Senior Manager, Contracts

Responsibilities

• Pre-Award Review and analyze RFPs, RFIs, draft solicitations, and other government procurement actions, identifying key terms, risks, and compliance requirements.
• Support proposal development, including preparation of representations and certifications, review of terms and conditions, and input on cost and pricing volumes from a contracts perspective.
• Advise the proposal and business development team on contract structure, risk, and strategy during the capture and proposal process, including educating business development personnel on the advantages, disadvantages, and risk profiles of different contract types (e.g., FFP, CPFF, CPAF, T&M, IDIQ) to support informed pursuit decisions.
• Identify and flag organizational conflicts of interest and other eligibility or compliance considerations during opportunity assessment.
• Award and Negotiation Review and negotiate contract terms and FAR/DFARS clauses with government Contracting Officers.
• Career Development and Management Coordinate internal review and approval of contract documents prior to execution.
• Ensure contracts are properly recorded, distributed, and set up for performance tracking.
• Post-Award Administration Serve as the primary point of contact with government Contracting Officers and CORs for assigned contracts.
• Manage contract modifications, change orders, option exercises, incremental funding actions, and other post-award contract actions.
• Track and manage CDRLs, deliverable schedules, and other contractual performance obligations.
• Monitor contract performance for scope, funding, and schedule risks, including identification and escalation of issues such as scope creep, constructive changes, and unauthorized commitments.
• Prepare and submit contract correspondence, including cure notices, show cause responses, requests for equitable adjustment, and other formal communications.
• Support claims analysis, preparation, and resolution in coordination with attorneys within the Legal Department.
• Ensure appropriate FAR/DFARS flowdowns in subcontracts and supplier agreements.
• Compliance and Audit Support Maintain contract files in audit-ready condition in accordance with applicable record retention requirements.
• Serve as the initial point of contact for routine DCAA and DCMA interactions, audits, and information requests.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for routine DCAA and DCMA interactions, audits, and information requests.
• Support compliance with cost accounting standards, Truth in Negotiations Act requirements, and other regulatory obligations applicable to government contractors.
• Track and ensure timely completion of compliance-driven reporting and filing obligations tied to contract performance.
• Closeout Manage contract closeout procedures, including final deliverable verification, property disposition, release of claims, deobligation of excess funds, and coordination with finance on final invoicing and reconciliation.

Qualifications

• The successful candidate will be an experienced contracts professional who combines deep, hands-on DoD contract administration expertise with the judgment and leadership ability needed to build and manage a team.
• This person must be equally comfortable personally managing a portfolio of government contracts—including direct engagement with Contracting Officers—and standing up the processes, people, and structure needed to scale a contracts function.
• Strong interpersonal skills are essential: this role requires close collaboration with program managers, engineers, business development, finance, and legal colleagues, and the ability to translate complex contracting concepts into practical guidance for non-contracts stakeholders.
• Bachelor's degree required.
• 10+ years of experience in DoD contract administration, with direct responsibility for managing government contracts through the full acquisition lifecycle.
• Active U.S. security clearance required (Secret minimum).
• Demonstrated experience as a primary contracts point of contact with government Contracting Officers.
• Experience managing, mentoring, or building a contracts team, or demonstrated readiness to do so (e.g., training junior staff, leading contract administration workstreams, or standing up new processes in a growing organization).
• Strong working knowledge of the FAR, DFARS, and applicable agency-specific regulatory supplements.
• Experience with a range of government contract types, including firm-fixed-price, cost-plus-fixed-fee, cost-plus-award-fee, time-and-materials, and indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contracts, and the ability to advise internal stakeholders on the practical implications of each.
• Experience supporting proposals and the pre-award process, including review of solicitations and preparation of representations and certifications.
• Experience with contract modifications, change orders, REAs, and contract closeout.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and communicate directly with government counterparts without close supervision.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with experience drafting formal contract correspondence.
• Proficiency with contract management systems and tools, SAM.gov, and Microsoft Office.