Contracts & Compliance Manager

Contracts & Compliance Manager

Barber-Nichols (BN) is a premier provider of custom turbo machinery solutions serving the Defense, Aerospace, Cryogenics, and Energy industries. Our team consists of industry leaders who collaborate closely with equally accomplished customers to deliver technologies that advance their markets and establish enduring partnerships. At BN, we foster a results-driven environment that values professional growth, rewards achievement, and supports innovation. From designing the blower for NASA's Dragonfly mission to Saturn's moon Titan to engineering critical components for the U.S. Navy's MK-48 program, BN's portfolio spans some of the most exciting and impactful projects in the world.

For those seeking to contribute to impactful projects alongside a highly skilled team, BN offers an exceptional place to build your career.

The Contracts & Compliance Manager is responsible for the administration, negotiation, execution, and compliance management of customer, supplier and teammate contracts, and non-disclosure agreements across the business. This role serves as a key interface between Sales, Program Management, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, and Operations to ensure contractual and regulatory compliance while enabling efficient business execution. This role serves as a senior subject matter resource and escalation point for contractual and compliance-related risk across commercial and U.S. Government business activities.

The position has primary responsibility for commercial and government contract review, negotiation, contract setup and administration, and lifecycle support. Secondary responsibilities include support of export compliance, contractual compliance obligations, and related business processes. The role partners with internal subject matter experts and leadership to identify, escalate, and address contractual and regulatory risks while supporting efficient business execution.

This is an onsite position based in Arvada, Colorado, requiring regular in-person collaboration with Sales, Program Management, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance, Operations, and Leadership.

Contracts Management & Administration

• Review, negotiate, and administer customer, supplier, subcontractor, consultant, and teaming contracts, and non-disclosure agreements.
• Serve as a primary reviewer and escalation point for contractual terms and conditions requiring leadership, legal, or compliance review.
• Lead redline review and negotiation of contractual terms and conditions to protect company interests while supporting business objectives.
• Evaluate contractual risk and provide practical recommendations to leadership and functional teams.
• Support proposal, capture, and program execution teams with contractual guidance throughout the contract lifecycle.
• Ensure accurate contract setup, entry, and maintenance within ERP and business systems.
• Oversee contract documentation governance, records retention, modifications, and correspondence in accordance with company procedures and customer requirements.

Government Contracting Compliance

• Interpret and apply FAR, DFARS, and customer-specific contractual requirements.
• Support compliance with U.S. Government contracting regulations and flow-down requirements.
• Coordinate with Finance, Program Management, and Corporate Legal on contractual matters involving risk, claims, changes, and compliance obligations.
• Provide operational guidance and support related to Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) handling requirements and contractual compliance obligations, including escalation of higher-risk or unclear matters to appropriate internal stakeholders.
• Identify and escalate contractual or regulatory risks requiring leadership, legal, or corporate compliance involvement.
• Assist with audits, assessments, and customer compliance reviews.

Export Compliance & Licensing

• Work closely with Corporate Export Compliance Manager to administer Corporate Export Policies and Procedures
• Support company export compliance activities in accordance with ITAR, EAR, and applicable U.S. export regulations.
• Support and coordinate company export compliance activities in partnership with Corporate Export Compliance leadership
• Coordinate export licensing activities including DSPs, agreements, exemptions, and classification support.
• Maintain export records and documentation in accordance with regulatory requirements.
• Support employee training and awareness related to export compliance obligations.

Business Systems & Process Improvement

• Lead continuous improvement initiatives related to contract management, NDA workflows, and compliance systems.
• Develop standardized templates, workflows, approval processes, and tracking tools to improve efficiency and risk management.
• Support implementation and optimization of ERP, CRM, document management, and contract lifecycle management systems.
• Establish metrics and reporting related to contracts turnaround time, NDA processing, licensing status, and compliance…