Defense Contracts Manager

Role Overview

This position is for a Defense Contracts Manager based in the United States, responsible for managing the complete lifecycle of defense contracting—from identifying opportunities, crafting proposals, to overseeing contract compliance and execution. The role supports organizational growth by securing new government contracts and ensuring the successful fulfillment of awarded projects. It requires close collaboration with engineering, leadership, finance, and external stakeholders to translate complex requirements into successful proposals and viable contract approaches. Strong expertise in federal acquisition regulations and Department of Defense contracting processes is essential. The ideal candidate is proactive, strategic, and adept at balancing business development with compliance enforcement.

Key Responsibilities

• Seek out and evaluate new defense contracting opportunities through government procurement platforms such as SAM.gov, GSA eBuy, DIBBS, and agency forecasts.
• Formulate capture strategies and assess alignment of opportunities, providing go/no-go recommendations together with leadership.
• Establish and nurture relationships with contracting officers, government personnel, program stakeholders, and industry partners.
• Lead the proposal process from start to finish, including technical content, staffing plans, performance references, and pricing submissions.
• Coordinate contributions from engineering, operations, and leadership teams to assemble compliant and competitive proposals.
• Manage proposal schedules, review workflows, submission protocols, and final delivery.
• Administer contract lifecycle duties such as negotiations, award processing, modifications, renewals, and contract closeouts.
• Ensure adherence to FAR, DFARS, agency regulations, and internal contracting policies.
• Track contract performance metrics including budgets, ceilings, milestones, deliverables, and risks.
• Assist with subcontract management, teaming agreements, and preparation for audits and compliance reviews.
• Collaborate with technical teams to align contract obligations with program execution.
• Advise on contract structures, pricing models, risk mitigation, and negotiation strategies.

Candidate Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Contracts Management, Supply Chain, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of five years managing Department of Defense or federal government contracts.
• Comprehensive knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and federal acquisition protocols.
• Demonstrated experience developing persuasive and compliant government proposals.
• Familiarity with various defense contract types including IDIQ, Firm Fixed Price, Cost Plus Fixed Fee, and Time & Materials.
• Skilled at interpreting solicitations and crafting compliant, clear proposal content translating technical details effectively.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills facilitating teamwork across technical and business units.
• Proficient in government procurement platforms such as SAM.gov and GSA eBuy.
• Strong organizational abilities managing multiple priorities, deadlines, and detailed documentation.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with defense organizations, logistics programs, aerospace operations, or government sustainment initiatives.
• Knowledge of aviation, engineering services, and MRO (maintenance, repair, overhaul) environments.
• Understanding of DCAA compliance and cost accounting standards.
• Experience handling GSA Schedule contracts and task order proposals.
• Certifications like CFCM or NCMA or equivalent federal contracting credentials.

Benefits & Work Environment

• 100% remote work option with no requirement to relocate.
• Competitive salary and comprehensive health insurance.
• Paid time off benefits.
• Opportunity to contribute strategically to defense sector growth.
• A collaborative team environment including engineering, operations, and leadership.
• Professional development prospects in federal contracting and business development.

Additional Information

The employer utilizes an AI-driven candidate matching system to optimize the hiring process. Final recruitment decisions are made internally by the partner company. Data privacy is maintained under applicable laws, and AI tools assist but do not replace human judgment in candidate evaluation.