Senior Vice President of Contracts

Position Overview:

Applied Aerospace & Defense (Applied) is a leading provider of advanced engineering, design, and vertically integrated manufacturing solutions serving Space Launch, Defense Aviation, Airborne Systems, C5ISR, and Precision Strike markets. Following a successful IPO and recent listing on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), Applied is entering an exciting new phase of growth, scalability, and value creation.

The Senior Vice President - Contracts is Applied’s senior-most contracts executive, leading the Contracts function across the enterprise. Reporting to the CLO and partnering closely with the business, the successful candidate will establish a consistent, scalable approach to contracting as Applied integrates its legacy businesses. This leader will advise executives and business leaders on capture efforts, contract strategy, risk, and program execution throughout the full lifecycle of U.S. Government, commercial, and international business.

This is a hands-on executive role for a seasoned, practical, business-minded leader who can raise functional capability without creating unnecessary bureaucracy. The SVP - Contracts will balance disciplined risk management and compliance with speed, accountability, and sound commercial judgment.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Set the direction and operating model for Applied’s enterprise Contracts function; align priorities, staffing, standards, and performance expectations across businesses and sites.
• Advise the CLO, Chief Executive Officer, Executive Leadership Team, and business leaders on contracts and procurement strategy and risk, customer positions, and regulatory requirements.
• Oversee the governance framework for contract decisions, including delegated authorities, review thresholds, escalation paths, and approval of significant bids, awards, modifications, and other commitments.

Business Capture & Contract Performance

• Direct contract strategy and execution for Applied’s government, commercial, and international portfolio, from early capture and proposal shaping through performance, change management, and closeout.
• Work with Business Development, Program Management, Finance, Operations, Engineering, and Legal to shape acquisition and negotiation strategies and strengthen bid/no-bid, gate, proposal, pricing, and basis-of-estimate reviews.
• Lead on the company’s contract negotiations and on escalated claims, requests for equitable adjustment, terminations, audits, and disputes.
• Build strong relationships with government and commercial customers, contracting officers, DCMA and DCAA representatives, prime contractors, subcontractors, and strategic partners.

Procurement Advisory

Procurement, Sourcing & Supplier Risk

• Advise Operations, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Security, and Export Compliance on contracts risk and strategy related to sourcing decisions, supplier capacity, long-lead items, sole-source exposure, and continuity-of-supply risk.
• Provide guidance on supplier agreement terms, flow-down requirements, and approval thresholds, and support functional teams in managing supplier risks related to performance, quality, cybersecurity, counterfeit parts, export controls, domestic sourcing, and lower-tier suppliers.
• Support the functional leaders responsible for government property, purchasing-system obligations, and customer or regulatory reviews touching procurement and the supply base.

Governance & Regulatory Readiness

• Maintain a sound control environment for contract and procurement activity under Applied policies, delegated authorities, the FAR, DFARS, agency supplements, Cost Accounting Standards, and TINA requirements, including readiness for DCMA, DCAA, CPSR, and customer reviews.
• Give leadership reliable Enterprise visibility into contractual obligations, approval status, disputes, and emerging risk through disciplined records, useful data, and focused performance measures.
• Anticipate changes in acquisition policy and customer expectations and work with Legal and Compliance to turn them into usable guidance on data rights, export controls, cybersecurity, ethics, investigations, protests, disputes, litigation, and mandatory disclosures.
• Assess contract and supply-base issues in acquisitions and lead the functional work required for change-of-control approvals, novations, and integration into Applied’s operating model.

People, Capability & Enterprise Integration

• Shape, lead, and mentor a contracts and procurement team that is commercially astute, responsive to the businesses, and accountable for results, with clear roles and thoughtful succession planning.
• Foster a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous improvement through direct coaching, practical training, shared tools, and stronger connections among personnel at different businesses and sites.
• Cultivate an environment centered in integrity, ownership, collaboration, and constructive challenge, where Applied’s EPIC values are reflected in everyday decisions.

Qualifications:

Required

• At least 15 years of progressively responsible government contracts experience in the Defense & Space industry, including at least seven years in senior leadership roles.
• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, contracts management, finance, law, engineering, supply chain management, or a related field.
• Demonstrated success leading the contracts function at enterprise or major-business level and building consistent processes across multiple businesses, sites, or operating models.
• Deep working knowledge of the FAR, DFARS, Cost Accounting Standards, TINA, and a broad range of contract vehicles, including fixed-price, cost-reimbursement, incentive, time-and-materials, IDIQ, and Other Transaction Agreements.
• Meaningful experience in procurement and supply chain, including strategic subcontracts, direct-material or manufacturing-related purchasing, supplier risk, sourcing, and flow-down management.
• Experience supporting both product or manufacturing programs and services-based work, with the judgment to adapt contracting, procurement, and supply-chain practices to different business models.
• Experience with complex negotiations, claims, requests for equitable adjustment, terminations, audits, disputes, and senior customer or government interfaces.
• Experience with contract lifecycle management and ERP platforms.
• Proven ability to advise senior executives, translate complex issues into clear business choices, lead strong teams, and operate effectively in a fast-paced growth environment.
• Ability to obtain and retain a U.S. Government security clearance.

Preferred

• Experience with international contracting, Foreign Military Sales, Direct Commercial Sales, ITAR, EAR, intellectual property, and data rights.
• Experience in a publicly traded company and familiarity with public-company controls, governance, and disclosure considerations.
• Experience with post-acquisition integration and leading functional or systems transformation.

Why Join Applied Aerospace & Defense?

• Join a newly public, rapidly growing aerospace and defense platform at a pivotal stage of its evolution.
• Build the enterprise Contracts capability needed to support Applied’s next stage of growth.
• Work directly with executive and business leaders on the company’s most consequential opportunities, commitments, and risks.
• Help shape acquisitions, business integration, and enterprise improvement efforts from the outset.
• Opportunity to make a lasting impact on a company supporting some of the world's most critical aerospace and national security programs.

Additional Information

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. It is not an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or skills required. Employees may be required to perform other job-related duties as assigned, consistent with business needs and applicable law.

Due to the nature of our work and applicable U.S. export control laws, this position requires International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) eligibility. Only individuals who qualify as a “U.S. person” as defined by ITAR (U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, refugees, or asylees), unless specified otherwise within job description, are eligible for employment.

Applied Aerospace & Defense (“AA&D”) is committed to equal employment opportunity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Applicants who require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to disability, medical condition, or other protected reason may contact the Human Resources Department. Requests will be reviewed in accordance with applicable law.

Where required by law, the applicable pay range and a summary of benefits and other compensation for this position will be provided.