Senior Contract Specialist - Legal

Otto Aerospace • Washington, DC

20d • Hybrid

About The Position

Otto is seeking a Senior Contracts Specialist to serve as a central business partner at a pivotal moment in the company’s growth. As the company’s first Law Department senior commercial contracting hire, you will support us in managing Otto’s commercial and strategic contracting activities end‑to-end. You will assist in structuring complex agreements, shaping contracting strategy, and building the contracting infrastructure that will support Otto through rapid scaling, major institutional financing, and eventual public‑company readiness.
You will help manage the full lifecycle of customer, vendor, supplier, and strategic partnership agreements while establishing the systems, processes, and playbooks that enable Otto’s commercial, supply chain, and engineering teams to move quickly without compromising contractual discipline. This is a hands‑on, high-impact role blending sophisticated contract management with operational leadership across process design, contract operations, and cross-functional alignment.
Otto’s Law Department partners closely with engineering, supply chain, manufacturing, finance, and executive leadership to enable disciplined growth, protect the company’s long-term interests, and support mission-critical decisions. As Senior Contracts Specialist, you will support the development of contracting frameworks, contribute to the department’s operating model, and help build the foundation that will support Otto through late‑stage private growth and beyond.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or relevant certifications (e.g., CPCM, NCMA credentials) are a plus
• 8+ years of experience in commercial contracting, contract management, procurement contracting, or a related field
• Experience in a technology, aerospace, industrial, or deep‑tech environment
• Demonstrated ability to support negotiation of complex, long‑dated, or strategically significant agreements
• Experience overseeing contract operations, vendor agreements, or sales contracting workflows
• Hands‑on experience with CLM systems is important; experience with Ironclad is strongly preferred
• Familiarity with procurement processes, sales operations, and contract lifecycle management systems
• U.S. citizenship required (ITAR)
• Exceptional drafting, negotiation support, and analytical abilities
• Strong business judgment and the ability to balance risk with commercial objectives
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and drive clarity in fast‑moving, ambiguous environments
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills across cross‑functional teams
• High attention to detail, organizational discipline, and operational rigor
• Pragmatic, low‑ego, and comfortable making decisions independently

Nice To Haves

• advanced degree or relevant certifications (e.g., CPCM, NCMA credentials)
• Background in regulated, export-controlled, or manufacturing‑intensive environments is helpful

Responsibilities

• Assist in managing commercial, customer, supplier, and strategic partnership agreements
• Support the Law Department in coordinating contracting activities across all business areas
• Manage the full lifecycle of vendor and customer contracts, including intake, drafting, negotiation support, execution, and renewal
• Draft, review, and support negotiation of complex, high‑value, and often bespoke commercial agreements
• Develop and maintain contract playbooks, clause libraries, fallback positions, and standardized templates
• Build scalable contracting processes and implement best practices that balance compliance, agility, and business efficiency
• Track key contract terms, deliverables, renewals, and obligations using contract lifecycle management tools
• Manage the Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) system for the Law Department, including configuration, optimization, reporting, and user support
• Partner cross‑functionally with Sales, Finance, Operations, Engineering, Compliance, and Supply Chain to ensure alignment and execution
• Represent the contracting function in negotiations with executives, engineers, vendors, customers, and strategic partners
• Identify and implement process improvements to streamline contracting workflows and reduce turnaround times

Benefits

• Otto Aerospace provides a robust benefits package that includes competitive salaries, subsidized medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) opportunities, paid short‑term disability, voluntary long‑term disability, and additional term life insurance.
• Employees receive 15 paid days off, 13 paid company holidays, and paid sick leave.
• Depending on seniority and role, some positions qualify for bonuses and stock options.

What This Job Offers

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