**Strength through Innovation Starts with Exceptional Leaders
**
Join our growing Supply Chain team in beautiful San Diego as our Senior Manager, Contracts & Compliance. This leadership opportunity offers the ability to influence business strategy, strengthen compliance, and help deliver innovative aerospace solutions that make a difference. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment where integrity, collaboration, and innovation drive success, we want to hear from you!
The Senior Manager, Contracts & Compliance is responsible for the administration, negotiation, execution, and lifecycle management of commercial and U.S. Government contracts while ensuring compliance with contractual, regulatory, and customer-specific requirements. This role partners with Program Management, Supply Chain, Legal, Finance, Operations, and Business Development to mitigate contractual risk, maintain strong customer relationships, and ensure supplier and subcontractor compliance throughout the contract lifecycle. The position also supports Government compliance initiatives including FAR/DFARS flow-down implementation, CPSR readiness, small business compliance, subcontract management, and contract governance.
The position is a hybrid role working from the Axillon San Diego location and requires up to approximately 30% travel to Axillon locations, customers, and industry events.
Key Responsibilities
Contracts & Negotiations
- Lead the negotiation, administration, interpretation, and execution of commercial and government contracts
- Review solicitations, proposals, NDAs, Teaming Agreements, LTAs, Purchase Orders, and customer terms and conditions.
- Identify, negotiate, and mitigate contractual risks including indemnification, warranties, limitation of liability, payment terms, liquidated damages, intellectual property, termination rights, and change management
- Ensure contractual commitments align with operational capability, financial objectives, and business strategy.
- Provide strategic contract guidance to executive leadership throughout the proposal and execution lifecycle.
Contracts/Subcontracts Compliance & Governance
- Develop and maintain company contract governance processes and approval workflows.
- Ensure proper implementation and administration of FAR, DFARS, and customer-required contract clauses.
- Manage supplier and subcontractor contractual flow-down requirements, ensuring mandatory clauses are incorporated into purchase orders and subcontract agreements.
- Support Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR) compliance, documentation, corrective actions, and audit readiness.
Government Contracts/Subcontracts Support
- Partner with Supply Chain to ensure subcontract documentation complies with customer and government requirements.
- Maintain contract files supporting customer, internal, and government audits.
- Develop policies, procedures, and training promoting contractual compliance and sound business practices.
Leadership & Cross-Functional Influence
- Partner with Business Development to support capture strategy, proposal development, and negotiations.
- Collaborate with Supply Chain to ensure subcontract and supplier agreements reflect customer obligations.
- Work closely with Operations and Program Management to proactively identify contractual risks.
- Mentor contract professionals and establish standardized contract management processes.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives that strengthen contract compliance and reduce enterprise risk.
Success Metrics (Examples)
- Successful negotiation and execution of customer and supplier agreements.
- Contract risk reduction through effective negotiation and governance.
- Timely implementation of required FAR/DFARS and customer flow-down clauses.
- Successful CPSR audits with minimal findings.
- Small Business Subcontracting Plan compliance and reporting accuracy.
- Customer audit readiness and contractual compliance.
- Reduction in contract cycle times and improved internal customer satisfaction.
The anticipated annual base salary range for this position is $175,000 to $205,000. The actual base salary offered will depend on a variety of factors, including the candidate's qualifications, experience, education, skills, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, this position may be eligible for an annual incentive bonus and a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, 401(k), paid time off, and life insurance.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position does not offer visa sponsorship.
_To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job. This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. An employee may also perform other reasonably related business duties as assigned by his/her supervisor. _
Required Skills
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor’s degree in finance, engineering, business, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
- 8-12+ years of experience in civil and DoD aerospace marketplace; aerospace composites or advanced materials preferred.
- Strong knowledge of FAR, DFARS, government contract administration, and contract flow-down requirements.
- Experience supporting CPSR audits or similar government reviews.
- Experience administering Small Business Subcontracting Plans preferred.
- Demonstrated success negotiating complex commercial and government agreements.
- Excellent written, verbal, and executive communication skills.
Required Experience