Director, Contracts

About the role

Draper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation.

Responsibilities

• Lead a Contracts team and manage performance by recruiting, retaining, training, developing and optimizing personnel to successfully deliver critical captures, sole source and/or competitive proposals, and contract execution
• Manage strategic aspects of internal and/or external customer relationships as an advocate for our function and corporation to influence results
• Support the Business Area with Contracts expertise for shaping and capture, negotiation, and change management strategies for risk balanced solutions and compliance with solicitation/contract requirements, internal policies, and regulations
• Manage a portfolio of high complexity contracts across multiple contract types and provide guidance, support and mentorship to Contracts staff in the areas of internal delegation of authority, customer requirements review and interpretation, proposal development, contract negotiation, contract administration, change management and contract closeout
• Creatively solve complex challenges to align with Business Area objectives; own mitigation plans and lessons learned for systemic implementation across our cross-functional teams and/or the entire Contracts function
• Raise the bar for application of contract management principles and compliance including up-to-date FAR & DFARS interpretation, Truthful Cost or Pricing Data Act Requirements, and the interplay of CAS cost principles. Develop and implement effective training plans, and foster an environment of learning, transparency, and continuous improvement of process and team culture

Skills

• An industry leader in functional knowledge who is on the cutting edge of understanding industry trends and anticipating regulatory changes/impacts and compliance solutions; demonstrated in-depth understanding of FAR/DFARS/supplemental regulations, including intellectual property rules, Business System requirements (Accounting, EVMS, Estimating, Property Management and Purchasing System), full life-cycle contract management of many contract types (CPFF, CPIF, FFP, FPI, T&M, etc.) and Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs)
• Exceptional interpersonal, leadership, communication (verbal and written), analytical and problem-solving skills
• A strategic thinker with the ability to set an organizational vision and achieve results; a confident leader with the complexity of knowledge and patience to develop, execute and coach others on complex multi-faceted negotiation strategies
• An inquisitive leader with the ability to make quick, informed decisions even when dealing with ambiguity
• Ability to balance priorities in a dynamic, matrixed environment; willingness to take ownership, accept accountability, and thrive under pressure
• The ability to produce high quality risk analyses, compelling business cases, presentations intended for an executive level audience and to craft contract language / ground rules and assumptions that influence results with customers
• Ability to effectively interact at all levels within the organization and with external customers
• Comprehensive understanding of business systems, financial terms and metrics, and job connections across functions for efficient operations
• The desire to make a difference, be impactful and lead from the front
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, business systems and intelligence tools, and a proven ability to learn and continuously improve our use of systems, tools, policies and procedures

Requirements

• 10 – 15 years of Contracts experience with in-depth contract lifecycle management in a national security / aerospace and defense contracting environment across the acquisition phases with critical understanding of research and development, systems integration, production, and sustainment contracts across all contract types and contract vehicles; large program experience as both a prime contractor and subcontractor is required
• Strategic capture and proposal experience across a diverse set of customers and programs (hardware, software, services)
• 7+ years of experience directly leading Contracts professionals on high performing teams to effectively perform functional roles and responsibilities while developing talent for growing the pipeline; ability to assess future talent for hiring and retaining skillsets to fill gaps and positively contribute to our team culture; experience/emphasis on managing managers, senior level SMEs, and mentors to others preferred
• Additional years of relevant cross-functional experience within the national security or aerospace and defense industry preferred

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in relevant field of study required; advanced degree preferred and can be considered in lieu of 2 years of experience
• Professional Certifications (e.g. CFCM, CPCM, etc.) preferred

Additional requirements

Applicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance. Active Top Secret Clearance is required.

Pay

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $150,000.00 – $320,000.00. Salary is determined by role, level, location, and additional factors including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.