Contracts and Propsal Lead in Fort Worth, Texas at Invictus Global Services

Position Summary

The Contracts and Proposal Lead will serve as the primary authority for all contract formation, negotiation, administration, and proposal activities supporting the company’s growth in Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS), counter-UAS, autonomous systems, and other advanced defense technologies. This role focuses on winning and executing high-value contracts with the U.S. Department of War (DoW)—including Army, Navy, Air Force, and SOCOM—as well as strategic commercial contracts with Tier-1 and Tier-2 Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) such as Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, General Atomics, and emerging defense primes.The ideal candidate is a seasoned contracts professional who thrives in fast-paced, regulated environments and possesses deep expertise in federal acquisition processes combined with strong commercial contracting acumen.Key ResponsibilitiesProposal Leadership

• Lead end-to-end proposal development for DoW solicitations (RFPs, RFIs, BAAs, OTA agreements, and Other Transaction Authorities) and commercial OEM opportunities.
• Develop compliant, compelling, and winning proposal strategies, including pricing, terms & conditions, risk matrices, and past performance narratives.
• Collaborate with technical, engineering, finance, and program management teams to produce high-quality technical and cost volumes on aggressive timelines.
• Manage proposal compliance with FAR, DFARS, and agency-specific supplements.

Contract Formation & Negotiation

• Draft, review, and negotiate complex contracts, subcontracts, teaming agreements, NDAs, and MOUs with DoW contracting officers and OEM procurement organizations.
• Structure agreements that protect company intellectual property, data rights, and favorable payment terms while meeting customer requirements.
• Lead negotiations on key clauses including limitation of liability, indemnification, IP ownership, technical data rights (especially for UAS software and payloads), and cybersecurity requirements (CMMC, NIST 800-171/172).

Contract Administration & Compliance

• Administer a portfolio of DoW and commercial contracts, including modifications, delivery orders, funding increments, and closeouts.
• Ensure full compliance with all applicable regulations: FAR, DFARS, ITAR/EAR, SBA socio-economic programs, and DoW-unique policies (e.g., Modular Open Systems Approach – MOSA for UAS).
• Identify and mitigate contractual risks throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for all contractual matters with government contracting officers and OEM counterparts.

Strategic & Business Development Support

• Provide contracts insight during capture planning and bid/no-bid decisions for UAS and defense technology opportunities.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with DoW contracting offices (e.g., ACC, NAVSUP, AFRL) and key OEM procurement teams.
• Support development of standard terms & conditions templates, flow-down provisions, and contracting playbooks tailored to UAS/defense programs.
• Monitor regulatory changes (e.g., new DoW policies on autonomous systems, AI, and contested logistics) and advise leadership on impacts and opportunities.

Qualifications & ExperienceRequired:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Finance, Law, or related field (Juris Doctor or MBA strongly preferred).
• 7+ years of progressive experience in contracts and proposals, with at least 4 years focused on U.S. Department of War contracts.
• Demonstrated success winning and managing multi-million dollar DoW contracts (especially in UAS, aviation, sensors, or autonomous systems).
• Deep working knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and common contract vehicles (IDIQ, MAC, OTA, SBIR/STTR, Other Transaction Authority).
• Proven experience negotiating with both government contracting officers and large defense OEMs.
• Active U.S. Secret security clearance or ability to obtain one.

Preferred:

• Direct experience with UAS platforms, Group 1–5 systems, autonomy software, or related defense technologies.
• Familiarity with commercial contracting practices of major aerospace/defense OEMs.
• Experience with international defense sales (FMS or Direct Commercial Sales) a plus.
• Professional certifications: CFCM, CPCM, or equivalent.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Exceptional negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to balance risk, compliance, and competitive positioning.
• Excellent written and verbal communication; able to translate complex regulatory language into clear business terms.
• High attention to detail with the capacity to manage multiple high-priority opportunities simultaneously.
• Collaborative leadership style – able to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.

What Success Looks Like

• Consistent win rate improvement on targeted DoW and OEM opportunities.
• Timely contract awards and smooth post-award transitions with minimal disputes.
• Positive feedback from both internal stakeholders and external customers on professionalism and responsiveness.
• Proactive identification of contracting efficiencies and new business pathways in the rapidly evolving UAS/defense technology market.

This role offers the opportunity to play a pivotal part in shaping how advanced unmanned and autonomous systems are contracted and delivered to the U.S. military and its industry partners.