Director of Contracts
About The Position
The Director of Contracts will serve as the company’s senior contracts authority, owning the full lifecycle of government and commercial contracts. This role is intentionally individual-contributor–heavy at the outset, with responsibility for personally managing and negotiating critical agreements while building the contracts function from the ground up. As the company grows, this leader will define the contracts strategy, establish scalable processes, and ultimately build and lead a contracts team. This is a hands-on role for someone who is comfortable operating independently today and designing a department for tomorrow.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Legal Studies, Engineering, or related field (JD or advanced degree a plus)
- 8–12+ years of contracts experience within aerospace, defense, or government contracting environments
- Demonstrated experience negotiating and managing FAR/DFARS-based contracts
- Experience operating in small, mid-sized, or startup organizations where roles are hands-on
- Strong working knowledge of DoD contracting practices and compliance requirements
- Ability to operate independently, exercise sound judgment, and balance risk with business objectives
- Ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI DoD clearance
- Active Secret Clearance
Nice To Haves
- Active DoD TS/SCI clearance
- Prior experience supporting classified programs and secure facilities
- Experience working directly with DoD Contracting Officers
- Background in both prime and subcontractor roles
- Experience standing up a contracts function or significantly improving one
- Familiarity with audits, DCMA/DCAA interactions, and contract-related reviews
Responsibilities
- Own and execute the end-to-end contract lifecycle for U.S. Government, prime, and subcontract agreements
- Lead negotiations of terms and conditions, including pricing structures, data rights, IP, indemnification, and risk allocation
- Draft, review, and manage contracts including prime contracts, subcontracts, NDAs, teaming agreements, CRADAs, and commercial agreements
- Serve as the primary interface with Government Contracting Officers, primes, and key customers
- Interpret contract requirements and advise leadership on contractual risk, compliance obligations, and execution strategy
- Support contract modifications, claims, REAs, and change management activities
- Ensure compliance with FAR, DFARS, ITAR, EAR, and applicable security and export control requirements
- Design and implement scalable contracts policies, procedures, templates, and approval workflows
- Develop contract playbooks and negotiation standards aligned with company risk tolerance
- Select and implement contract management tools as appropriate
- Train internal stakeholders on government contracting fundamentals and compliance requirements
- Define hiring plans and build out a contracts team (e.g., Contracts Manager, Administrator) as business volume grows
- Establish a contracts organization capable of supporting larger, more complex, and classified programs
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
Number of Employees
11-50 employees
