Contracts Specialist, Sr.

Associated Universities Inc. • Albuquerque, NM

5d • $87,000 - $106,000 • Onsite

About The Position

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), managed by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), is seeking an experienced Senior Contracts Specialist, Major Acquisitions to lead complex, high-value procurements supporting NRAO scientific, engineering, construction, and major capital programs. The successful candidate will initially serve as the lead contracts professional for the High Resolution Subarray antenna procurement and will play a significant role in future Next Generation Very Large Array construction acquisitions, including procurements exceeding $100 million. This is a senior individual contributor role, not primarily a transactional purchasing position. The Senior Contracts Specialist will provide acquisition leadership from planning through closeout, establish contracting strategies, identify weaknesses in acquisition approaches and documentation, guide multidisciplinary teams in developing defensible procurement records, and prepare executive and external review-quality acquisition documentation. The position reports to the Contracts and Procurement Manager, who retains contracting and signature authority. The position is based at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory offices in Albuquerque, NM.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, supply chain, contracts or acquisition management, law, engineering, public administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of relevant education and substantial directly related experience
• Three years of experience in purchasing or a related field.
• Demonstrated experience independently leading complex competitive and noncompetitive acquisitions from strategy through award and administration, including preparation of executive quality acquisition plans, source selection documentation, justifications and approvals, negotiation memoranda, and award recommendations.
• Demonstrated experience conducting detailed cost or price analysis, evaluating contractor bases of estimate, developing negotiation positions, and supporting complex negotiations.
• Demonstrated knowledge and practical application of Federal procurement requirements and acquisition principles, including Uniform Guidance and familiarity with FAR based acquisition practices.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States, able to travel domestically and internationally as required, and comply with applicable AUI/NRAO safety, procurement integrity, conflict of interest, and information security requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with major scientific, aerospace, defense, research and development, construction, advanced manufacturing, antenna, observatory, or other complex engineered system acquisitions, including major system production transition, manufacturing readiness, supplier qualification, supply chain risk, intellectual property, or technical data rights.
• Experience supporting procurements for Federal agencies, Federal contractors, FFRDCs, major research facilities, cooperative agreement recipients, universities, or nonprofit research organizations
• FAC C, DAWIA Contracting, NCMA CPCM, CFCM, or comparable professional certification.

Responsibilities

• Develop and critically assess acquisition strategies addressing competition, technical complexity, schedule, contract type, cost, intellectual property and data rights, manufacturing readiness, supplier capacity, supply chain risk, production transition, funding, and program objectives; identify unsupported assumptions or evidentiary gaps and coordinate their resolution.
• Develop defensible acquisition documentation, including sole source and limited competition justifications, suitable for review by NRAO leadership, AUI, NSF, auditors, oversight organizations, and other external stakeholders.
• Conduct cost and price analysis, evaluate contractor proposals and bases of estimate, analyze major cost drivers, develop negotiation positions, support complex negotiations, and document price reasonableness.
• Draft, negotiate, and administer complex contractual instruments and apply Uniform Guidance, NSF requirements, AUI/NRAO policies and procedures, and other applicable Federal procurement standards throughout the acquisition lifecycle.
• Lead the contracting workstream for complex and high-value acquisitions from acquisition planning through award, administration, and closeout.
• Serve as a trusted acquisition advisor to project teams, technical staff, Finance, Legal, senior management, sponsors, and external stakeholders.

Benefits

• Excellent paid time off (13 holidays, annual accrual of up to 24 vacation days)
• Medical, dental and vision plans are effective on the first day of employment.
• AUI’s retirement benefit contributes an amount equal to 10 percent of a qualified participant’s base pay with no required employee contribution.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior