Job SummaryWe are seeking an Experienced Corporate Counsel, M&A to serve as a critical strategic advisor to our executive leadership team and lead executioner for our corporate development initiatives. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), you will quarterback complex buy-side and sell-side transactions from inception to integration, directly safeguarding and expanding our multi-million dollar federal revenue portfolio.
In this high-impact, in-house role, you will be responsible for translating complex legal risks into clear, actionable business intelligence for members of the C-Suite, enabling data-driven, strategic decision-making. Operating at the intersection of corporate law and federal procurement, you will navigate the unique regulatory complexities of a Large Business federal contractor, including FAR/DFARS compliance, SBA affiliation risks, and contract novations. If you are a seasoned transactional attorney with a sharp business acumen and a proven track record of successfully executing GovCon deals, this role offers the platform to directly shape our growth strategy and corporate footprint.
As with any position, additional expectations exist. Some of these include, but are not limited to, adhering to normal working hours, meeting deadlines, following company policies as outlined by the Employee Handbook, communicating regularly with assigned supervisor(s), staying focused on the assigned tasks, and completing other tasks as assigned.
Job DescriptionReporting Structure & Collaboration
- Direct Report: Reports directly to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO).
- Executive Advisory: Prepares and delivers comprehensive M&A transaction summaries, legal risk assessments, and financial exposure details to members of the C-Suite (COSS, COSD and CSO) for strategic decision-making purposes.
Main Duties
- Transaction Execution: Lead internal deal teams through all phases of buy-side and sell-side GovCon transactions.
- Contract Risk Mitigation: Review target companies' existing federal contract portfolios, evaluating Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) compliance, subcontracting plans, and active industrial security requirements.
- Novation Strategy: Author, coordinate, and submit complex novation agreement packages to Administrative Contracting Officers (ACOs) to legally transfer acquired federal contracts without breaching anti-assignment statutes.
- Internal Business Advisory: Partner directly with the Executive Team, Corporate Development, and Business Unit leads to assess the strategic fit and regulatory risks of potential acquisitions.
- Outside Counsel Management: Direct and manage external law firms and specialized GovCon consultants to control legal spending and ensure transaction deadlines are met.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Deal Velocity & Efficiency: Time-to-close metrics on targeted acquisitions, ensuring legal milestones are met without causing project friction or deal fatigue.
- C-Suite Reporting Accuracy: Quality, clarity, and timeliness of executive briefs and executive-level transaction risk matrices provided to the CEO and C-Suite.
- Regulatory Compliance Post-Closing: Zero post-transaction compliance penalties or contract losses stemming from undisclosed FAR, DFARS, or SBA affiliation risks.
- Novation Success Rate: Average time required to obtain signed novation agreements from federal Administrative Contracting Officers (ACOs) following a transaction closing.
- Legal Budget Efficiency: Management of outside counsel spend relative to the established legal budget for each individual M&A transaction.
Required Skills and Qualifications- Education: Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school.
- Licensure: Active member in good standing with a state bar; eligible for local In-House Counsel Licensure if relocating.
- Experience: 8 to 12+ years of corporate transactional experience, blending initial training at a major law firm ("BigLaw") with meaningful corporate in-house experience at a large federal contractor.
- Core Knowledge: Advanced fluency in the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Small Business Administration (SBA) size affiliation rules, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and organizational conflicts of interest (OCI).
- Security Clearance: Ability to obtain or maintain an active U.S. Security Clearance (Secret or Top Secret) based on the company's classified contract pipeline.
- If applicable: If you are or have been recently employed by the U.S. government, a post-employment ethics letter will be required if employment with VSolvit is offered
