Director of ContractsThis position is responsible for negotiating and managing Government and Commercial contracts including major contracts. Manages all phases of the contract administration process from inception through completion including preparing, reviewing, and approving contracts to ensure protection of the company's contractual posture, satisfaction of specifications and requirements, identification of risk factors, and adherence to company policy and applicable laws and regulations.
Fully remote in the US - Location is not a constraint. Reports to the Vice President of Contracts and Compliance.
Duties & Responsibilities- Lead contract negotiation, contract administration, and customer contract activities including preparing, reviewing, approving, and terminating contractual documents to provide for proper contract acquisition and fulfillment in accordance with company policies, legal and regulatory requirements, and customer requirements.
- Serve as principal negotiator or manage other negotiators on complex Government subcontracts and commercial agreements. Act as primary contact for assigned contracts. Represent the company with customers and government representatives.
- Review contracts and supporting documentation to identify problematic provisions and determine if minimum requirements are met.
- Contract Lifecycle Management:
- Reviewing the terms and conditions of customer RFPs/RFQs and purchase orders.
- Coordinate efforts across multiple business functions to ensure contract compliance.
- Manage assigned contracts through the Company's contract lifecycle management platform, including intake, routing, approval, execution, and record retention.
- Government Contracting:
- Analyze FAR/DFARS clause flow-downs for applicability and negotiating the deletion, modification, or substitution of clauses that do not apply or that impose unacceptable risk.
- Support commercial item and nontraditional defense contractor (NDC) determinations and assertions, including preparation of the supporting rationale provided to customers.
- Provide advice to the business regarding US Federal Contracting policies and regulations.
- Identify high level contractual issues, lead the development of solutions and provide guidance to management on resolving highly complex issues while ensuring the contract administration process supports the objectives of the program areas.
- Advise management of contractual rights, issues, and obligations and provide interpretation of terms and conditions.
- Ensure the company's proprietary interests are protected and that company policy is followed for processes such as, but not limited to, the review chain for reports, papers and articles.
- Draft, maintain, and improve company contract templates, standard terms and conditions, and supporting information.
- Remain current on Commercial/Government regulations and practices affecting contracts and related agreements.
- Occasional travel for customer meetings, negotiations, and Company site visits.
Required Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree in business, business law, or a related field. May substitute equivalent experience in lieu of education.
- Seven or more years of progressively complex experience in contracts, with at least three of those years as the lead negotiator on complex customer contracts. Demonstrated ownership of negotiations end to end is required.
- Experience in the manufacturing sector. Electronics, semiconductor, or components experience strongly preferred.
- Detailed and extensive technical expertise and application of Government/Commercial contract administration principles, concepts, and practices as well as comprehensive contract management and negotiation skills.
- Thorough understanding of applicable laws and regulations including Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and FAR supplements.
- Strong communication, leadership, interpersonal skills, and a high level of emotional intelligence are required to enable an effective interface with other departments, all levels of management, support staff, customers, and Government representatives.
- Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities in a fully remote role supporting multiple sites and business units.
- Must be a U.S. Person as defined at 22 C.F.R. 120.62.
Preferred Qualifications:- Sell-side (supplier-side) contracting experience.
- Direct experience negotiating with or for major defense prime contractors (e.g. Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, RTX, BAE).
- Experience supporting commercial item determinations and nontraditional defense contractor assertions.
- Familiarity with export control requirements and with CUI/CDI safeguarding obligations.
- Juris Doctor and/or active law license acceptable but not required.
