Contracts Manager, Government & Commercial Operations

Summary of Position

The Contracts Manager, Government & Commercial Operations is responsible for supporting and executing the company's contract management function across commercial and defense related business activities for a fast‑paced, growth‑oriented aerospace manufacturing and engineering organization. This role focuses on the full contract lifecycle, including contract intake, drafting, review, negotiation support, execution, and post‑award operational support, with particular emphasis on government and commercial customer contracts, subcontract controls, and FAR/DFARS‑informed contract administration.

• Lead day‑to‑day contract administration activities across the contract lifecycle, including intake, drafting, review, negotiation support, execution, amendment tracking, notices, change management, and closeout support for customer contracts.
• Review, draft, negotiate, and administer commercial and defense related customer contracts and related documents, including NDAs, purchase terms, teaming related documents, consulting agreements, licensing agreements, master agreements, and other contract vehicles.
• Support review and administration of subcontracts, supplier agreements, rental leases, and other non‑customer agreements, with final ownership for designated non‑customer agreements remaining with the VP, Contracts.
• Support defense customer contracting activities, including review of FAR and DFARS related terms, contract flow‑down implications, cost‑reimbursable and cost‑plus contract administration requirements, disclosure‑related obligations, and rate‑audit support.
• Develop and maintain contract playbooks, clause summaries, intake processes, approval workflows, and administration procedures that improve consistency, speed, and control.
• Own contract cataloging, records retention support, repository administration, metadata discipline, and searchability to ensure that executed agreements and related records are complete, organized, and readily accessible.
• Lead the business‑side evaluation, implementation, and day‑to‑day governance of contract lifecycle management and AI‑enabled contract tools, including workflow design, tagging structures, clause organization, and user adoption support, while ensuring appropriate human review and escalation for higher‑risk matters.
• Serve as the primary Michigan‑based point of contact for contract questions, issue triage, and cross‑functional coordination with program teams, project managers, project controllers, supply chain, and finance.
• Train project managers, project controllers, and other stakeholders on key contract clauses, operational obligations, compliance‑sensitive provisions, and common commercial or government contract risk issues.
• Support the VP, Contracts in matters involving ECCN/USML classification support, export compliance data gathering, ITAR‑related process support, SAM.gov maintenance support, and other government‑compliance activities, without initial responsibility for FSO/FCL duties.
• Coordinate fact gathering, issue summaries, and documentation for internal or external legal counsel on contract, dispute, claim, compliance, or other legal matters, and escalating sensitive or non‑routine matters appropriately.
• Assist in internal and external audit support, including preparation of contract files, subcontract support documentation, flow‑down evidence, change documentation, and corrective action tracking.
• Build redundancy through documentation, process standardization, cross‑training, and knowledge transfer across the contract management function.
• Perform other related duties as assigned by management.

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, contracts, legal studies, supply chain, or a related field.
• Advanced degree or Juris Doctor preferred.
• Minimum 7 years of progressive experience in contract management, including meaningful experience in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or other regulated government‑contracting environments.
• Demonstrated experience with commercial and defense‑related customer contracts, contract administration, and post‑award execution support.
• Strong working…