Senior Contracts Manager

Thomson Reuters • McLean, VA

2d • $115,300 - $214,100 • Hybrid

About The Position

Are you passionate about the chance to bring your contract management experience to a world class organization that is leading the way in both content and technology to serve and protect our citizens home and abroad? Do you have the skills necessary to scale contract operations by leveraging technology and managing risk? Then Thomson Reuters Special Services (TRSS) is looking for you! About the Role The Senior Contracts Manager is a senior, hands-on professional responsible for leading the negotiation, execution, and administration of complex U.S. Government and select commercial contracts in a technology-driven, multi-product organization. This role operates in a high-velocity environment characterized by frequent negotiations, evolving products, and regular “battle of the forms” scenarios with customers, primes, and partners. The role requires deep federal contracting expertise, strong negotiation judgment, and the ability to leverage technology and process discipline to scale contract operations while managing legal, financial, and operational risk. As a Senior Contracts Manager, you will also contribute to a variety of areas including: Contract Lifecycle Management Managing the full contract lifecycle for U.S. Government prime and subcontract agreements, including proposal support, negotiation, award, modification, performance, and close-out. Supporting a portfolio of contracts across multiple products, offerings, and territories, including cost-plus, T&M, firm-fixed-price, contract vehicles, and task orders. Serving as the primary contracts point of contact for assigned programs and customers. Negotiation Leading contract negotiations with government contracting officers, prime contractors, subcontractors, and commercial customers, including frequent negotiations involving competing contract templates. Applying approved negotiation playbooks, fallback positions, and escalation thresholds to resolve ad hoc contract issues efficiently and consistently. Identifying material risk issues and escalating exceptions to Legal in accordance with established guardrails. Preserving consistency and enterprise precedent across repeated negotiations. Federal Contracting & Compliance Interpreting and applying FAR, DFARS, and agency supplements, with a focus on accurate implementation and operational execution. Ensuring compliance with contractual requirements related to flow-downs, subcontracting, audit rights, cost allowability, records retention, cybersecurity, data handling, and reporting. Supporting audits, contract reviews, and government inquiries in coordination with Legal and Finance. Technology Enablement & Process Optimization Leveraging contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems, document management tools, and workflow automation to streamline contract review, approvals, modifications, and reporting. Maintaining disciplined version control of contract templates, clause libraries, and SOWs aligned to evolving products and offerings. Using data and metrics to track contract cycle time, workload, risk trends, and negotiation outcomes. Actively identifying opportunities to improve scalability, consistency, and visibility through technology and process improvement. Cross-Functional Collaboration Partnering closely with Business Development and Capture teams during proposal development to ensure compliant and competitive contract structures. Collaborating with Finance on pricing models, funding profiles, billing mechanics, and contract modifications. Working with Product and Engineering teams to understand evolving technology and data-driven offerings and ensure contracts accurately reflect product capabilities, deliverables, and data usage. Advising Program Managers on contractual obligations, performance requirements, and change management. Governance Support Mentoring junior contracts staff or administrators and serving as a subject-matter resource across the organization. Supporting the Director of Contract Management in implementing contract governance frameworks, playbooks, and internal controls. Contributing to scaling initiatives as new products, customers, and territories are introduced.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree or relevant certification (e.g., CPCM, CFCM) preferred.
• 8–12+ years of progressive experience in contracts management, with significant U.S. Government contracting exposure.
• Strong working knowledge of FAR/DFARS and common federal contract vehicles.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex negotiations, including frequent battle-of-the-forms scenarios.
• High level of comfort working in technology-enabled environments and supporting technology or data-driven products.
• Experience using CLM systems or similar tools to manage and scale contract operations.
• Ability to operate independently, prioritize competing deadlines, and exercise sound commercial and risk judgment.
• Strong written, verbal, and analytical communication skills.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. national security clearance.
• U.S. Citizenship essential to comply with government contract/agency or department of Federal Government requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Experience supporting technology, software, data, analytics, or cybersecurity programs.
• Familiarity with contracts involving data rights, software licensing, cloud services, AI/ML, or regulated data environments.
• Prior experience in a high-growth or mid-sized organization with evolving products and frequent negotiations.
• Exposure to compliance frameworks such as CMMC, FOCI-mitigated environments, or audit-intensive programs.

Responsibilities

• Managing the full contract lifecycle for U.S. Government prime and subcontract agreements, including proposal support, negotiation, award, modification, performance, and close-out.
• Supporting a portfolio of contracts across multiple products, offerings, and territories, including cost-plus, T&M, firm-fixed-price, contract vehicles, and task orders.
• Serving as the primary contracts point of contact for assigned programs and customers.
• Leading contract negotiations with government contracting officers, prime contractors, subcontractors, and commercial customers, including frequent negotiations involving competing contract templates.
• Applying approved negotiation playbooks, fallback positions, and escalation thresholds to resolve ad hoc contract issues efficiently and consistently.
• Identifying material risk issues and escalating exceptions to Legal in accordance with established guardrails.
• Preserving consistency and enterprise precedent across repeated negotiations.
• Interpreting and applying FAR, DFARS, and agency supplements, with a focus on accurate implementation and operational execution.
• Ensuring compliance with contractual requirements related to flow-downs, subcontracting, audit rights, cost allowability, records retention, cybersecurity, data handling, and reporting.
• Supporting audits, contract reviews, and government inquiries in coordination with Legal and Finance.
• Leveraging contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems, document management tools, and workflow automation to streamline contract review, approvals, modifications, and reporting.
• Maintaining disciplined version control of contract templates, clause libraries, and SOWs aligned to evolving products and offerings.
• Using data and metrics to track contract cycle time, workload, risk trends, and negotiation outcomes.
• Actively identifying opportunities to improve scalability, consistency, and visibility through technology and process improvement.
• Partnering closely with Business Development and Capture teams during proposal development to ensure compliant and competitive contract structures.
• Collaborating with Finance on pricing models, funding profiles, billing mechanics, and contract modifications.
• Working with Product and Engineering teams to understand evolving technology and data-driven offerings and ensure contracts accurately reflect product capabilities, deliverables, and data usage.
• Advising Program Managers on contractual obligations, performance requirements, and change management.
• Mentoring junior contracts staff or administrators and serving as a subject-matter resource across the organization.
• Supporting the Director of Contract Management in implementing contract governance frameworks, playbooks, and internal controls.
• Contributing to scaling initiatives as new products, customers, and territories are introduced.

Benefits

• Hybrid Work Model: We’ve adopted a flexible hybrid working environment (2-3 days a week in the office depending on the role) for our office-based roles while delivering a seamless experience that is digitally and physically connected.
• Flexibility & Work-Life Balance: Flex My Way is a set of supportive workplace policies designed to help manage personal and professional responsibilities, whether caring for family, giving back to the community, or finding time to refresh and reset. This builds upon our flexible work arrangements, including work from anywhere for up to 8 weeks per year, empowering employees to achieve a better work-life balance.
• Career Development and Growth: By fostering a culture of continuous learning and skill development, we prepare our talent to tackle tomorrow’s challenges and deliver real-world solutions. Our Grow My Way programming and skills-first approach ensures you have the tools and knowledge to grow, lead, and thrive in an AI-enabled future.
• Industry Competitive Benefits: We offer comprehensive benefit plans to include flexible vacation, two company-wide Mental Health Days off, access to the Headspace app, retirement savings, tuition reimbursement, employee incentive programs, and resources for mental, physical, and financial wellbeing.
• Culture: Globally recognized, award-winning reputation for inclusion and belonging, flexibility, work-life balance, and more. We live by our values: Obsess over our Customers, Compete to Win, Challenge (Y)our Thinking, Act Fast / Learn Fast, and Stronger Together.
• Social Impact: Make an impact in your community with our Social Impact Institute. We offer employees two paid volunteer days off annually and opportunities to get involved with pro-bono consulting projects and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives.
• Making a Real-World Impact: We are one of the few companies globally that helps its customers pursue justice, truth, and transparency. Together, with the professionals and institutions we serve, we help uphold the rule of law, turn the wheels of commerce, catch bad actors, report the facts, and provide trusted, unbiased information to people all over the world.
• In the United States, Thomson Reuters offers a comprehensive benefits package to our employees. Our benefit package includes market competitive health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance programs, as well as a competitive 401k plan with company match. In addition, Thomson Reuters offers market leading work life benefits with competitive vacation, sick and safe paid time off, paid holidays (including two company mental health days off), parental leave, sabbatical leave. These benefits meet or exceeds the requirements of paid time off in accordance with any applicable state or municipal laws. Finally, Thomson Reuters offers the following additional benefits: optional hospital, accident and sickness insurance paid 100% by the employee; optional life and AD&D insurance paid 100% by the employee; Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts; fitness reimbursement; access to Employee Assistance Program; Group Legal Identity Theft Protection benefit paid 100% by employee; access to 529 Plan; commuter benefits; Adoption & Surrogacy Assistance; Tuition Reimbursement; and access to Employee Stock Purchase Plan.

What This Job Offers

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