Contracts Manager (Columbia)

Red Arch Solutions is seeking an experienced, highly autonomous Contracts Manager to lead cradle-to-grave prime contract and subcontract administration across our growing Defense and Intelligence Community (IC) portfolio.Reporting directly to corporate executive leadership, this position requires a driven, proactive self-starter who can independently govern complex agreements, advise executive leadership on contractual risk, and manage prime/subcontract lifecycles with minimal supervision. The ideal candidate brings a proven track record of managing multifaceted DoD/DoW agreements, maintaining CPSR audit readiness, and executing strategic negotiations under minimal oversight.Key ResponsibilitiesAutonomous Prime & Subcontract Governance: Serve as the primary authority for full lifecycle administration (pre-award through closeout) for multi-million dollar federal prime contracts and subcontracts. Independently resolve complex contractual issues with minimal executive escalation.Agreement Architecture & Negotiation: Draft, review, and negotiate complex Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Teaming Agreements (TAs), Subcontracts, and Joint Venture (JV) structures. Lead negotiations to swift closure while safeguarding corporate terms and fee structures.Strategic Financial & Funding Oversight: Proactively monitor portfolio financial health, including Limitation of Funds (LOF), Limitation of Cost (LOC), burn rates, and ceiling tracking. Formulate and deliver 60/90/120-day executive financial and option-period forecasts without prompting.CPSR & Audit Leadership: Establish and enforce corporate compliance frameworks to maintain Contractor Purchasing System Review (CPSR) readiness. Lead representation during internal, external, DCAA, and DCMA audits.Risk Mitigation & OCI Oversight: Identify and mitigate contractual, financial, and compliance risks—including Organizational Conflicts of Interest (OCI). Formulate actionable risk-mitigation strategies and alternative contract clauses.Proposal Development & Capture Alignment: Partner with Business Development and Capture leadership to review RFPs/RFIs, draft compliance matrices, advise on labor category structures, and contribute to cost and pricing proposal development.Subcontractor Performance Oversight: Oversee subcontract compliance, deliverable tracking, and vendor performance metrics. Drive proactive communications with prime partners and subcontractors to align performance with program objectives.Executive Liaison: Serve as the principal point of contact for Government Contracting Officers (COs/COTRs), prime contractor representatives, and Red Arch executive management.Qualifications & RequirementsExperience:8–10+ years of progressive, direct government contracting and subcontracting experience in the DoD, IC, or DoW space across all major contract types (FFP, T&M, CPFF, CPAF).Clearance: Active TS/SCI security clearance required.Regulatory Expertise: Deep, expert-level knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and federal procurement standards.Autonomy & Leadership: Proven capability to operate independently, manage competing corporate priorities, and make sound contractual decisions with infrequent executive intervention.Negotiation Proven Track Record: Demonstrated experience successfully negotiating complex prime and subcontract terms with enterprise-level partners and government authorities.Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Legal Studies, Supply Chain Management, or a related field (or equivalent experience).Desired Certifications & SkillsCertified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) or Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM).Hands-on experience with enterprise contract management software (e.g., CobbleStone, Unanet).Prior experience preparing a small-to-midsize defense contractor for a formal CPSR audit.Salary range for this position 120,000-180,000 SummaryLocation: Columbia, MD, United StatesType: Full TimeExperience: ExperiencedDepartment: Contracts