Director of Contracts

MELE Associates, Inc.•Rockville, MD

7h•$155,000 - $175,000•Hybrid

About The Position

MELE is growing rapidly and seeks a Director of Contract who will make a tremendous impact managing the full lifecycle of MELE’s government contracts and subcontracts and strategically advising C-suite senior management. MELE HQ personnel work in a hybrid work environment - remote Mondays and Fridays and onsite in the Rockville office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required or higher degree in business or a related discipline; Juris doctor or certification in contract management a plus.
8-10+ years of experience in Federal Government Contracting as a contracts manager with a prime government contracting organization or a former federal contracting officer.
Must have understanding of full life cycle contract management experience, including a full range of U.S. Government contracts and subcontract types (CPFF, FFP, T&M, IDIQs, GSA Schedules, etc.).
Strong business skills/expertise in administration and supervision of federal government contracts and subcontracts of varying size and complexity and a thorough working knowledge of the FAR.
Must be proficient in reviewing US federal government contracts and be able to provide contract and business risk analysis.
Ability to interact with government customers and other contractors as primary point of contact and lead contract negotiations is required.
Experience in researching compliance issues, and understanding applicable regulations and law. Must be able to formulate recommendations to management.
Thorough knowledge of all appropriate ethical standards regarding contracting actions.
Must have the ability to make sound business judgments, handle multiple contractual activities with very short turnaround time, and work independently, as well as part of a team.
Highly motivated, problem-solving, and detail-oriented with the ability to communicate effectively, solve problems and create trusting relationships with both internal and external clients in a quick turn-around environment.
Must have experience in risk assessment, contract negotiation, and issue resolution. Experience with cost proposal development a plus.
Imperative that candidate be able to prioritize multiple overlapping high-priority tasks.
Excellent communication and writing skills.
Highly motivated, problem-solving, and detail-oriented with the ability to communicate effectively, solve problems, and create trusting relationships.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, Copilot.
Proficiency with industry standard Contracts Lifecycle Management (CLM) system such as Agiloft or similar.
Proficiency with industry standard Enterprise Resource Planning system such as Deltek Costpoint or similar.
Proficiency with SAM.gov and FedConnect communications/deliverables.
Active Q/TS/SCI/Clearance preferred or able to qualify for security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Juris doctor or certification in contract management a plus.
Experience with cost proposal development a plus.
National Contract Management Association (NCMA) membership or Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM) a plus.
Able to qualify for security clearance.

Responsibilities

Lead, manage, and administer Government contracts and Commercial contracting full lifecycle, cradle to grave, including drafting, reviewing, negotiating, interpreting, and executing complex interactions with federal customers upon award, through all modifications, and similarly, with commercial partners on teaming arrangements in capacities where the company is serving as prime and subcontractor to others.
Use knowledge of Contracts Management to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and contract provisions applicable to public sector procurement, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation and agency regulations.
Manage and oversee ongoing implementation of contract management system (Agiloft).
Act as the primary point of contact on all contractual matters including Government Contracting Officers, Prime Contractors, Subcontractors and Consultants.
Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, functional counterparts, and customers daily to resolve contractual issues and ensure contractual actions are compliant and delivered on time.
Daily facilitation of tasks workflow of complex U.S. Government contracts and prime contractor issued subcontracts of various contract structures, including GSA Multiple Award Schedule, Blanket Purchase Agreements, IDIQs, Task Orders, Purchase Orders.
Understanding of contract types such as FFP and T&M, etc.
Must be proficient in reviewing US government contracts and be able to provide contract and business risk analysis.
Draft, review and negotiate teaming agreements and nondisclosure agreements in support of business development efforts.
Review other supporting documents, reviewing for the protection of company’s business and financial interests, including the negotiation of terms and conditions.
Analyze and provide recommendations or feedback on contractual requirements, special provisions, terms, and conditions to ensure compliance with appropriate laws, regulations, and company policies and procedures.
Interact daily with Senior and Executive Management, Program Managers, Contracting Officers, and other operational representatives.
Communicate contract policy and practice to internal business team.
Provide subject matter expert support services to business units including, but not limited to, the application of FAR flow down clauses, regulations.
Ensure contract review, approval, and execution in accordance with corporate policies and standard operating procedures.
Maintain and track internal contractual deadlines.
Responsible for Prime Contract deliverables such as bi-annual/annual reporting requirements.
Maintain clear and comprehensive audit-ready contractual and program records for contracts.
Provide guidance to company management on contract issues and their resolution.
Conduct compliance reviews and enforce appropriate flow down of prime contract requirements and monitor subcontractors’ performance and contract compliance.
Develop and conduct training on government contract management and compliance as necessary.
Play an instrumental role in providing support and guidance to project controls teams during contract execution to ensure full compliance with government regulations.
Provide proactive action to prevent issues that may lead to potential adverse contractual outcomes.
Manage and mentor members of the contracts team.
Other duties as assigned.