Contract Manager

PDS Defense; California (MO); On-site; USD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

PDS Defense is seeking an experienced Contracts Manager to oversee the full lifecycle of aerospace contracts, ensuring compliance and value across commercial and government work. You will craft, review, and negotiate agreements while coordinating with Legal, Supply Chain, Engineering, and Finance teams.

The role emphasizes minimizing risk and maximizing contract performance, with strong drafting, negotiation, and CLM proficiency required to support both government and commercial programs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Legal Studies, Supply Chain, or related field.
• 5+ years of Contracts Management experience within an Aerospace Manufacturing environment.
• Experience with customer, supplier, and vendor contracts.
• Strong drafting and negotiation skills.
• Experience with CLM systems.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management.

Responsibilities

• Manage the entire contract lifecycle from proposal through closeout.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and administer customer, supplier, vendor, and NDA agreements.
• Collaborate with Legal, Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance, and Program Management.
• Ensure compliance with contract terms, regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• Identify contractual risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Monitor milestones, deliverables, amendments, renewals, and expirations.
• Support government and commercial aerospace contracts.
• Interpret contract language and communicate obligations internally.
• Resolve contract disputes and modifications.
• Maintain accurate contract documentation and records.
• Assist with audits and compliance reviews.
• Provide guidance on FAR, DFARS, ITAR, EAR when applicable.

Skills

Contracts Negotiation

Contract Administration

Aerospace Manufacturing

Government & Commercial Contracts

Compliance Management

Legal Documentation

Contract Lifecycle Management

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Legal Studies, Supply Chain or related field

Tools

SAP

Oracle

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Contracts Manager with a strong background in aerospace manufacturing to oversee the complete lifecycle of commercial and government contracts. This role is responsible for drafting, reviewing, negotiating, administering, and closing contracts while ensuring compliance with company policies, customer requirements, and applicable regulations.

The ideal candidate will have experience supporting aerospace manufacturing operations and managing contracts with customers, vendors, suppliers, and strategic partners. This individual will minimize legal and financial risk while maximizing the value of contractual relationships.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the entire contract lifecycle from proposal through contract closeout.
• Draft, review, negotiate, and administer customer, supplier, vendor, subcontractor, and non-disclosure agreements.
• Collaborate with Legal, Supply Chain, Engineering, Manufacturing, Finance, and Program Management teams.
• Ensure compliance with contract terms, regulatory requirements, and company policies.
• Identify contractual risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Monitor contract performance, milestones, deliverables, amendments, renewals, and expiration dates.
• Support government and commercial aerospace contracts.
• Interpret contract language and communicate obligations to internal stakeholders.
• Resolve contractual disputes and negotiate contract modifications.
• Maintain accurate contract documentation and records.
• Assist with audits and compliance reviews.
• Provide guidance on FAR, DFARS, ITAR, EAR, and aerospace contractual requirements when applicable.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Finance, Legal Studies, Supply Chain, or related field.
• 5+ years of Contracts Management experience within an Aerospace Manufacturing environment.
• Experience managing customer, supplier, and vendor contracts.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple contracts simultaneously.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience supporting aerospace OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers.
• Knowledge of FAA, DoD, FAR, DFARS, ITAR, and export compliance.
• Experience working in a manufacturing or production environment.
• NCMA certification (CPCM, CFCM, or CCCM) is a plus.
• Experience with SAP, Oracle, or other ERP/contract management systems.

Desired Skills

• Contract Negotiation
• Contract Administration
• Aerospace Manufacturing
• Government & Commercial Contracts
• Compliance Management
• Legal Documentation
• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM)
• Cross-functional Collaboration

Must-Have Requirement

Candidates must have recent experience working as a Contracts Manager in an Aerospace Manufacturing environment. Experience supporting aerospace manufacturing operations is required.