Director, Contracts & Compliance (Aerospace & Defense)

Monarch Space Systems, Inc.

Cleveland (OH)

On-site

USD 150,000 - 220,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan with employer 5

Paid time off and federal holidays

Professional development support

Parking or transit subsidy

Performance incentive eligibility

Leadership role in contracts infrastr

Job summary

Monarch Space Systems, Inc. is seeking a Director of Contracts & Compliance in Cleveland to oversee federal contract management, compliance, and export control for aerospace programs. This onsite role partners with CFO/COO and program teams to ensure NASA/DoD prime contracts readiness.

The ideal candidate has 10+ years in federal contracts, strong FAR/DFARS knowledge, and ITAR/EAR export compliance experience, with leadership across prime and subcontracts.

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Law, Business, or related field; J.D. or advanced degree preferred.
10+ years of federal contracts management experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced technology.
Comprehensive knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and government contract law.
Demonstrated ITAR / EAR export compliance program management experience.
Experience managing both prime contracts and subcontract structures.

Responsibilities

Lead contract administration across prime contracts, subcontracts, and teaming agreements for aerospace programs.
Ensure compliance with FAR, DFARS, NASA FAR Supplement (NFS), and agency supplements.
Develop and maintain export compliance programs including ITAR/EAR classification and training.
Advise leadership and program teams on rights, obligations, risks, and opportunities.
Manage CDRL deliverable compliance, contract modifications, and customer correspondence.
Lead contract review processes and author institutional terms and templates.
Develop and maintain compliance policies, procedures, and internal audit mechanisms.
Coordinate with CFO on contract financial controls and DCAA audit preparation.
Support capture and proposal teams with contract risk analysis and teaming agreements.

Skills

Contract management

Regulatory compliance

Export control

FAR knowledge

DFARS knowledge

ITAR/EAR knowledge

Team leadership

Contract negotiations

Education

Bachelor's degree in Law, Business, or related field; J.D. preferred

Job description

Director, Contracts & Compliance (Aerospace & Defense)

Cleveland, OH (Onsite Strongly Preferred) Full-Time Phased hiring based on investment timing and/or contract award Legal & Contracts $150,000–$220,000 base + performance incentive eligibility

About the Role

Monarch Space Systems seeks a Director of Contracts & Compliance to serve as the institutional authority on federal contract management, regulatory compliance, and export control for aerospace and defense programs. This role is central to prime contractor readiness and the organization's ability to execute under NASA, DoD, and defense prime teaming agreements. The Director will report directly to executive leadership and partner cross-functionally with the CFO, COO, and program management teams. Primary location is Cleveland, Ohio.

Responsibilities

Lead all contract administration activities across prime contracts, subcontracts, and teaming agreements for aerospace programs
Ensure institutional compliance with FAR , DFARS , NASA FAR Supplement ( NFS ), and applicable agency supplements
Develop and maintain export compliance program including ITAR / EAR classification, license determination, and training
Advise executive leadership and program teams on contractual rights, obligations, risks, and opportunities
Manage CDRL deliverable compliance, contract modifications, and customer correspondence
Lead contract review processes and author institutional contract terms and templates
Develop and maintain compliance policies, procedures, and internal audit mechanisms
Coordinate with CFO on contract financial controls and DCAA audit preparation
Support capture and proposal teams with contract risk analysis and teaming agreement structuring for space systems pursuits
Interface with government contracting officers and prime contractor legal/contracts teams

Ideal Candidate Profile

Bachelor's degree in Law, Business, or related field; J.D. or advanced degree preferred
10+ years of federal contracts management experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced technology
Comprehensive knowledge of FAR, DFARS , and government contract law
Demonstrated ITAR / EAR export compliance program management experience
Experience managing both prime contracts and subcontract structures

The qualifications above describe the ideal candidate profile for this position — not an inflexible checklist. Monarch Space Systems evaluates the whole of a candidate's experience, judgment, and mission alignment, and welcomes a conversation with individuals of exceptional ability whose backgrounds differ from the profile in some respects. Certain criteria — including U.S. citizenship and export-control (ITAR/EAR) eligibility, where stated — are legal mandates and cannot be waived.

Preferred Qualifications

NCMA CPCM or CFCM certification
Experience with classified contract environments and CUI handling requirements
CMMC and cybersecurity compliance familiarity from a contracts perspective
Track record supporting institutional growth in government contracting for aerospace systems

This position may require eligibility to access controlled or proprietary information and may be subject to confidentiality and employment agreements, including an NDA and role‑specific restrictive covenants, in accordance with applicable laws.