Senior Contracts Manager

Senior Contracts Manager – National Solutions Shape the Future of National Security Leidos is seeking a highly accomplished Senior Contracts Manager to join the National Solutions Business Area within the Intelligence Sector. This role offers a unique opportunity to support some of the Intelligence Community’s most critical national security missions while partnering with business leaders, program teams, and government customers to deliver innovative solutions that protect our nation. The ideal candidate is a strategic contracts professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment, enjoys solving complex business challenges, and is passionate about supporting mission-critical programs. This position will serve as a trusted advisor to business and program leadership, providing expert contractual guidance throughout the entire program lifecycle—from capture and proposal development through contract execution and closeout. Work location is Chantilly, VA. Why This Role Matters Our customers depend on trusted industry partners to deliver innovative capabilities with speed, agility, and accountability. As a Senior Contracts Manager, you will play a pivotal role in balancing business objectives, contractual compliance, and customer relationships across a diverse portfolio of programs. What Makes This Opportunity Unique Mission Impact: Support programs and initiatives that directly contribute to U.S. national security and Intelligence Community objectives. Build and strengthen relationships with Intelligence Community customers. Strategic Partnership: Lead contractual strategy for complex pursuits and active programs and serve as a key advisor to program managers, capture managers, and senior leadership to shape acquisition strategies and contractual approaches. Complex Challenges: Manage a portfolio of sophisticated government contracts across multiple contract types and customers. Professional Growth: Expand your expertise while working alongside experienced contracts professionals and business leaders. Innovation and Collaboration: Help drive effective business solutions in a dynamic and fast-paced environment. Primary Responsibilities As a Senior Contracts Manager, you will serve as a strategic business partner to program, capture, and business leadership teams across a portfolio of Intelligence Community programs. You will help shape business outcomes by providing expert contractual guidance that helps leaders make informed business decisions, manage risk, strengthen customer relationships, and pursue growth opportunities with confidence. Success in this role requires balancing mission objectives, customer expectations, regulatory compliance, and business goals. You will be expected to anticipate contractual challenges, identify creative and compliant solutions, and influence outcomes through collaboration with internal stakeholders and government customers. The ideal candidate is someone who can translate complex contractual issues into practical business advice and become a trusted advisor to both leadership and program teams while supporting some of the Intelligence Community's most critical national security programs. Key Responsibilities include: Serve as the lead contracts advisor for a portfolio of Intelligence Community programs, providing strategic guidance throughout the business and program lifecycle responsible for overall contract compliance of assigned portfolio in accordance with contract requirements, company policy and procedures, and applicable laws. Partner with program, capture, and business leaders to develop acquisition and contracting strategies that support growth, execution, and customer mission objectives. Lead complex negotiations with government and industry partners to achieve favorable business outcomes while maintaining strong customer relationships. Identify, assess, and mitigate contractual, financial, and operational risks while ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and company policies. Collaborate across Contracts, Finance, Legal, Procurement, and Program Management organizations to resolve complex business challenges and drive successful program execution. Build trusted relationships with government contracting and program counterparts, serving as a key interface between Leidos and the customer. Mentor and support the development of contracts professionals while contributing to continuous improvement initiatives across the contracts function, as needed. What You Bring Educational Foundation: Requires a BA degree and 12 - 15 years of prior relevant experience; or a Masters with 10 - 13 years of prior relevant experience. Contracts Expertise: Deep knowledge of government contracts, subcontracts, and proposal support including experience with a variety of contract types, advanced knowledge of FAR/DFAR and the emerging Federal acquisition environment. Leadership Excellence: Must be able to appropriately prioritize work activities and have experience leading the review and analysis of RFP's, the preparation of compliant and complete Contracts Volumes, and OCI Plans. Agility & Collaboration: Proven ability to work in fast-paced environment and manage multiple priorities and demonstrated success in identifying and managing risks in support of achievement of business goals. Candidate will spend time co-located with program teams supported. Negotiation Mastery: Strategic thinker with expert-level skills in complex terms and conditions negotiations. Security Clearance: Strong knowledge of IC Acquisitions and Regulations, experience working with classified contracts and highly sensitive programs, and an active TS/SCI-CI Poly required. Preferred Qualifications That Set You Apart Candidates with one or more of the following qualifications are strongly preferred: Intelligence Community acquisitions expertise Formal contracting certifications Large capture team leadership experience AI implementation experience in contract processes Comprehensive Contracts and Subcontracts knowledge Familiarity with Other Transactions (OTs), CRADAs, commercial agreements, or non-traditional acquisition approaches. Demonstrated ability to mentor and develop contracts professionals. Ready to Lead? Join a team where your expertise directly contributes to national security while advancing your career in one of the most dynamic sectors in government contracting. At Leidos, you'll have the resources, support, and mission focus to make a lasting impact. Your next strategic leadership opportunity awaits. If you're looking for comfort, keep scrolling. At Leidos, we outthink, outbuild, and outpace the status quo — because the mission demands it. We're not hiring followers. We're recruiting the ones who disrupt, provoke, and refuse to fail. Step 10 is ancient history. We're already at step 30 — and moving faster than anyone else dares. Original Posting: August 3, 2026 For U.S. Positions: While subject to change based on business needs, Leidos reasonably anticipates that this job requisition will remain open for at least 3 days with an anticipated close date of no earlier than 3 days after the original posting date as listed above. Pay Range: Pay Range $116,350.00 - $210,325.00 The Leidos pay range for this job level is a general guideline only and not a guarantee of compensation or salary. Additional factors considered in extending an offer include (but are not limited to) responsibilities of the job, education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities, as well as internal equity, alignment with market data, applicable bargaining agreement (if any), or other law.