Senior Contracts Manager

About the job

Expression is seeking an experienced Senior Contracts Manager to manage the company’s contracts function and support our growing federal contracting business. As the company’s primary contracts professional, you will lead day-to-day contracting activities across the full contract lifecycle, from opportunity pursuit and proposal support through award, administration, and closeout, with coordinated support from Business Development, Finance, Program Management, Security, and Legal Counsel.

This role partners closely with Business Development, Finance, Program Management, and executive leadership to develop agreements, negotiate terms, manage contractual obligations, and identify business risks. You will play a key role in enabling new business by preparing and negotiating teaming agreements and other pursuit-related agreements while establishing practical processes that support timely, informed decisions.

The ideal candidate brings strong federal contracting expertise, sound business judgment, and the ability to balance competing priorities in a small, fast-paced organization.

Key Responsibilities

Contracts Ownership and Administration

• Serve as the primary point of contact for contractual matters with government customers, prime contractors, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders.
• Manage federal prime contracts and subcontracts throughout their lifecycle, including award review, modifications, option exercises, funding changes, extensions, and closeout.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts, subcontracts, consulting agreements, licensing agreements, and other business agreements, coordinating with legal counsel when appropriate.
• Evaluate contractual terms and conditions, identify financial and operational risks, and recommend practical mitigation strategies.
• Lead negotiations within approved parameters and coordinate internal reviews, approvals, and execution by authorized signatories.
• Track contractual requirements, funding, periods of performance, deliverables, notice requirements, and key deadlines; communicate required actions to responsible stakeholders.
• Partner with Finance and Program Management to address contract interpretation, scope changes, funding limitations, billing requirements, and other contract administration matters.
• Support the resolution of contractual disputes and claims in coordination with leadership and legal counsel.
• Issue and administer subcontract task orders and modification, maintain subcontract tracking records, and coordinate documentation of installation or deliverable acceptance with Program Management.
• Coordinate annual subcontract compliance submission to prime contractors, including certificates of insurance, representations and certification, and other required documentation.
• Collect and review monthly subcontractor reports, and review and approve subcontractor invoices within delegated authority, coordinating with Program Management and Finance to verify performance, billed hours, rates, funding availability, and compliance with subcontract terms.
• Coordinate receipt of prime contract DD254s and preparation, execution, and issuance of subcontractor DD254s in coordination with FSO.
• Request certificates of insurance from the company’s insurance provider and submit them to government customers as required under prime contracts, including tracking renewals and verifying alignment with contractual insurance requirements.

Business Development and Proposal Support

• Partner with Business Development and capture teams to address contracting needs throughout the opportunity and proposal lifecycle.
• Prepare, review, and negotiate teaming agreements and related pursuit agreements to support timely collaboration with prospective partners.
• Assess teaming provisions, including workshare, exclusivity, confidentiality, intellectual property, and post-award subcontract commitments, and elevate material business decisions for approval.
• Review solicitations and amendments to identify contractual requirements, proposal obligations, potential exceptions, and risks that may affect pursuit or award decisions.
• Prepare and coordinate contract-related proposal content, including representations and certifications, required forms, assumptions, and exceptions.
• Coordinate and submit RFIs, white papers, and proposals through designated government and prime contractor portals, including retrieving solicitation documents and confirming successful submission.
• Coordinate partner data requests and prepare or maintain past performance documentation, organizational conflict of interest disclosure, and small business forms.

Compliance, Processes, and Reporting

• Assess applicable FAR and DFARS requirements and contract flow-down provisions; coordinate implementation with the appropriate internal stakeholders.
• Monitor contractual compliance and work with functional owners to address gaps, including obligations related to security, information handling, and export controls, as applicable.
• Maintain complete, organized contract files, negotiation records, approvals, and correspondence.
• Develop and maintain agreement templates, review checklists, tracking tools, and internal workflows to improve consistency and turnaround time.
• Provide leadership with clear updates on contract status, pending actions, negotiation issues, and material risks.
• Manage competing requests independently, prioritize time-sensitive business needs, and escalate issues requiring executive decisions or legal interpretation.
• Maintain the company’s SAM.gov registration, including updates, annual renewal, and coordination of applicable service contract and subcontractor-hours reporting.
• Administer contract vehicles, including modifications and requirements quarterly, subcontractor utilization, and other recurring reports.
• Support internal and external audits, reviews, and assessments as needed by providing contract documentation, coordinating responses, and assisting with corrective actions.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Accounting, Finance, Contract Management, or a related field.
• At least five years of progressively responsible experience in federal contracts and subcontracts management, including hands-on experience supporting a federal contractor.
• Experience independently managing a portfolio of contracts and serving as a primary advisor to internal stakeholders on contractual matters.
• Experience working in a small business or similarly lean environment requiring broad ownership and independent execution.
• Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating nondisclosure agreements, teaming agreements, and subcontracts.
• Experience contract terms, pre-award documentation, and product sales requirements preferably for IT or professional services.
• Strong working knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and applicable subcontract flow-down requirements.
• Experience administering firm-fixed-price, time-and-materials/labor-hour, and cost-reimbursement contracts.
• Ability to translate contractual requirements into clear business guidance and recognize when leadership approval or legal review is needed.
• Strong negotiation, writing, analytical, organizational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Word and Excel.
• Active Secret clearance or ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance.

Preferred Qualifications

• Certified Federal Contract Manager (CFCM) or Certified Professional Contract Manager (CPCM).
• Experience serving as the sole contracts professional or helping establish and improve a contracts function.
• Experience supporting federal technology programs involving software development, artificial intelligence, data analytics, systems engineering, or IT services.
• Familiarity with software licensing, intellectual property, and government data rights provisions.
• Experience supporting IDIQ contracts, task orders, and rapid-turnaround proposal efforts.
• Experience with Unanet or other enterprise resource planning, contract management, or customer relationship management systems.
• Experience using SAM.gov , PIEE, and other government procurement portals for entity registration, proposal submission, property administration, and contract reporting.

Benefits:

Expression offers competitive salaries and benefits, such as:

• 401k matching
• PPO and HDHP medical/dental/vision insurance
• Education reimbursement up to $10,000/yr
• Complimentary life insurance
• Generous PTO and 11 days of holiday leave
• Onsite gym facility
• Commuter Benefits Plan
• In-office Cold Brew Coffee

About Expression:

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Washington DC, Expression provides data fusion, data analytics, AI/ML, software engineering, information technology, and electromagnetic spectrum management solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of State, and national security community. Expression’s culture focuses on creating immediate and sustainable value for our clients via agile delivery of tailored solutions built through constant engagement with our clients. Expression was ranked #1 on the Washington Technology 2018's Fast 50 list of fastest-growing small business Government contractors and a Top 20 Big Data Solutions Provider by CIO Review.

We make sure to provide everyone with the tools and opportunities to grow while working on some of the newest technologies in the industry. We get excited about celebrating our professionals' milestones, accomplishments, promotions, overcoming challenges, and many other aspects that make an engaging collaborative environment.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled
Expression is an Equal Opportunity Employer. If you require a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process, please submit your request to our Human Resources department through the application portal.