Sr. Principal Contract Specialist

About the Role

As a Sr. Principal Contract Specialist at Esri, you will manage a team of Contract Specialists and lead high-visibility, complex deals. This role involves advising leadership on critical business decisions, mentoring contract professionals, and driving process improvements across a collaborative organization. Esri offers a Relocation Assistance Program to support relocation to the Redlands, CA area for this position.

Why Join Esri’s Professional Services Team?

• Strategic Impact: Influence pricing, negotiations, and contract structures that directly support enterprise-level programs
• Leadership Opportunity: Manage, mentor, and guide a talented contracts team while elevating overall practices
• Variety & Challenge: Work across commercial, public sector, federal, and international agreements
• Collaborative Culture: Partner with legal, finance, and delivery teams in a highly supportive environment
• Mission-Driven Work: Contribute to technology that helps organizations solve real-world problems globally

Responsibilities

• Manage and mentor junior and mid-level contract professionals
• Lead the full lifecycle of complex services contracts—from RFP through negotiation, execution, and closeout
• Serve as a strategic advisor to leadership on contract structure, risk mitigation, and pricing strategy
• Navigate and resolve complex contractual issues across cross-functional teams
• Drive process improvements and best practices in contract management
• Support a diverse portfolio of agreements (commercial, public sector, federal, international)
• Apply knowledge of federal contracting frameworks (FAR/DFAR) where applicable

Requirements

• 12+ years of progressively complex contract administration experience
• Proven success negotiating and structuring a variety of agreement types
• Strong expertise in contract law, risk management, and procurement practices
• Demonstrated leadership experience, including mentoring and team development
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence across all levels
• US citizenship and ability and willingness to obtain a US Security Clearance
• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Legal Studies, Political Science, or a related field

Qualifications (Preferred)

• Experience with federal contracting regulations (FAR/DFAR, SBA, EAR, ITAR)
• Familiarity with large systems integrator agreements
• Knowledge of professional services, cloud, and software licensing terms
• Master's degree in Business Administration, Legal Studies, Political Science, Juris Doctorate, or related field

Benefits

• Industry-leading health and welfare benefits: medical, dental, vision
• Basic and supplemental life insurance for employees (and their families)
• 401(k) and profit-sharing programs
• Minimum accrual of 80 hours of vacation leave
• Twelve paid holidays throughout the calendar year
• Opportunities for personal and professional growth

Pay

A reasonable estimate of the base salary range is $100,880 USD - $212,160 USD. Compensation decisions take into account skill sets, experience, training, licensure, certifications, and business needs.

About Esri

At Esri, diversity is more than just a word—it’s a commitment to creating a workplace where employees of different experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds thrive. We believe in continuous learning, growth, and change to foster an inclusive environment where every employee can contribute to their best work. Esri is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.