SAIC

Senior Contracts Principal

SAIC • $120K — $160K *
US-AnywhereRemote in Alabama, US
Aerospace & Defense
11 - 15 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree plus 15+ years of federal contracts experience, or Master's with 13+ years, or PhD/JD with 10+ years; additional experience may substitute for degree.
  • Extensive experience with FFP and FPIF contract types in high-dollar federal programs; proficiency in FAR required.
  • Leadership skills as a strategic advisor with a solid track record in negotiation under pressure.
  • Exceptional communication abilities to simplify complex contractual topics for diverse stakeholders.
  • Strong problem-solving skills with a focus on compliance and risk management.
  • US citizenship required.
  • Preferred certifications: CPCM or CFCM.

Responsibilities

  • Administer complex contracts throughout their lifecycle, ensuring compliance with regulations and obligations.
  • Review, interpret, and negotiate contract terms, identifying risks and proposing mitigation strategies.
  • Maintain contract integrity by ensuring alignment of deliverables and responsibilities with program requirements.
  • Track and manage contract changes, ensuring timely implementation and resolution of issues.
  • Support audits and compliance assessments, maintaining alignment on contractual expectations.
  • Guide proposal activities to align with regulatory requirements and SAIC's competitive advantage.
  • Lead negotiation strategies to resolve contractual issues and strengthen client relationships.

Benefits

  • 100% remote work opportunity from anywhere in the U.S.
  • Potential occasional travel to Reston, VA.
  • Collaborative work environment leveraging cross-functional expertise.
  • Continuous professional development within the high-stakes federal contracting landscape.
  • Access to innovative contract management and proposal quality improvement practices.
Full Job Description
Job Description

Description

SAIC is seeking a Senior Contracts Principal to lead the preparation, negotiation, and administration of large-scale Firm Fixed Price (FFP) and defined-delivery federal government contracts. This role not only ensures compliance with company policies, legal requirements, and customer specifications but also plays a critical role in guiding contractual strategies that align with program objectives and business outcomes.

The ideal candidate will be well-versed in federal contract and proposal management processes and serves as a strategic advisor to Program Managers, senior leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders across SAIC. The role requires advanced knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), proposal strategy, and financial analysis to solve complex challenges and contribute to business growth.

This role is 100% remote and can be worked from anywhere within the United States. Travel to Reston, VA may be required at times.

PrimaryJob Responsibilities:

Contract Management
  • Administer complex contracts throughout their lifecycle, including acquisition, baseline management, execution, and closeout, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations (FAR/DFARS), company policies, and contractual obligations.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert in reviewing, interpreting, and negotiating contract terms and conditions; proactively identify areas of risk, develop mitigation strategies, and propose solutions to protect SAIC's financial interests.
  • Maintain the integrity of the contract baseline, including deliverables, responsibilities, and key milestones; brief program staff to ensure operational alignment with contractual requirements.
  • Track, manage, and communicate contract changes, modifications, and obligations to ensure accurate implementation and timely resolution of issues.
  • Support audits, contract data requests, and compliance assessments as needed, ensuring internal and external alignment on contractual expectations.
Proposal Development
  • Evaluate and guide proposal activities in collaboration with Program Managers, capture teams, and pricing analysts; ensure proposals meet regulatory and contractual requirements while optimizing for SAIC's competitive advantage.
  • Draft proposal-specific terms and conditions, identify risk areas, and lead the development of creative solutions for proposal submissions.
  • Support the negotiation and finalization of contract awards, ensuring changes in scope or pricing are documented and aligned with proposal assumptions.
Negotiation & Business Strategy
  • Lead the resolution of complex contractual issues by developing comprehensive negotiation strategies tailored to balancing customer and company priorities.
  • Engage directly with Federal clients to negotiate terms, resolve disputes, and strengthen customer relationships, applying expertise in conflict resolution, negotiation techniques, and financial modeling (e.g., margin analysis, burn-rate projections).
  • Work as a trusted business partner to Program Managers by conducting detailed program risk assessments, providing financial insights, and crafting agreements that address performance, cost, and schedule requirements.
  • Leverage financial and contractual acumen to evaluate impacts of proposed changes and recommend revised positions that protect SAIC's financial health and align with program goals.
Collaboration & Communication
  • Collaborate cross-functionally across SAIC to align proposal, contract, and program activities with overall business and financial strategies.
  • Synthesize and effectively communicate complex legal, financial, and programmatic topics to diverse stakeholders, including senior leadership, program staff, legal, finance, and external customers.
  • Proactively share best practices and innovative solutions to consistently enhance processes related to contract management, compliance, and proposal quality.

Qualifications

Qualifications:
  • Education and Experience: Bachelors and fifteen (15) or more years of federal contracts/contract management experience; OR Master's degree and 13+ years of experience; OR PhD/JD and 10+ years of experience. Additional 4 years of related professional experience may be substituted in lieu of degree.
  • Technical Knowledge: Extensive experience negotiating and managing a variety of contract types, including FFP and FPIF, across high-dollar federal programs. Proficiency in FAR and federal procurement processes required.
  • Leadership: Strategic thinker with proven ability to act as a business advisor, build stakeholder relationships, and drive impactful negotiations under tight deadlines.
  • Communication: Exceptional written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to synthesize complex contractual and financial topics into clear, actionable insights.
  • Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to independently resolve complex contractual and financial issues while managing compliance and risk.
  • US citizenship.
  • Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM) or Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) preferred.

Target salary range: $120,001 - $160,000. The estimate displayed represents the typical salary range for this position based on experience and other factors.

Overview

SAIC accepts applications on an ongoing basis and there is no deadline.

About SAIC

Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) is a technology integrator in the technical, engineering, intelligence, and enterprise information technology markets. SAIC has approximately 26,000 employees and operates in more than 70 countries. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Reston, Virginia. SAIC provides services to the U.S. government, including the Department of Defense, the intelligence community, and civilian agencies. The company also serves commercial customers in the healthcare, energy, and financial services sectors.
Learn more about SAIC
Size
26,000 employees
Market Cap
$6 billion
Industry
Net Income
$206 million
Founded
1969
5 Year Trend
+10.7%
Revenue
$6.8 billion
NASDAQ

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