Job TitleDirector of Contracting
AgencyTexas A&M Engineering
DepartmentVice Chancellor Engineering
Proposed Minimum SalaryCommensurate
Job LocationBryan, Texas
Job TypeStaff
Job DescriptionThe Director of Contracting serves as INSPIRE Alliance's senior contracting professional and leads the development and administration of the contracting infrastructure needed to support applied national security research, engineering, and technology transition.
Under the general direction of the Chief Financial Officer, the Director manages the full lifecycle of federal contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, subcontracts, and industry teaming arrangements. The Director establishes contracting practices that support timely execution, sound risk management, and compliance with applicable award terms and acquisition requirements.
Working with executive leadership, finance, business development, program managers, principal investigators, and institutional partners, the Director translates opportunities into executable agreements, clarifies contractual obligations, and supports accountable performance from proposal through closeout.
Responsibilities:Contract Strategy and Lifecycle Management- Lead the review, drafting, negotiation, administration, modification, and closeout of prime contracts, subcontracts, grants, cooperative agreements, and teaming arrangements; coordinate execution by appropriately authorized officials.
- Serve as the principal contracting interface with government contracting personnel, industry partners, and institutional counterparts, consistent with assigned authority.
- Evaluate terms and conditions, funding limitations, deliverables, milestones, reporting requirements, payment provisions, intellectual property and data rights, publication provisions, and termination exposure.
- Manage contract actions, including modifications, options, task orders, funding changes, extensions, and closeout; maintain complete records of approvals and commitments.
- Provide clear guidance on contractual obligations and promptly elevate material performance, funding, compliance, or business risks to executive leadership.
Federal Acquisition and Compliance- Assess the applicability of federal acquisition requirements, including FAR, DFARS, Cost Accounting Standards, and other sponsor requirements; coordinate specialized interpretation with legal and compliance personnel.
- Develop solicitation and award compliance reviews, clause matrices, representations and certifications, and subcontract flow-down requirements appropriate to each agreement.
- Coordinate with research security, export control, information technology, legal, and compliance personnel to address contractual security, controlled information, cybersecurity, export, and foreign involvement requirements before commitments are made.
- Support contract reviews, audits, sponsor inquiries, and corrective actions with organized documentation and timely responses.
Proposal and Business Development Support- Partner with business development and technical teams to evaluate opportunity eligibility, acquisition pathways, contractual requirements, teaming structures, and execution readiness.
- Review solicitation instructions and contractual submission requirements; coordinate required approvals, exceptions, and clarifications before proposal submission.
- Work with the Chief Financial Officer and Controller on pricing assumptions, contract type, billing terms, funding exposure, indirect cost treatment, and financial feasibility.
- Negotiate confidentiality agreements, teaming agreements, and related pre-award instruments in coordination with legal counsel and authorized signatories.
Subcontracts and Partner Agreements- Establish subcontract and partner agreement processes that document scope, deliverables, funding, applicable clauses, reporting, and performance expectations.
- Coordinate partner due diligence, required reviews, negotiation, modifications, monitoring, and closeout with technical, finance, procurement, and compliance personnel.
Contracting Infrastructure and Organizational Transition- Develop contracting policies, procedures, templates, approval workflows, records standards, and a central agreement repository to support a growing award portfolio.
- Coordinate with designated Texas A&M University System and TEES personnel to define responsibilities, routing, approvals, and handoffs under applicable service arrangements.
- Build scalable contracting capabilities and support the potential transition of contracting functions and personnel to direct INSPIRE Alliance operations, subject to approved plans and delegations.
- Implement practical tracking for pending actions, deadlines, deliverables, funding, and contractual risks; train staff and supervise contracting personnel as positions are established.
- Perform other related contracting duties assigned by the Chief Financial Officer.
What We Need:- Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, law, finance, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience consistent with applicable employment requirements.
- Ten years of progressively responsible contracting experience, including substantial experience negotiating and administering federal contracts and complex agreements.
What Is Helpful:- Demonstrated experience interpreting solicitations and award terms, assessing contractual risk, and coordinating with technical, finance, legal, and compliance teams.
- Experience supporting defense, national security, sponsored research, or nonprofit contracting environments strongly preferred.
- Experience developing contracting procedures, leading teams, or establishing contracting systems preferred. An advanced degree or relevant professional contracting certification is preferred.
Knowledge Skills and Abilities:- Strong knowledge of federal contracting practices, applicable acquisition requirements, contract types, subcontract administration, and proposal compliance.
- Ability to negotiate complex agreements, explain obligations clearly, exercise sound judgment, and escalate issues requiring executive or legal decisions.
- Ability to establish efficient workflows, maintain accurate records, manage competing deadlines, and collaborate across government, academia, and industry.
- Professional discretion and commitment to ethical contracting, confidentiality, and appropriate separation of approval responsibilities.
Other Requirements:- Security Clearance: Eligibility required for assignments requiring access; active clearance strongly preferred
- Ability to work on-site in College Station, Texas, and travel as required by organizational needs.
- Ability to satisfy security and access requirements applicable to assigned work and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.
- Willingness to support the development of INSPIRE Alliance's independent contracting capabilities and the potential transition to direct corporate employment.
Work Location:Texas A&M Engineering provides an outstanding benefits package including but not limited to:- Competitive medical insurance benefits through Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas and Prescription coverage by Express Scripts.
- Options for Vision, Dental, Life, and Long-Term Disability insurance.
- A defined benefit retirement plan with the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) with 8.25% employer contribution.
- Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Deferred Account 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation Program 457(b).
- Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
- Generous paid time off with holidays, vacation and sick leave.
- Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional development opportunities.
- Tuition assistance and Educational release time to further your academic pursuits.
- Access to Engineer Your Wellness programs that provide opportunities for employees to engage in health and fitness.
- Wellness release time offered to employees to promote work/life balance.
Helpful Applicant InformationRequired Materials for Application:- Resume/CV
- Three work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor/former supervisor.
- Letter of interest
Applications received by Texas A&M Engineering must have all required job application data entered.
Failure to provide all job application data could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application.
Compensation Philosophy:- Recruit and retain a high-performing workforce through competitive compensation and career development including career pathing, coaching and skills development.
- Recognize and reward exceptional performance based on individual and team contributions to the growth and success of Texas A&M Engineering.
- Offer total rewards through flexible benefits, professional development, and work-life balance. Maintain an equitable and transparent process for compensation decisions.
- Support, reinforce, and align compensation decisions with budgetary and financial strategies to ensure growth and sustainability.
