Contracts Senior Principal

SAIC•Flexwork, VA

About The Position

SAIC is seeking an experienced and adaptable Contracts Senior Principal to manage contracts and proposals within the Air Force, Space and Intelligence Business Group, supporting the Defense and Civil Space Market. The role may be remote anywhere in the United States for the right candidate. The Contracts Senior Principal serves as a strategic partner to stakeholders throughout capture, proposal, and contract execution, applying federal government contracting expertise and a proactive, solutions-oriented approach. The position requires exceptional autonomy, sound organization, attention to detail, and the ability to build collaborative relationships while managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment. At the Senior Principal level, the role also calls for strong written and oral communication, influence with senior stakeholders, cross-organizational coordination, independent problem solving, and ongoing industry awareness and professional development. The role provides strategic contracting counsel, leads customer engagement and negotiations, and supports a range of traditional and innovative acquisition approaches. It includes advising on alternative acquisition mechanisms and their trade-offs, negotiating arrangements with non-traditional defense contractors, navigating consortium-based OTA models, and taking ownership of organizational conflict of interest mitigation plans. The position also reviews and interprets contractual documents, advises leaders on contractual rights and obligations, escalates issues to in-house legal counsel when appropriate, and educates partners on contracting strategies and market dynamics.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or a related discipline and 15 years of relevant experience; or a Master's degree in Business Administration or a related discipline and 13 years of relevant experience. An additional 4+ years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree.
U.S. citizenship.
Extensive cost proposal experience.
Thorough understanding and broad application of contract administration principles, concepts, practices, and standards.
In-depth knowledge of applicable laws, regulations, and policies governing assigned contracts, including the FAR, RFO, Truthful Cost or Pricing Data, and GAAP.
Strong knowledge of federal government contracting industry practices.
Proven experience in contract risk management and negotiation.
Experience with OTA agreements, including prototype OTAs, follow-on production transactions, and consortium-based OTA models, and working knowledge of the statutory and regulatory framework governing OTA use and limitations.
Strong proposal writing skills, including developing, structuring, and reviewing technically and contractually compliant proposals across contract types and acquisition vehicles.
Ability to write OTA white papers, prototype project proposals, and other concise short-form submissions, including communicating complex technical and contractual concepts within strict page limits.
Ability to synthesize complex legal and contractual topics and communicate them clearly to collaborators from diverse backgrounds and disciplines.
Effective critical-thinking skills and the ability to quickly assimilate and act on new information.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage fluctuating workloads and competing priorities.
Reliable, structured, risk-aware, agile, and creative approach, with consistent delivery on commitments.

Nice To Haves

Experience with both FAR-based and non-FAR-based proposal environments.
Familiarity with leading consortium managers such as NSTXL and SOSSEC.

Responsibilities

Manage contracts and proposals for the Air Force, Space and Intelligence Business Group, specifically supporting the Defense and Civil Space Market.
Serve as a strategic partner to stakeholders throughout capture, proposal, and contract execution.
Act as the primary strategic interface with customer contacts, including Contracting Officers and acquisition specialists, and cultivate trust-based customer relationships.
Lead negotiations with a flexible, solutions-oriented approach that protects SAIC's interests while pursuing mutually beneficial outcomes.
Advise business and program leadership on alternative acquisition mechanisms, including OTAs, CSOs, BAAs, and prototype project proposals, and explain their practical trade-offs.
Structure and negotiate teaming and partnership arrangements with non-traditional defense contractors while positioning SAIC competitively.
Navigate consortium-based OTA models, including consortium membership, project call responses, and agreement structures.
Identify, assess, and mitigate organizational conflicts of interest; author initial OCI mitigation plans, strategies, and updates, and keep plans current and defensible throughout the program lifecycle.
Review, analyze, and interpret contractual documents, assessing compliance with company policy, government specifications, and master agreement requirements.
Advise business and program leaders on contractual rights, obligations, and terms and conditions, and recognize when to escalate issues to in-house legal counsel.
Educate internal and external partners on contracting strategies, marketplace dynamics, and competitive approaches.
Communicate trade-offs and insights to elevate team decision-making, and adapt to innovation and changes in the business and regulatory environment.