Government Contracts & Business Operations Manager

About the role

Role Summary
Silentium Defense is seeking a Government Contracts & Business Operations Manager to support its U.S. growth as a defense technology provider operating across both U.S. Government and commercial markets. This is a hands-on, accountability-driven role responsible for managing government and commercial contracts (FAR/DFARS-based) while also owning core business operations that ensure contracts are executed efficiently, compliantly, and on schedule. The ideal candidate has experience operating inside a small or mid-sized defense environment, balancing compliance rigor with execution speed.

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as the U.S. point of contact for government and commercial contracts administration.
• Interpret, apply, and manage FAR and DFARS clauses, including subcontractor flow-downs.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and administer NDAs, MSAs, Teaming Agreements, and subcontracts.
• Support capture and proposal efforts with compliance matrices, representations and certifications, and risk identification.
• Cover with legal, finance, and technical teams to ensure contract compliance and deliverables tracking.
• Maintain auditable contract files and support post-award administration and closeout.
• Serve as a bridge between U.S. and Australian teams.
• Coordinate with logistics, shipping, receiving, and inventory for demonstration systems.
• Support HR administrative functions including onboarding coordination and training scheduling.
• Coordinate customer visits, demonstrations, and field events.
• Improve internal processes supporting growth while maintaining compliance.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Contracts Management, Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Operations, Finance, or related field.
• 5+ years of experience in government contracts, defense operations, or a blended contracts/operations role.
• Working knowledge of FAR and DFARS.
• Experience managing NDAs, MSAs, teaming agreements, and subcontracts.
• Experience supporting U.S. Government and commercial customers.
• Strong organizational and documentation skills.
• Comfortable in a growth-stage defense environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 and CRM/business systems.
• U.S. Citizen with ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance or higher.

Preferred Education and Experience

• PREFERRED EDUCATION: Graduate-level coursework or degree (MBA or MS) in Contracts, Acquisition, or Business. DAU or NDMA government contracting coursework.
• PREFERRED CERTIFICATIONS: CPCM, CCCM, CFCM, or DAWIA Level I–II certification.
• PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: Capture support and subcontractor teaming strategies. Familiarity with ITAR/EAR compliance. Experience supporting international parent companies or distributed teams. Ability to travel 5–15%.

Why Join Us

Be part of building a U.S. operation from the ground up — with real influence, not red tape
Work in a high-trust, low-ego environment where people are empowered to own outcomes
Competitive salary and bonus structure
Meaningful work supporting defense and national security missions
Close collaboration with a technically strong, delivery-focused global team

About Silentium Defense

Silentium Defense is an Australian-founded defense technology company specializing in advanced sensing and situational awareness systems. We design and deliver capability that helps government and industry partners detect, understand, and respond to complex operational environments. Our technology is already in use across defense and national security programs, and we are now establishing our U.S. presence to support growing customer demand and long-term programs in the region. Our U.S. operations work closely with our Australian headquarters, combining deep technical expertise with a practical, delivery-focused mindset. We are a high-trust, low-ego organization. People here are trusted to do their job well, speak up when something doesn’t make sense, and focus on outcomes over optics. As we build our U.S. team, you’ll have genuine opportunity to shape systems, processes, and ways of working — not just inherit them.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Silentium Defense is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.