Senior Manager, Cost and Pricing, Defense Contracts

CIRCOR International, Inc; Monroe (NC); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

CIRCOR International, Inc. in the United States is seeking an experienced Cost/Pricing Leader to drive pricing strategy for DoD opportunities, including Navy programs.

You will guide cost inputs, collaborate with cross-functional teams, and ensure compliance with FAR/DFARS and CAS. The role requires 7+ years in defense cost/pricing, strong analytical skills, and a proven ability to negotiate favorable terms while managing complex proposals and risk.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, Business Administration or related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in cost estimating, pricing, government contracting, or defense finance.
• Experience supporting U.S. Navy contracts preferred.
• Supervisory or leadership experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads pricing and cost activities for DoD opportunities including RFQs and proposals.
• Develops pricing strategies balancing customer requirements, cost recovery, and profitability.
• Oversees proposal cost inputs across direct and indirect costs.
• Ensures compliance with FAR, DFARS, CAS and pricing data requirements.
• Negotiates terms with customers and reviews terms and conditions for risk.
• Collaborates across Finance, Contracts, Sales, and Program teams to reflect program needs in pricing.
• Reviews and approves cost/pricing packages with documentation and traceability.

Skills

FAR/DFARS knowledge

Cost accounting

Pricing proposals

Leadership

Analytical skills

Regulatory compliance

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Finance

Bachelor's degree in Accounting

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Job description

Principal Activities

1. Leads all cost and pricing activities for U.S. Navy and defense opportunities, including RFQs, proposals, contract modifications, and other customer pricing requests.
2. Develops and executes pricing strategies that balance customer requirements, competitive positioning, cost recovery, risk, and business profitability objectives.
3. Oversees development and validation of proposal cost inputs, including direct labor, material, outside processing, engineering, supply chain, and other direct costs.
4. Ensures appropriate application of indirect cost structures, including fringe, manufacturing overhead, engineering overhead, G&A, and other applicable burden and allocation methodologies.
5. 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.
6. Leads all customer discussions and negotiations related to price, cost, rates, and other commercial or financial elements of proposals and contracts.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Reviews and approves cost and pricing packages to ensure accuracy, consistency, traceability, appropriate supporting documentation, and compliance with company and government requirements.
10. Supports customer and government fact-finding activities, audits, pricing reviews, and requests for supporting cost or pricing information.
11. Establishes and maintains standardized pricing processes, controls, models, and approval workflows to improve proposal accuracy, consistency, responsiveness, and compliance.
12. Evaluates changes in labor, material, supplier, inflation, overhead, and other cost drivers and incorporates appropriate assumptions into pricing strategies and longer-term proposals.
13. 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.
14. 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.
15. Performs additional tasks and responsibilities as assigned by management.

Candidate Requirements

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

Equal Opportunity Employer

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

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.