Director of Contracts & Legal Affairs

Safran•City of Rochester, NY

About The Position

We’re seeking a dynamic Director of Contracts & Legal Affairs to lead the pursuit, development, and execution of high-value U.S. Government and Department of Defense (DoD) contracts while serving as a strategic legal advisor to the organization. This mission-critical leadership role sits at the center of enterprise growth—driving winning contracts strategies, ensuring contractual and regulatory compliance, and advising executive leadership on complex legal, business, and risk matters in a highly competitive federal contracting environment. The ideal candidate is a proven leader with deep expertise in contracts strategy, with the ability to operate seamlessly across business development, operations, finance, and program execution. You will shape capture and contracts efforts from inception through award, negotiate and manage complex contractual frameworks, and protect the organization through disciplined legal and compliance oversight. Juris Doctor (JD) degree and prior legal counsel experience are required. Experience supporting U.S. Government and DoD contracts in a fast-paced, highly regulated environment is strongly preferred.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, Marketing, Legal Studies, Political Science, Government Contracting, or a related field required.
Juris Doctor (JD) required.
Minimum of 10 years of combined experience in contracts management, government contracts, defense contracting, legal affairs, and/or corporate counsel support.
Experience reviewing, negotiating, and administering customer contracts, NDAs, team agreements, subcontracts, and other legal and contractual documents.
Strong analytical, organizational, negotiation, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple complex priorities and deadlines in a high-pressure environment.
Demonstrated ability to advise executive leadership on legal, contractual, and business risk while leading cross-functional initiatives and influencing decision-making.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively engage customers, suppliers, legal stakeholders, executive leadership, and technical teams.
High level of integrity, professionalism, discretion, and sound business judgment.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and contracts management tools.
Must be able to remain in a stationary position 50% of the time and communicate information and ideas clearly and accurately.

Nice To Haves

Proven success managing and submitting winning contracts within the defense or government contracting industry preferred.
Strong knowledge of FAR, DFARS, government procurement regulations, and defense contracting practices preferred.
Prior experience as Corporate Counsel, General Counsel, Practicing Attorney, Contracts Counsel, or Government Contracts Attorney preferred.
Experience supporting mergers & acquisitions (M&A), due diligence, corporate transactions, international contracts, and export-controlled programs preferred.
Active U.S. security clearance preferred; ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD security clearance is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the development, coordination, and execution of strategic contracts for U.S. Government, DoD, prime contractor, and international defense opportunities.
Develop and implement contracts strategies aligned with corporate growth objectives, customer requirements, and competitive positioning.
Oversee end-to-end contracts lifecycle, ensuring accuracy, compliance, responsiveness, and alignment with solicitation requirements.
Collaborate cross-functionally with Business Development, Contracts, Program Management, Engineering, Operations, Finance, and Subject Matter Experts.
Review, edit, and approve contracts submissions for legal sufficiency, clarity, consistency, and regulatory compliance.
Conduct market and competitive analysis to inform contracts strategy and positioning.
Establish and monitor contracts performance metrics and KPIs to drive continuous improvement.
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements, including customer contracts, NDAs, teaming agreements, subcontracts, consulting agreements, and related legal documents.
Develop and review contractual contracts components, including terms and conditions, transmittal letters, representations and certifications, and support legal documentation.
Serve as a trusted advisor to executive leadership on legal, regulatory, contractual, and operational matters impacting business strategy and execution.
Support contract negotiations with U.S. Government agencies, prime contractors, suppliers, and international partners.
Provide legal guidance on government contracting, compliance obligations, risk mitigation, and dispute resolution.
Support corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, strategic partnerships, and other growth initiatives, as applicable.
Coordinate with program and contracts teams to ensure contractual obligations are properly executed throughout program performance.
Ensure compliance with applicable regulations, including FAR, DFARS, ITAR, EAR, Trade Agreements Act (TAA), and other U.S. and international procurement and export control laws.
Support internal compliance programs, audits, and policy development initiatives.
Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, contractual, and regulatory risks across business operations and customer engagements.
Maintain awareness of evolving regulatory requirements impacting defense contracting and government procurement.