Senior Staff Contracts Manager in Bloomfield, Connecticut at Coherent Aerospace & Defense Inc

Attalon is a leading technology partner to the global aerospace and defense industry, specializing in the physics of light and heat. With over 500 employees in the U.S., Attalon engineers critical optical, laser, and coating technologies that enable systems to see farther, target faster, and survive the harshest environments. From high-energy directed laser systems to satellite optics and hypersonic thermal protection, Attalon equips the warfighter with the advantage of precision.

Our Bloomfield, CT facility specializes in the delivery of innovative fiber lasers and amplifiers. This site combines advanced engineering and high‑quality manufacturing to support cutting‑edge technology for the defense market.

Job Summary:

Attalon, Inc. is looking for a Senior Staff Contracts Manager to join its Legal Department and manage all aspects of the contracting workflow of its specialty custom optics segment. This role is successful through proactive collaboration with the business unit management staff, corporate finance, supply chain, and other cross functional teams. As many of our applications serve the aerospace and defense markets, the ideal candidate will be a subject matter expert in the regulatory nuances of working with US Government prime contractors and Federal Contracting Officers. The various activities related to contracting that the Contracts Administrator will be required to manage include proposing, revising, structuring, and executing contractual documents, as well as the actively negotiating new contracts, ensuring compliance with contractual terms, and management of the performance and close-out phases.

Responsibilities:

The selected candidate will be expected to: actively collaborate with internal subject matter experts to develop efficient business processes relating to the collection and review of the various legal and finance inputs, distribute tasks to the appropriate business leaders and decision makers, and ensure that the process is tracked, reviewed, and executed in a timely manner. In addition, the Contracts Administrator will take the initiative to develop and manage internal and external processes to ensure smooth transitions throughout the contract lifecycle. This candidate may be called upon to direct the work of other contracts team members and manage all aspects of customer interface if the program manager or opportunity owner is unavailable

• Develop business processes and ensure compliance thereto for the management of the complete contracting life cycle for external customer sales and procurement contracts

• Review and process complete sales packages, including review of all required documents, requests for quotations, statements of work, sales contracts, purchase orders, tax status forms, reps and certs, and other supporting documents

• Manage the formal contractual customer interface for all customer requests. Propose and coordinate customer facing project-based messaging in coordination with the Project Manager or Opportunity Owner and act as an advocate for the business in contractual negotiations

• Conduct contract reviews with corporate finance, legal, quality, EH&S, and other representatives

• Ensure contract compliance for all business pursuits (including but not limited to: ISO9001:2015, AS9100D, Federal Acquisition Regulations, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations, and other regulatory requirements)

• Advise on A&D contractual requirements/contract types, with advanced knowledge of FAR/DFARS requirements and assist or lead in customer negotiations. Maintain awareness of changes to FAR, DFAR, ITAR, EAR and other applicable government regulations associated with contractual requirements and export controls.

• Define, develop, and implement policies and procedures that enable adequate contract controls and services, including contract records management and reporting

• Refer sensitive matters for executive decision-making and use discretion in keeping management informed on a timely basis of key issues impacting business operations

Skills:

Minimum Qualifications:

BS/MS or equivalent degree in a relevant field.6+ years of experience working with government contracts and subcontracts

Preferred Qualifications:

10+ years of experience working with government contracts and subcontractsExperience directly negotiating with or on behalf of Federal Contracting OfficesExperience with complex FAR/DFARs compliance, including CAS compliance, CMMC compliance, and/or managing government furnished property requirements

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Attalon, Inc. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Export Control Compliance

This role involves access to technology, materials, software, or hardware subject to U.S. export control laws. Therefore, to be considered, candidates must be classified as a “U.S. Person” under applicable regulations or be eligible for authorization under a U.S. government export license.