Manager Contract Administration 1

Northrop Grumman; Plymouth (MN); On-site; USD 95,000 - 158,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Savings plan

Paid time off

Job summary

Northrop Grumman in Plymouth, MN is seeking a Manager, Contract Administration 2 to lead a contracts team, drive strategy, ensure compliance and manage risk across DoD and international programs. This 100% on-site role may align with production or development contracts depending on background.

The role requires strong negotiation, excellent oral and written communication, and ability to coordinate with Program Management, Engineering, and Legal.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; 6+ years experience or Master's 4+ years in federal government contracts
• Expert knowledge of FAR and DFARS
• Strong proposal development, pricing, terms, risk identification

Responsibilities

• Lead Contracts team, hire, train, and manage workloads
• Negotiate and administer DoD and commercial contracts of varying sizes
• Coordinate with Program Management, Engineering, Legal, and Supply Chain
• Advise on contract strategy, compliance, and risk management

Skills

Negotiation

Communication

Leadership

Risk management

Contract management

DoD regulations

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field

Master's degree (preferred)

Tools

Excel

PowerPoint

Word

SharePoint

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: No relocation assistance available

CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No

CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret

TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman’s Weapon Systems Division, Missile Products Business Unit, Fuze and Warhead Operating Unit (OU) is seeking an experienced and dynamic Manager, Contract Administration 1 to join our team.

This single requisition is intended to fill one Manager, Contract Administration 1 position that may be aligned to one of two role focuses, based on the selected candidate’s background and preferred work location (with a preference for the role based at Plymouth, MN):

• Fuze and Warhead Development & Production Transition Contracts – On-site in Plymouth, MN
• Fuze and Warhead Production Contracts – On-site at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory (ABL), Rocket Center, WV

The selected candidate will be assigned to the role that best aligns with their experience and location. This position reports directly to the Manager, Contract Administration for the Fuze and Warhead OU and supports a robust portfolio of domestic and international programs, providing leadership to the contracts team. The role requires excellent oral and written communication skills and regular interaction with various levels of executive management across the OU, BU, Division, and Sector, as well as with customers.

Role Overview

The Manager, Contract Administration 2 serves as a key business partner and contracts lead for critical Fuze and Warhead programs. You will drive contract strategy, ensure compliance, manage risk, and develop a high-performing team of contracts professionals supporting both capture and execution activities. Assignment will emphasize either production programs (ABL, WV) or development and production transition programs (Plymouth, MN) depending on fit.

This is a 100% on-site role at either Rocket Center, WV (ABL) or Plymouth, MN.

Essential Functions

Team Leadership & People Management

• Lead, develop, and mentor a team of contracts professionals and administrative staff, including hiring, training, performance management, and workload assignment.
• Build and lead a highly motivated and effective contracts team by setting expectations, delegating work assignments, and ensuring timely, accurate completion of deliverables.
• Provide leadership, support, professional development, and training as needed in all aspects of the contracts discipline.

Contract Strategy, Negotiation & Execution

• Apply in-depth understanding of Department of Defense (DoD) regulations and commercial terms and conditions to negotiate a wide range of United States Government, commercial, and international contractual instruments and agreements.
• Lead and support the negotiation and administration of various contract types of varying sizes and complexity.
• Collaborate across functions to advise and support competitive and sole-source Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Teaming Agreements, and other contractual instruments.
• Draft, review, redline, interpret, and negotiate complex terms and conditions as required.

Compliance, Risk Management & Business Support

• Ensure compliance with company procedures, legal requirements, and customer specifications.
• Serve as an advisor to the business on contractual rights and obligations, including risk identification and mitigation.
• Compile and analyze data, maintain historical contract information, and support strategic priorities and business planning as needed.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders (e.g., Program Management, Business Management, Engineering, Supply Chain, Legal) to ensure alignment on contract strategy, execution, and risk posture.

Customer & Stakeholder Engagement

• Regularly interface with OU, BU, Division, and Sector leadership to provide updates on contract status, risks, opportunities, and recommended strategies.
• Engage directly with customers and partners to cultivate strong, professional relationships and support successful program execution.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree 6+ years or Master's degree 4+ of relevant experience performing contract management/administration of federal government contracts; in lieu of a degree 10 years of relevant experience performing contract management/administration of federal government contracts

Technical & Regulatory Knowledge

• Expert knowledge of FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement), including experience with different contract types.
• Strong proposal development skills, including experience supporting pricing, terms, and risk identification.

Skills & Tools

• Strong negotiation skills and excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Excellent problem-solving and decision-making skills that support resolving complex problems and minimizing risk to the corporation.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, Word, SharePoint, and related tools.

Other Requirements

• Ability to travel domestically several times annually.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret Clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

Leadership & Team Management

• Demonstrated leadership and/or supervisory/management experience.

Domain & Contracting Experience

• Experience with weapon subsystem production contracts, including those direct to the U.S. Government and/or major defense prime contractors.
• Experience with international contracts, including direct commercial sales and FMS (Foreign Military Sales) of military hardware.
• Development-to-production contract experience (e.g., LRIP) is preferred, particularly for candidates aligned to the development and production transition role.
• Experience with complex terms and conditions, including drafting, reviewing, redlining, interpreting, and negotiating.

Agreements & Intellectual Property

• Working knowledge of other agreements such as CRADAs, OTAs, MOUs/MOAs, Teaming Agreements, and License Agreements.
• Expertise in Intellectual Property rights, specifically as they relate to DFARS-based contracts (e.g., technical data and software rights).

Education & Credentials

• Bachelor’s Degree in a relevant field (e.g., Business, Finance, Law, Supply Chain, or related discipline).
• Master’s Degree in a relevant field preferred.
• Recognized applicable certifications such as CPCM, CFCM, etc.

Additional

• Ability to travel internationally as required.

Primary Level Salary Range

Primary Level Salary Range: $95,000.00 - $157,600.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.