What is the Opportunity?Reporting directly to the Senior Director, Federal Compliance, the Director, Federal Customer Contracts leads the customer (prime) contracts function for Aecon's U.S. federal business, providing accurate and timely commercial and compliance guidance across the full contract lifecycle, consistent with Aecon and customer requirements, policies, and procedures. This is a hybrid role based out of Aecon's Charlotte, NC office. As part of a newly forming U.S. federal business sector, this position will develop, implement, and lead the processes and controls needed to ensure compliance - personally helping to assure compliance at the outset and, as the business sector grows, potentially adding direct reports to fully own it. This role is expected to evolve as the business sector evolves, and the successful candidate should be comfortable taking on other duties as assigned.
Citizenship - Due to U.S. government customer and program requirements, this position is open only to U.S. Citizens. Proof of U.S. citizenship is required and will be verified as a condition of employment. The successful candidate may also be required to satisfy additional program-specific background, access, or security-clearance requirements.
What You'll Do Here- Lead the federal customer contracts organization responsible for prime contracts, task orders, and related documents throughout the project lifecycle.
- Oversee, draft, review, negotiate, and drive to execution the documents involved in pursuing and delivering federal work, including requests for quotation (RFQs), requests for proposals (RFPs), teaming and pre-bid agreements, non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), master service agreements (MSAs), prime contracts, representations and certifications, and modifications - exhibiting exceptional attention to detail while providing practical analysis of inherent risks, mitigation strategies, and recommendations.
- Engage in front-end strategic assessment of bids and proposals, identifying significant or unusual financial, technical, and schedule risks while supporting overall program and company objectives.
- Develop pre-negotiation objectives and negotiation strategies; negotiate directly with government customers and industry peers and build trusting relationships internally and externally.
- Act as the point of contact to the client for contractual matters; prepare and manage timely contractual correspondence and notices in accordance with contractual notice timelines.
- Maintain current logs of all issues, change requests, and change orders, and ensure accurate issue files are maintained for each contract.
- Ensure required prime terms are appropriately flowed down to subcontracts and coordinate closely with the subcontracts function.
- Draft and maintain templates, policies, procedures, and training; provide contract administration presentations and workshops.
- Ensure the department maintains an accurate database of all executed contracts, modifications, and commercial issues.
- Serve as a liaison across Aecon's other business sectors, coordinating on federal contract requirements, standards, and best practices and supporting joint pursuits and shared learning; this will require periodic travel and both attending and delivering training.
- Develop talent and lead, mentor, and grow the contracts team; foster close working relationships with Legal, Compliance, Estimating, and Operations. Other duties as assigned.
What You Bring To The Team- Minimum 10 years of experience with a large federal services contractor in the industrial engineering, nuclear, or construction industries.
- Minimum 5 years of experience leading a contracts function within a cross-functional construction, engineering, or manufacturing setting.
- Bachelor's degree required; J.D., M.B.A., or advanced degree preferred.
- Exceptional knowledge of the FAR, DFARS, and DEAR.
- Experience with the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI), inclusive of Unclassified Controlled Nuclear Information (UCNI).
- Experience negotiating and drafting complex prime contracts in a corporate setting.
- Meticulous attention to detail, strong work ethic, and robust organizational skills.
- Excellent interpersonal, analytical, and communication skills (both oral and written); a proactive, critical thinker.
- Exceptional planning, time management, decision-making, and negotiation skills.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
- Aecon fosters diversity, inclusion and belonging within and across our organization. We consider all applicants for positions without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disabilities, veteran status, and all other characteristics protected by law.
