Contract Specialist

Red Cell Partners • McLean, VA

14d • $110,000 - $150,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Red Cell Partners is hiring a Contract Specialist to manage government contracting across its portfolio of technology-led companies in healthcare, cyber, and national security. The position oversees contract administration and lifecycle management, pricing and cost strategy, capture and proposal support, and compliance with government contracting and accounting requirements.

The Contract Specialist serves as a primary contact for government contracting officials and prime contractor counterparts; drafts, reviews, negotiates, and administers a broad range of agreements and contract vehicles; protects company intellectual property and data rights; and maintains contract, funding, deliverables, options, and closeout tracking. The role also develops pricing structures, supports cost and price analyses, owns contractual proposal volumes, advises on teaming and bid decisions, and translates regulatory requirements into practical workflows.

The role interfaces with DCAA and DCMA, advises on cost accounting and cost allowability, and tracks requirements related to FAR, DFARS, cybersecurity, export controls, conflicts of interest, procurement integrity, and small-business programs. The position is based in or near the Washington, DC metro area, with hybrid attendance at the Tysons Corner office expected at least two days per week and minimal travel.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of experience in government contracts, including at least 3 years at a management level owning a portfolio or function.
• Deep working command of the FAR and DFARS, including the ability to negotiate using them under time pressure.
• Demonstrated experience across the full lifecycle: pre-award capture support, pricing and proposal development, negotiation, post-award administration, and closeout.
• Experience with both traditional FAR-based procurement and non-traditional pathways such as OTAs, CSOs, SBIR Phase III, and consortium awards.
• Active Secret clearance at minimum, with eligibility and willingness to upgrade to TS/SCI.
• Based in, or willing to relocate to, the Washington, DC metro area, with hybrid on-site presence at the Tysons Corner office at least two days per week.

Nice To Haves

• Experience at a defense technology company, whether a prime or a startup.
• Experience on an early-stage team, such as a new vertical within a company or at a startup.
• Experience with DoD, Intelligence Community, DHS, or federal law enforcement customers, and familiarity with classified contracting and DD Form 254 requirements.
• Software, AI/ML, autonomy, or hardware-intensive product contracting experience, including commercial product determinations and software data rights strategy.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact for Contracting Officers, Contracting Officer's Representatives, and prime contractor counterparts across the portfolio.
• Draft, review, and administer prime contracts, subcontracts, NDAs, teaming agreements, CRADAs, Other Transaction Agreements and follow-on production agreements, consulting agreements, and intellectual property and data rights terms.
• Manage contract vehicles and award types end to end, including FFP, T&M, CPFF, CPIF, IDIQ and task orders, BPA, GSA MAS, NASA SEWP, OTA consortium awards, SBIR/STTR Phases I–III, and Commercial Solutions Openings.
• Lead negotiation of terms and conditions, flowdowns, and modifications; identify and mitigate risks in indemnification, limitation of liability, termination, warranty, and intellectual property clauses.
• Protect company intellectual property and data rights, including asserting and defending SBIR data rights, limited rights in technical data, and restricted rights in noncommercial software, and preventing inadvertent grants of unlimited rights.
• Maintain the contracts repository, obligation and funding trackers, CDRL schedules, option exercise calendars, and closeout pipeline.
• Develop and maintain provisional and forward pricing rates, including fringe, overhead, G&A, and, where applicable, material handling, in partnership with Finance.
• Participate in price-to-win analysis and competitive pricing strategy; model trade-offs among price, scope, risk posture, and margin; and provide leadership recommendations.
• Review certified cost or pricing data submissions and support TINA compliance, commercial product and service determinations, and price reasonableness justifications.
• Own contractual and administrative proposal volumes, including representations and certifications, past performance, small business subcontracting plans, OCI mitigation plans, and exceptions to terms.
• Support teaming strategy by evaluating prime versus subcontractor positioning, negotiating work share and exclusivity, and documenting relationships.
• Participate in bid/no-bid assessments and advise whether pursuits merit capture investment.
• Track FAR, DFARS, and agency supplement compliance across the portfolio and translate regulatory requirements into workflows for engineers and program managers.
• Serve as the primary interface for DCAA and DCMA on incurred cost submissions, provisional billing rate proposals, floor checks, and business system reviews.
• Advise on Cost Accounting Standards applicability and disclosure statement requirements, and on allowability, allocability, and reasonableness under FAR Part 31.
• Track compliance with CMMC and DFARS 252.204-7012 safeguarding requirements, ITAR and EAR export controls, organizational conflict of interest rules, Procurement Integrity Act obligations, and small-business and socioeconomic program requirements.

Benefits

• Career track opportunity with potential for rapid advancement with strong performance as the firm grows.
• 100% employer-paid comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for the employee and family.
• Paid maternity and paternity leave for 14 weeks at employees' normal pay.
• Unlimited PTO, with management approval.
• Opportunities for professional development and continued learning.
• Optional 401K, FSA, and equity incentives.
• Mental health benefits through Tara Mind.
• Cost-effective GLP-1 solutions through Crux.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed