Contracts Administration Manager 2

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: No
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

Description

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Aeronautics Systems has an opening for Manager Contracts Administration 2 to join the team of qualified individuals. This leadership role is located onsite in Melbourne, FL. This position is 100% onsite and cannot accommodate telecommute work.

Our Leaders at Northrop Grumman live our values daily and encourage our teams to do the same. We do the right thing: upholding the highest ethical standards and facilitating a safe and respectful environment that attracts, retains, and inspires a diverse and engaged team. We do what we promise: holding yourself and others accountable to meet predictable and balanced results. We commit to shared success: operating as OneNG and removing barriers for our teams. Finally, We pioneer: setting a vision that shapes the future and inspires others.

In this role, the successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of the contracting team’s portfolio, including customer satisfaction, financial performance, risk mitigation, change management, and support to new business strategy. The position also includes direct supervision and management of a team of contract administrators.

The successful candidate is expected to:

• Demonstrate the highest levels of professionalism and integrity
• Exhibit strong leadership qualities and effectively lead and develop a team
• Maintain a collaborative, team‑oriented approach
• Demonstrate a solution‑oriented mindset and sound judgment in a dynamic environment
• Exercise professional courage to challenge and question compliance with requirements, as appropriate
• View the Contract Administration function as a strategic business partner, beyond a transactional or “paper pusher” role
• Embody a growth mindset, with a strong willingness to learn and continuously improve

This position follows a 9/80 work schedule, with every other Friday off.

Job responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Lead and manage the contracting portfolio within the assigned program(s) or business area, ensuring alignment with Aeronautics Systems objectives and program needs
• Review and approve contractual documents to protect the company’s contractual/risk posture, ensure satisfaction of contractual requirements, and maintain adherence to applicable regulations and internal guidelines—requiring keen attention to detail
• Plan and execute successful contract negotiations of a complex nature, achieving targeted profit rates as well as favorable terms and conditions that support profit, cash, and risk objectives
• Provide direct supervision and management of a team of contract administrators, including workload management, performance feedback, and development planning
• Foster strong employee engagement, respect, and collaboration; cultivate a culture that emphasizes integrity, accountability, learning, and excellence
• Coach and mentor team members on negotiation strategies, contract drafting, risk assessment, and customer engagement
• Oversee contract administration activities across the team, including awards, modifications, options, funding actions, and closeout, ensuring timely and accurate execution and complete documentation of obligations, deliverables, and milestones
• Support new business and proposal strategies by providing advanced proposal development and negotiation input, including risk identification, due diligence, and mitigation recommendations
• Regularly and proactively interface and effectively collaborate with program management, technical, operations, finance, supply chain, legal, export, security, and other stakeholders to provide guidance and direction based on contractual requirements and risk posture.
• Make sound, timely decisions and offer practical guidance in a fast‑paced environment with competing priorities and deadlines, balancing business objectives with legal, regulatory, and contractual compliance
• Apply strong analytical, problem‑solving, and decision‑making skills to resolve complex contractual issues, manage risk, and minimize exposure to the company
• Identify contractual and regulatory risks; recommend mitigation strategies, alternative structures, and negotiation approaches that protect the company while supporting customer objectives
• Leads effective change management processes, including contract changes related to scope, schedule, and price; ensure impacts are identified, documented, and negotiated in a timely manner
• Promote ethical conduct and compliance across the team; promptly escalate issues that may present legal, regulatory, or reputational risk
• Support continuous improvement of contracts processes, tools, and templates; contribute lessons learned and best practices to the broader Contracts organization
• Build strong customer trust and intimacy and strong internal relationships while preserving contractual and organizational interests
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications:

• Must either have a bachelor’s degree with 7 years of professional experience; or a master’s degree with 5 years of professional experience; or a PhD with 3 years of professional experience
• Experience in government contracting, including negotiation and administration of complex contracts.
• Experience negotiating and administering fixed price and cost reimbursable contract types of varying sizes with the U.S. Government.
• Thorough understanding of the requirements of applicable government regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and associated government contracting requirements.
• Familiarity with FAR and, preferably, DFAR Supplement and/or commercial‑style contracts or similar agreements with the U.S. Government.
• Experience in proposal development and negotiation skills, including strategy development, position formulation, and execution, with a strong grounding in agency principles and business ethics.
• Proven ability in contract formation, interpretation, and performance across the full contract lifecycle (SOW, terms and conditions, offer and acceptance, consideration, legality, price/cost, technical, delivery, and closeout).
• Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a Secret clearance within a reasonable amount of time as determined by business needs

Preferred Qualifications:

• Active US Government secret or top secret clearance (with a background investigation within the past 6 years or enrolled into Continuous Evaluation).
• Master's degree or equivalent professional certification (e.g., NCMA or similar).
• 10+ years' experience in U.S. Government contracting, including negotiation and administration of complex contracts (e.g. CPIF and FPIF contracts).
• Demonstrated leadership and/or supervisory experience leading contract professionals or multidisciplinary teams.
• Experience managing FAR part 34 Major System Acquisition and commercial contracts or similar agreements with the U.S. Government.
• Track record of process improvement across contracting and negotiation activities, including effectiveness, efficiency, metrics, and innovation.
• Recognized leadership capabilities and strong emotional intelligence, with the ability to set vision and mission, guide and influence teams, and align results to organizational goals.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional stakeholders (program, technical, finance, supply chain, quality, legal, property, data, and IT)

Primary Level Salary Range: $115,000.00 - $172,400.00
The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.
Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.
Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.