Director, Contracts

3 days ago

Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes, United Kingdom CesiumAstro Full time £125,000 - £175,000 per year
At CesiumAstro, we are developers and pioneers of out-of-the-box communication systems for satellites, UAVs, launch vehicles, and other space and airborne platforms. We take pride in our dynamic and cross-functional work environment, which allows us to learn, develop, and engage across our organization. If you are looking for hands-on, interactive, and autonomous work, CesiumAstro is the place for you. We are actively seeking passionate, collaborative, energetic, and forward-thinking individuals to join our team.
We are looking to add an experienced Director of Contracts & Compliance to our team. If you enjoy working in a dynamic, rapidly changing environment and are passionate about technology and helping a company scale, we would like to hear from you.   As a senior leader you will have broad responsibility for leading and developing our Contracts and Compliance function for our UK and European focused businesses into a that will enable CesiumAstro's significant growth.  In this position you will lead the development of key strategies and ensure effective execution.   You will partner with leadership to drive contract execution as well as ensure company compliance to all government trade and export requirements and regulations. JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
  • Support Business Development teams in preparing competitive customer proposals.
  • Champion process management and continuous improvement of key functional processes, to drive agility, productivity and improved internal customer satisfaction.
  • Collaborate with Finance team to achieve financial objectives including program and product cost.
  • Partner with leadership team to drive strategic priorities that enable the company's growth and development in UK and European markets.
  • Key member of negotiations team for new contracts, modifications, and renewals across government and commercial sectors, ensuring favorable terms and compliance with applicable requirements.
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of contract negotiations, modifications, and performance. Prepare and present reports on contract status, performance metrics, and compliance to senior management.
  • Support the bid and proposal process by reviewing and advising on proposal documents, ensuring compliance with government and commercial requirements, and contributing to the development of competitive proposals.
  • Review pricing proposals, quotes, and contract terms for consistency with financial guidelines, risk management policies, and legal requirements.
  • Collaborate closely with legal, finance, sales, and operations teams to draft and review contract language, support deal structures, and mitigate risk.
  • Monitor and evaluate contract performance, including deliverables, milestones, and compliance with performance metrics. Address and resolve performance issues or discrepancies in collaboration with relevant departments.
  • Identify, assess, and mitigate risks associated with government and commercial contracts. Develop and implement strategies to proactively address potential issues.
  • Build and maintain relationships with government contracting officers, agency representatives, commercial partners, and other key stakeholders.
  • Continuously evaluate and improve contract management processes and systems. Implement best practices to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in contract administration and deal desk operations.
  • Oversee the administration of both government and commercial contracts from inception to completion, ensuring compliance with governmental regulations, contractual obligations, and organizational policies.
  • Develop and maintain a centralized contract repository for tracking key terms, obligations, renewals, and milestones for all contracts.
  • Implement and monitor compliance programs to mitigate risks and ensure contractual and regulatory adherence across all contracts.  This includes developing and delivering compliance training programmes. 
  • Leverage your trade compliance knowledge to resolve policy questions and ensure required documentation is current, accurate and complete for all projects, applications and government solicitations, contracts and subcontracts.
  • Provide subject matter expertise for various relevant trade compliance laws and regulations.  Tailor policies and procedures enabling CesiumAstro UK/Europe to operate within CesiumAstro U.S. governance whilst ensuring appropriate compliance and flexibility.
  • Conduct assessments of project requirements to ensure proper trade compliance.
  • Maintain key relationships with CesiumAstro U.S. Contracts and Compliance leadership to deliver international support for wider CesiumAstro programmes.
  • Represent CesiumAstro in external Customer and Supplier working groups and initiatives.
  • Build valuable relationships with commercial teams within relevant UK Government groups and external advisory bodies.
  • Partner with General Counsel to review rule-making and guidance from a variety of sources to remain current on industry requirements and best practices and communicate relevant regulatory changes timely to ensure any necessary updates to procedures are implemented.
JOB REQUIREMENTS AND MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
  • Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or related field with at least 15 years of relevant experience, Master's degree preferred.
  • At least 10 years of combined experience leading supply chain teams as well as contracts and trade compliance functions.  At least 6 years must be in a senior leadership role in the defense, satellite or telecommunications industries.
  • Significant experience in both government and commercial contract management, with a demonstrated track record of managing complex contracts.
  • Proven expertise in government and commercial contracting, with a thorough understanding of procurement processes, contract negotiation, and data rights.
  • Thorough understanding and knowledge of U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and a working knowledge of the Federal Trade Regulations (FTR).
  • Significant experience with day-to-day licensing and related agreements, D-Trade, DECCS and SNAP-R.
  • Understanding ofU.S. Munitions List and Export Control Classification Number classification and licensing.
  • Record of building and managing long term supplier relationships.
  • Exceptional analytical, problem solving, process improvement and decision-making skills.
  • Extensive experience with proposal development including bespoke proposal writing.
  • Demonstrated ability to lead, mentor and develop high performing teams.
  • Strong ability to build and maintain relationships with government officials, commercial clients, and internal stakeholders.
  • Exceptional inter-personal and negotiation skills.
  • Experience with using ERP systems with suppliers.
  • Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
  • Experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) and vendor management systems.
  • Ability to work independently and handle multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
  • Resilience, resourcefulness, and the ability to make decisions with imperfect information.
  • Ability to analyze problems and develop effective solutions at both strategic and functional levels.
  • Willingness to challenge the status quo and seek innovative solutions.
  • Must be capable of independently negotiating the most complex contractual issues.
  • Proven ability for managing and directing work involving complex situations.
  • Requires a comprehensive knowledge of industry business practices and the negotiation of prime contracts.
  • Strong understanding of risk management, pricing strategies, and contract compliance.
  • Possess strong written and oral communication skills, excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Proven effective leader with keen attention to detail.
  • Proficiency using Microsoft Office Suite software such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
  • Experience working in large and small company environments, including start-ups.
  • Space & Defense industry experience is required.
  • Ability to travel to company and customer sites as needed to perform the role.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE
  • Strong understanding of pricing, financial guidelines, and risk management.
  • Strong intellectual curiosity with a commitment to continuous growth and improvement.
  • NCMA Certifications, including CPCM, CFCM, or CCCM.
  • Have grit and a can-do attitude.
  • Eagerness to wear many hats and desire to expand beyond your core functions.
CesiumAstro considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.
Please be aware that many roles will be subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors including new starter's nationality, any previous or dual nationalities held, place of birth and country of residence may limit those roles that you can perform for the organisation.
Please note: CesiumAstro does not accept unsolicited resumes from contract agencies or search firms. Any unsolicited resumes submitted to our website or to CesiumAstro team members not through our approved vendor list or Talent Acquisition will be considered property of CesiumAstro, and we will not be obligated to pay any referral fees. We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

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