Contracts Manager

Cantos Ventures; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity opportunity

Four weeks of PTO

Holidays

Health benefits

Parental leave

Fitness stipend

Onsite EV charging

Catered meals

Team dining during high-demand periods

Job summary

Castelion is seeking a Contracts Manager to lead administration and execution across a portfolio of U.S. Government contracts.

You will work with program managers, finance, legal, and engineering to interpret requirements and ensure timely delivery while maintaining compliance. The ideal candidate has strong knowledge of FAR/DFARS, proven negotiation skills, and the ability to manage multiple contracts in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years in U.S. Government contract administration or related field.
• Experience with DoD contracts or agreements.
• Knowledge of FAR/DFARS and government solicitations.
• Experience supporting proposal development and contract negotiations.
• Ability to manage multiple contracts in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written/verbal communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Own contract administration across multiple U.S. Government programs from award to closeout.
• Interface with Government Contracting Officers, Contract Specialists, DCMA, and other stakeholders.
• Collaborate with program managers to understand requirements, milestones, and deliverables.
• Review and negotiate contracts, OTAs, modifications, and related documents.
• Prepare proposals, RFIs/RFPs, and ensure requirements and risks are identified.
• Coordinate proposal preparation across departments and maintain compliance matrices.
• Interpret terms, FAR/DFARS clauses, SOWs, data rights, and invoicing requirements.
• Lead contract modifications, funding actions, and schedule changes.
• Track funding, ceilings, CLINs, performance periods, and milestones.
• Coordinate with finance for invoicing and funding management.
• Maintain audit-ready contract files and correspondence.
• Support compliance reviews, audits, and government interactions as applicable.
• Develop contracting processes, templates, and playbooks for growth.

Skills

Contract management

Proposal development

Negotiation

Communication

Analytical skills

Organizational skills

Security clearance readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Job description

Why Castelion, Why Now

Castelion is bringing a new approach to defense development and production, focused on rapid iteration, frequent testing, vertical integration, and modern manufacturing strategies for production at scale. We design, build, test, and produce next‑generation long‑range strike systems to strengthen America’s deterrence and give the United States and its Allies a decisive advantage.

Castelion is moving quickly from development into production and operational fielding. As our portfolio of U.S. Government programs continues to grow, we are seeking a Contracts Manager to help execute and administer these efforts at the speed required by the mission.

Contracts Manager

The Contracts Manager will be a key member of Castelion’s Government Programs organization and will be responsible for contract administration and execution across a portfolio of U.S. Government contracts and agreements.

This individual will work directly with program managers, business development, finance, legal, engineering, and government contracting counterparts to ensure Castelion understands and meets its contractual obligations while enabling programs to execute quickly and effectively.

The ideal candidate has strong working knowledge of U.S. Government contracting, can independently interpret contractual requirements, and is comfortable taking ownership of complex contract actions from proposal through negotiation, award, performance, modification, and closeout. This role requires someone who can balance sound contracting judgment and compliance with Castelion’s bias toward speed, simplicity, and execution.

Responsibilities

• Own contract administration across multiple U.S. Government programs from award through contract completion and closeout
• Serve as a primary contractual interface with Government Contracting Officers, Contract Specialists, DCMA personnel, and other acquisition stakeholders
• Partner closely with program managers to understand contractual requirements, milestones, deliverables, funding, and performance obligations and ensure successful execution
• Review and negotiate U.S. Government contracts, Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), modifications, task orders, delivery orders, and related agreements
• Review Requests for Proposal (RFPs), Requests for Information (RFIs), solicitations, and draft contractual documents to identify requirements, risks, and business implications
• Coordinate proposal preparation and submission across program management, engineering, finance, legal, supply chain, and business development
• Develop and maintain proposal compliance matrices, contractual assumptions, exceptions, representations and certifications, and other business volumes
• Review and interpret contract terms, FAR and DFARS clauses, statements of work, CDRLs, data rights requirements, invoicing requirements, and other contractual obligations
• Lead the preparation and negotiation of contract modifications, requests for equitable adjustment, funding actions, schedule changes, and other contract actions
• Track contract funding, ceilings, CLINs, period of performance, deliverables, options, and other key contractual milestones
• Coordinate with finance and program teams to ensure accurate and timely invoicing, payment, and funding management
• Establish and maintain complete, accurate, and audit‑ready contract files and correspondence
• Support contract compliance activities, Government reviews, audits, and interactions with DCMA, DCAA, and other Government organizations as applicable
• Support negotiation and administration of non‑disclosure agreements, teaming agreements, subcontracts, and supplier agreements when required
• Partner with legal counsel on complex regulatory, intellectual property, data rights, export control, disputes, and other legal matters
• Develop scalable contracting processes, templates, tools, and playbooks that enable Castelion to manage an expanding portfolio of Government programs without unnecessary bureaucracy
• Identify contractual risks early, develop practical mitigation strategies, and drive issues to resolution rather than simply identifying them
• Establish and maintain strong, trusted relationships with Government customers and contracting counterparts

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree
• 5+ years of experience in U.S. Government contract administration, contract management, acquisition, or a closely related field
• Experience administering Department of Defense contracts or agreements
• Working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS)
• Experience reviewing and interpreting Government solicitations, contracts, modifications, and contractual requirements
• Experience supporting proposal development and contract negotiations
• Demonstrated ability to independently manage multiple contracts and priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong written and verbal communication, organizational, analytical, and negotiation skills
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• 7+ years of Government contracts experience within aerospace, defense, advanced manufacturing, or another technically complex industry
• Experience managing contracts for weapon systems, aerospace systems, missiles, spacecraft, or other complex hardware development and production programs
• Experience with both traditional FAR-based contracts and nontraditional acquisition vehicles, including Other Transaction Agreements
• Experience with Firm-Fixed-Price, Cost-Reimbursement, Time-and-Materials, IDIQ, and other Government contract structures
• Experience supporting prototype development, flight test, production, and/ or operational fielding programs
• Experience with DoD proposal development, source selections, negotiations, contract awards, and post-award administration
• Knowledge of Government intellectual property and technical data rights requirements
• Familiarity with CDRLs, DD Form 1423, Government property, contract funding, invoicing, cost and pricing requirements, and Government reporting requirements
• Experience working directly with DCMA, DCAA, military Service contracting organizations, or other DoD acquisition organizations
• Familiarity with SBIR/STTR programs and Phase III awards
• Experience developing and implementing contracting processes within a rapidly growing organization
• Experience supporting classified programs
• NCMA certification, CPCM, CFCM, MBA, JD, or other relevant advanced degree or certification
• Active Secret, Top Secret, or TS/SCI security clearance

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits And Perks

• All full‑time employees are granted meaningful long‑term equity, sharing in the company’s significant growth trajectory.
• We offer four (4) weeks of paid time off.
• Ten (10) company‑paid holidays.
• Comprehensive health benefits - including 100% employee‑covered medical and strong dependent coverage, along with dental and vision plans.
• Paid parental leave to support growing families.
• A $100 monthly fitness stipend to promote health and performance.
• Onsite EV charging for convenience.
• Catered meals.
• Company‑covered food during high‑demand periods.
• Fully stocked kitchen to stay fueled throughout the day.

While this position does not currently require a U.S. government‑issued security clearance, it may in the near future. Therefore, the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government‑issued security clearance is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Affirmative Action/EEO Statement

Employment with Castelion is governed on the basis of competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.