Blue Origin

Director - Contracts Management

Blue Origin$218K — $305K *
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Law, Contract Management, Finance, or related field.
  • 15 years of progressive contracts experience, including 10 years leading large teams within aerospace, defense, or government contracting.
  • Active Top Secret / SCI clearance required.
  • Expert-level knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and government acquisition regulations.
  • Extensive experience with complex government contracts and their negotiation.
  • Proven success with multi-program government contracts exceeding $500M in value.
  • Exceptional communication skills for complex contractual discussions at executive levels.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and mentor a substantial team of contract managers across various programs and business units.
  • Improve the structure, processes, and tools for the contracts function.
  • Define and execute a long-term strategy for customer contract management in line with company growth objectives.
  • Foster a culture of accountability and professional development within the contracts team.
  • Ensure compliance with U.S. government contracting regulations and standards.
  • Direct negotiation and administration of multiple contract types, including complex proposal preparations.
  • Oversee responses to government audits and ensure timely reporting to customers.

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long-term disability, and parental leave.
  • 401(k) with company match up to 5%.
  • Stock options available for all regular employees.
  • Up to four weeks of paid time off plus 14 company-paid holidays.
  • Education support program to encourage further learning and development.
Full Job Description
Application close date:
06/5/2026

This role is part of Blue Origin corporate functions, providing centralized support across Blue Origin business unit teams, functions, and locations.

We are seeking an exceptionally experienced and mission-driven Director of Contracts Management to lead our enterprise-wide customer contracting function. This is a senior leadership role, with direct responsibility for managing complex government and commercial contracts and leading a large, high-performing team of contract professionals across multiple programs and business units.

Position Summary

The Director of Contracts Management serves as the senior-most contracts executive responsible for the full lifecycle management of Blue Origin's customer contract portfolio. This position reports to the Sr. Director of IP and Contracts, in the Legal and Compliance Group.

The Director of Contracts Management will oversee all aspects of proposal development, contract negotiation, administration, compliance, and closeout - with particular emphasis on contracts held with agencies of the U.S. federal government, including NASA, DoD, Space Force, and other defense and civil space customers.

This individual will provide strategic direction, expert guidance, and hands-on leadership to a large team of contract managers and will serve as a key business partner to Program Management, Legal, Finance, Business Development, and Executive Leadership. This individual will thrive in a fast-paced, changing environment, and will maintain a focus to simplify (not complicate) contracting process and to deliver results.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership & Organizational Management
  • Lead, develop, mentor, and manage a large team of contract managers, senior contract managers, and contract administrators across multiple programs, sites, and business units
  • Establish and continuously improve the organizational structure, processes, tools (including a CLM software), staffing models, and performance standards for the contracts function
  • Define and execute the long-term strategy for customer contracts management aligned to Blue Origin's growth objectives and mission priorities
  • Build a culture of accountability, professional development, and mission focus within the contracts organization

Government Contracting Expertise & Compliance
  • Support matters related to U.S. government contracting regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), NASA FAR Supplement (NFS), and other applicable agency supplements
  • Support other Legal colleagues to ensure company-wide compliance with government contracting obligations, including cost accounting standards, and Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA/TINA successor provisions)
  • Direct the review, interpretation, negotiation, and administration of Cost-Plus, Fixed-Price, Time & Materials, IDIQ, OTA (Other Transaction Authority), and hybrid contract types
  • Oversee the preparation and submission of certified cost or pricing data, complex proposals, and technical/business volume inputs for major government procurements
  • Lead contractual responses to government audits and claims
  • Ensure timely and accurate reporting to government customers, including all deliverables, data rights notices, and regulatory certifications


Required Qualifications:
  • Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Law, Contract Management, Finance, or a related field from an accredited institution
  • Experience: Minimum 15 years of progressive contracts experience, including at least 10 years experience in leading a large team of contract managers (10+ professionals) within a major aerospace, defense, or government contracting organization
  • Security Clearance: Active (or immediately activable) Top Secret / SCI clearance required; must be willing and able to obtain and maintain SCI access and other program-specific clearances as required
  • Demonstrated expert-level knowledge of the FAR, DFARS, and other agency acquisition regulations
  • Extensive experience negotiating and administering complex government contracts across multiple contract types (CPFF, CPAF, FFP, T&M, IDIQ, OTA, etc.)
  • Proven track record of leading contracts organizations in support of large-scale, multi-program government programs in excess of $500M in annual contract value
  • Deep experience managing certified cost or pricing data requirements and interactions with DCAA and DCMA
  • Exceptional written and oral communication skills, with demonstrated ability to present complex contractual matters to executive and government audiences
  • Strong leadership presence with a demonstrated ability to build, grow, and inspire high-performing teams in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment


Preferred Qualifications:
  • Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Master's degree in Contract Management, Business, or related discipline
  • Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) or Federal Acquisition Certification for Contracting (FAC-C) at the Expert/Level III level


Security Clearance Notice:

This position requires an active Top Secret / Sensitive Compartmented Information (TS/SCI) security clearance. Candidates must be U.S. citizens and consent to a comprehensive background investigation. Continued employment in this role is contingent upon maintenance of required clearance and access levels. Certain program assignments may require additional polygraph examination or special access program (SAP) eligibility.

Compensation Range for:
WA applicants is $218,262.00 - $305,566.80

Other site ranges may differ

Culture Statement

Don't meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Blue Origin, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.

Export Control Regulations

Applicants for employment at Blue Origin must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.

Background Check
  • Required for all positions: Blue's Standard Background Check
  • Required for Certain Job Profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check if at any time the role requires one to be on a military installation
  • Required for Certain Job Profiles: Drivers who operate Commercial Motor Vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) or combination of power unit and trailer that meets or exceeds 10,001 lbs. and/or transports placardable amounts of hazardous materials by ground in any vehicle on a public road while in commerce, may be subject to additional Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations including: Driver Qualification Files, Medical Certification (obtained before onboarding), Road Test, Hours of Service, Drug and Alcohol Testing (CDL drivers only), vehicle inspection requirements, CDL requirements (if applicable) and hazardous materials transportation/shipping training.
  • Required for certain Job Profiles: Ability to obtain and maintain Merchant Mariner Credential, which includes pre-employment and random drug testing as well as DOT physical


Benefits
  • Benefits include: Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability, 401(k) with a company match of up to 5%, and an Education Support Program.
  • Stock Options for all regular employees (working at least 20 hours/week)
  • Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company-paid holidays.
  • Dependent on role type and job level, employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on the company's intent to reward individual contributions and enable them to share in the company's results, or other factors at the company's sole discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and subject to change and cancellation. Please check with your recruiter for more details.


About Blue Origin

Blue Origin is an aerospace company that develops rockets and spacecraft for commercial and government customers. The company's products include the New Shepard suborbital vehicle and the New Glenn orbital rocket. Blue Origin was founded in 2000 by Jeff Bezos and is headquartered in Kent, Washington.
Learn more about Blue Origin
Size
3,000 employees
Industry
Founded
2000

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