Contracts Manager

AeroVironment, Inc.; Virginia; On-site; USD 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. in Virginia is seeking a Contracts Manager to lead complex contract management for aerospace projects and to partner with legal, finance, procurement, and engineering to streamline workflows and mitigate risks throughout the contract lifecycle.

The role requires 6–8 years of aerospace/defense contracting experience, strong drafting and negotiation skills, and knowledge of FAR/DFAR and DoD regulations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field or equivalent education/training/experience.
• 6-8 years' experience in aerospace/defense/government contracting environment.
• U.S. Security Clearance (Secret minimum; Top Secret preferred).
• Knowledge of Federal and International regulations and related legal concepts.
• Experience in international and DoD/Federal prime government contract administration/management.
• Ability to work autonomously and communicate risks to management.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with Operations, Contracts, Sales, Strategy, Marketing, Finance, and Legal on bid and proposal prep and contract negotiations.
• Manage contract lifecycle including modifications, close-outs, and program support for multi-year contracts.
• Draft, evaluate, negotiate various agreements (NDAs, Sales/Purchase Agreements, Subcontracts, etc.).
• Ensure agreements/terms comply with applicable regulations and company policies.
• Coordinate flow-downs of terms with all functions including PM, engineering, finance, etc.
• Liaise with DCMA and other audit agencies; may lead audits.
• Maintain accurate contract files and data in business systems.
• Prepare reports and participate in status reviews.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Security clearance (Secret min)

FAR/DFAR knowledge

Contract drafting & negotiation

Interpersonal & communication skills

Risk communication

Aerospace/defense contracting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field

Equivalent combination of education, training, and experience

Job description

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

Summary

The Contracts Manager position requires complex thinking skills, with a deep understanding of contract management processes and regulations as they pertain to complex aerospace projects. As a Contracts Manager you will partner closely with cross-functional teams, including legal, finance, procurement, and engineering, to streamline contract workflows and mitigate risks. Your expertise will be essential in evaluating contract performance, managing relationships, and ensuring the execution of agreements that support business goals. The Contracts Manager develops the bid, capture and contract negotiation processes and documents, and then ensures efficient performance throughout the contract's lifecycle, supporting amendments and interpretations as necessary.

Position Responsibilities

• Work closely with Operations, the Contracts team and other functions including Sales, Strategy and Marketing, Finance, and the Legal team on bid and proposal preparation, contract negotiation, contract review and administration for new and sustaining products and services.
• Perform contract management and administrative duties throughout the contract lifecycle including, but not limited to, proposal review and preparation, leading pre and post award negotiations, executing contract modifications, initiating contract close-outs and providing overall contracts support to programs with complex, multi-year contracts
• Responsible for drafting, evaluating, negotiating various agreements such as, Non-Disclosure Agreements, Sales/Purchase Agreements, Subcontracts, Consulting Agreements, License Agreements, Master Agreements, and other Contractual agreements, such as FAR based contracts, OTAs, etc.
• Responsible for ensuring that agreements/terms and conditions comply with all applicable regulations and requirements, while also adhering to company policies.
• Manage and monitor the performance of long-term contracts and agreements. Analyze and concisely summarize contractual obligations, commitments, and performance for internal stakeholders. Analyze the impact of modifications and revisions to contract terms and prepare recommendations and risk reviews for management
• Coordinate flow-downs of terms and conditions with all functional departments including program management, engineering, product support, finance, quality, supply chain management, manufacturing, as required.
• Liaison with Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) and other audit agencies. Additionally, may lead audits both internal and external to the company.
• Oversee maintenance of accurate files for each contract which will include original contract, all correspondences, changes/deviations, modifications/amendments, clarifications, etc.
• Review uploaded contracts related data in business systems to ensure data is accurate and complete.
• Oversee maintenance and retrieval of contract documents/files and validated data, preparation of reports and participation in status reviews
• Other duties, as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• Minimum of 6-8 years' experience performing duties and responsibilities in an aerospace/defense/ government contracting environment
• Presently hold a U.S. Security Clearance (Secret is the minimum, a Top Secret is preferred).
• Current expertise in Federal and International regulations, and relevant legal concepts
• Significant experience in directly related International and DoD/Federal prime government contract administration/management.
• Demonstrates the ability to work autonomously while exercising sound judgment in seeking support and proactively elevating risks and issues.
• Entrepreneurial focus and ability to thrive and excel in a dynamic and technically focused environment.
• Demonstrated business acumen with experience in developing innovative solutions and a successful record of problem solving.
• An ability to translate between business and technical risk and communicate clearly to leadership.
• Proven Contract Drafting and Negotiation skills.
• FAR/DFAR knowledge; OTA knowledge, working knowledge of US Government acquisition laws and regulations
• Broad experience with a variety of contract types: firm fixed price, cost-type, commercial/non-commercial, production, development, and sustainment
• Broad experience with license, non-disclosure and teaming agreements
• Demonstrated applied knowledge with the requirements of Truthful Cost or Pricing Data (ie FAR Part 15)
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written, verbal, and presentation).
• Demonstrated capability working successfully in a collaborative environment that inspires confidence in co-workers and customers.

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Federal Contract Manager