies, subcontractors, and research partners
• Ensure contractual obligations, deliverables, reporting requirements, and funding actions are properly executed
• Support proposal submissions and contract transition activities for newly awarded work
• Ensure compliance with FAR, agency-specific requirements, federal cost principles, and organizational policies
• Monitor contract performance and identify potential compliance risks
• Support internal reviews, sponsor audits, and government audits
• Maintain accurate contract records and documentation
• Draft and administer research-related agreements including subcontracts, data use agreements (DUAs), data transfer agreements (DTAs), research collaboration agreements, and confidentiality agreements
• Coordinate with legal, compliance, and operational stakeholders to facilitate timely execution of agreements
• Serve as a contracts subject matter expert to project managers, investigators, and operational leaders
• Interpret contractual requirements and provide guidance on compliance and risk mitigation
• Track contract funding, periods of performance, option years, and key contractual milestones
• Support issue resolution between sponsors, vendors, and project teams
• Maintain contract data within enterprise contract management systems such as Deltek Costpoint
• Generate contract status reports and portfolio updates
• Assist with contract forecasting and resource planning activities

Typical Day-to-Day Activities

• Reviewing NIH or FDA contract modifications
• Negotiating subcontract terms with research partners
• Coordinating with finance regarding funding actions
• Supporting proposal and pricing reviews
• Reviewing compliance requirements and audit documentation
• Managing data-use and research collaboration agreements
• Advising project teams on contractual obligations
• Maintaining contract records within Deltek Costpoint

Basic Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent education and years of experience in business, contracts, management, or a related field, with at least 10-15 years of experience in Federal Government contracting and contract management, including extensive leadership responsibility overseeing teams and a diverse portfolio of health-related federal contracts or equivalent experience
• Experience supporting NIH, CDC, FDA, and/or other federal health research agencies
• Experience developing, negotiating, and administering complex federal contracts, subcontracts, and research-related agreements
• Knowledge of government contractor compliance requirements, audits, cost principles, and contract administration best practices
• Familiarity working with enterprise projects and contracts software (e.g., Deltek Costpoint)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting government-funded clinical research, public health, biomedical research, health informatics, or research services programs
• Deep understanding of NIH contracting processes, clinical research operations, and federal health research environments
• Experience supporting contracts for clinical research, biomedical research, real-world data (RWD), real-world evidence (RWE), health informatics, and public health programs on behalf of NIH, HHS, CDC, FDA, and/or other federal health agencies
• Experience negotiating and administering data-related agreements, including data licensing, data use agreements (DUAs), data transfer agreements (DTAs), research collaboration agreements, and partnerships involving healthcare claims, EHR, registry, and other research datasets
• Knowledge of health data privacy, security, and regulatory requirements, including HIPAA, human subjects research protections, data governance, and compliance requirements associated with federally funded research and public health initiatives
• Experience using GSA schedules (MAS-PSC) and Best-In-Class contracting vehicles

Pay

• $67.00 - $69.00/hr

Schedule

• Contract to Hire position based out of Rockville, MD
• Hybrid position in Rockville, MD

Benefits

• Medical, dental & vision
• Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital
• 401(k) Retirement Plan – Pre-tax and Roth post-tax contributions available
• Life Insurance (Voluntary Life & AD&D for the employee and dependents)
• Short and long-term disability
• Health Spending Account (HSA)
• Transportation benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Time Off/Leave (PTO, Vacation or Sick Leave)