Senior Manager, Cost and Pricing, Defense Contracts

CIRCOR International, Inc.; Massachusetts; On-site; USD 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

CIRCOR International, Inc. is seeking an experienced Cost/Pricing leader to manage U.S. Navy and defense pricing efforts.

You will drive pricing strategies, validate cost inputs, and ensure compliance with FAR/DFARS/CAS while negotiating favorable terms with customers. The role requires strong analytical skills, 7+ years in defense pricing, and the ability to lead cross-functional teams across Finance, Contracts, Sales, and Operations in a high-stakes environment in Massachusetts.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Admin, Economics, or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in cost estimating, pricing, government contracting, or defense‑industry functions.
• Experience leading pricing discussions and supervising a team.
• Experience supporting U.S. Navy contracts, shipbuilding programs, or defense manufacturing is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead all cost and pricing activities for U.S. Navy and defense opportunities, including RFQs, proposals, contract modifications, and other customer pricing requests.
• Develop pricing strategies balancing customer requirements, competitive positioning, cost recovery, risk, and profitability objectives.
• Validate proposal cost inputs including direct labor, material, outside processing, engineering, supply chain, and other direct costs.
• Ensure appropriate application of indirect cost structures, including fringe, overhead, G&A, and burden rates.
• Ensure pricing practices and proposal submissions comply with FAR, DFARS, CAS, and Truthful Cost or Pricing Data requirements.
• Lead negotiations related to price, cost, rates, and other elements of proposals and contracts.
• Oversee team reviewing terms and conditions, identifying risk, coordinating reviews, and negotiating acceptable terms.
• Collaborate with Finance, Contracts, Sales, Program Management, Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain.
• Review and approve cost/pricing packages with proper documentation and compliance.
• Support fact-finding, audits, pricing reviews, and cost/pricing information requests.
• Establish standardized pricing processes, controls, models, and workflows.
• Evaluate changes in labor, material, supplier, inflation, overhead, and other cost drivers.
• Provide management with clear assessment of proposal economics, including revenue, margin, and risk.
• Serve as SME for defense cost and pricing and guide stakeholders on government pricing practices.
• Perform additional tasks as assigned by management.

Skills

FAR/DFARS knowledge

CAS knowledge

Cost/pricing analysis

Pricing negotiations

Team leadership

Excel

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or related discipline

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft PowerPoint

Cost estimating software

Job description

• Leads all cost and pricing activities for U.S. Navy and defense opportunities, including RFQs, proposals, contract modifications, and other customer pricing requests.
• Develops and executes pricing strategies that balance customer requirements, competitive positioning, cost recovery, risk, and business profitability objectives.
• Oversees development and validation of proposal cost inputs, including direct labor, material, outside processing, engineering, supply chain, and other direct costs.
• Ensures appropriate application of indirect cost structures, including fringe, manufacturing overhead, engineering overhead, G&A, and other applicable burden and allocation methodologies.
• Ensures pricing practices and proposal submissions comply with applicable FAR, DFARS, CAS, and Truthful Cost or Pricing Data requirements, as appropriate to the contract or solicitation.
• Leads all customer discussions and negotiations related to price, cost, rates, and other commercial or financial elements of proposals and contracts.
• Provides leadership and oversight to the team responsible for reviewing customer terms and conditions, identifying contractual risk, coordinating internal reviews, developing exceptions, and negotiating acceptable terms with customers.
• Partners with Finance, Contracts, Sales, Business Development, Program Management, Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain to ensure proposal assumptions and pricing accurately reflect program requirements, execution risks, and anticipated costs.
• Reviews and approves cost and pricing packages to ensure accuracy, consistency, traceability, appropriate supporting documentation, and compliance with company and government requirements.
• Supports customer and government fact-finding activities, audits, pricing reviews, and requests for supporting cost or pricing information.
• Establishes and maintains standardized pricing processes, controls, models, and approval workflows to improve proposal accuracy, consistency, responsiveness, and compliance.
• Evaluates changes in labor, material, supplier, inflation, overhead, and other cost drivers and incorporates appropriate assumptions into pricing strategies and longer-term proposals.
• Provides management with clear assessment of proposal economics, including anticipated revenue, margin, cost risk, pricing assumptions, and key contractual considerations to support informed business decisions.
• Serves as the organization’s subject matter expert for defense cost and pricing matters and provides guidance to cross-functional stakeholders regarding government pricing requirements and practices.
• Performs additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned by management.

Principal Activities

• Leads all cost and pricing activities for U.S. Navy and defense opportunities, including RFQs, proposals, contract modifications, and other customer pricing requests.
• Develops and executes pricing strategies that balance customer requirements, competitive positioning, cost recovery, risk, and business profitability objectives.
• Oversees development and validation of proposal cost inputs, including direct labor, material, outside processing, engineering, supply chain, and other direct costs.
• Ensures appropriate application of indirect cost structures, including fringe, manufacturing overhead, engineering overhead, G&A, and other applicable burden and allocation methodologies.
• Ensures pricing practices and proposal submissions comply with applicable FAR, DFARS, CAS, and Truthful Cost or Pricing Data requirements, as appropriate to the contract or solicitation.
• Leads all customer discussions and negotiations related to price, cost, rates, and other commercial or financial elements of proposals and contracts.
• Provides leadership and oversight to the team responsible for reviewing customer terms and conditions, identifying contractual risk, coordinating internal reviews, developing exceptions, and negotiating acceptable terms with customers.
• Partners with Finance, Contracts, Sales, Business Development, Program Management, Engineering, Operations, and Supply Chain to ensure proposal assumptions and pricing accurately reflect program requirements, execution risks, and anticipated costs.
• Reviews and approves cost and pricing packages to ensure accuracy, consistency, traceability, appropriate supporting documentation, and compliance with company and government requirements.
• Supports customer and government fact-finding activities, audits, pricing reviews, and requests for supporting cost or pricing information.
• Establishes and maintains standardized pricing processes, controls, models, and approval workflows to improve proposal accuracy, consistency, responsiveness, and compliance.
• Evaluates changes in labor, material, supplier, inflation, overhead, and other cost drivers and incorporates appropriate assumptions into pricing strategies and longer-term proposals.
• Provides management with clear assessment of proposal economics, including anticipated revenue, margin, cost risk, pricing assumptions, and key contractual considerations to support informed business decisions.
• Serves as the organization’s subject matter expert for defense cost and pricing matters and provides guidance to cross-functional stakeholders regarding government pricing requirements and practices.
• Performs additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned by management.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong working knowledge of FAR and DFARS requirements applicable to U.S. Government and Department of Defense contracting.
• Demonstrated knowledge of Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) and government cost accounting principles.
• Experience developing and reviewing cost and pricing proposals in a U.S. Department of Defense environment, preferably supporting U.S. Navy programs.
• Strong understanding of direct and indirect cost structures and the application of labor, overhead, fringe, G&A, and other burden rates within proposal pricing.
• Experience with cost estimating, cost analysis, pricing models, profitability analysis, and proposal financial evaluation.
• Knowledge of certified cost or pricing data requirements and supporting cost substantiation.
• Demonstrated experience leading pricing discussions, fact-finding activities, and customer negotiations.
• Strong understanding of government contract terms and conditions with the ability to identify contractual, financial, and business risks and coordinate appropriate mitigation or negotiation strategies.
• Experience managing and developing a team responsible for cost/pricing, contracts, terms and conditions, or related functions.
• Ability to translate complex cost, pricing, and contractual requirements into clear recommendations for business leadership.
• Strong financial and analytical skills with exceptional attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to effectively collaborate and influence across Finance, Contracts, Business Development, Sales, Engineering, Program Management, Operations, and Supply Chain.
• Ability to manage multiple complex proposals and negotiations while meeting internal and customer deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate effectively with customers and senior leadership.
• High degree of integrity and commitment to regulatory compliance and established business processes.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and working proficiency with Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and related business systems.

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 7 years of progressive experience in cost estimating, pricing, government contracting, finance, or related defense‑industry functions, with demonstrated experience supporting U.S. Government or Department of Defense contracts.
• Prior supervisory or functional leadership experience strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting U.S. Navy contracts, shipbuilding programs, or defense manufacturing is strongly preferred.
• Significant directly relevant defense cost and pricing experience may be considered in lieu of specific educational requirements on a case-by‑case basis.

Other

• US Citizen

CIRCOR is an EEO Employer of Females / Minorities / Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities