Senior Proposal & Contracts Manager

At AIRO, we bring together aircraft, autonomy, avionics, and mission services into one integrated platform designed for the environments where failure is not an option. Our technology supports contested logistics, tactical and long-range ISTAR, and operations that demand precision under pressure, so the people who depend on it can get where they need to be when it matters most. Here, you will work alongside innovators, engineers, operators, and industry leaders who share a passion for solving hard problems and building what comes next in aerospace and defense.

Join us and be part of something extraordinary.

The Senior Proposal & Contracts Manager owns the full contract lifecycle across several segments at AIRO Drones, from solicitation review and compliant proposal submission through award, administration, modification, and closeout. The role sits at the intersection of business development, program execution, finance, and legal, and is accountable for turning warfighter demand into executable, compliant, and profitable contracts.

This is a hands-on, senior individual-contributor position with a clear path to lead the function as AIRO grows. You will personally lead the contracts and compliance volumes of our highest-value DoD, NATO/allied, and commercial captures, administer the resulting awards, and establish the proposal and contracts processes, templates, tools, and playbooks that a publicly traded, rapidly scaling defense company requires. You will operate with the agility of a commercial technology company while navigating the uncompromising realities of FAR/DFARS, Other Transaction Authority (OTA), SBIR/STTR, and international government procurement.

The role demands credibility and sound judgment across all levels of the organization and the customer, from contracting officers and DCMA representatives to program managers, flag officers, and the C-suite. Work is carried out both independently and in close coordination with AIRO Drone Program Managers, Sales, Global Business Development, Finance, and outside counsel, often under compressed, time-sensitive deadlines and in international contexts.

• Leads solicitation review for RFPs, RFIs, BAAs, CSOs, OTAs, IDIQ/task orders, and SBIR/STTR calls; identifies contractual requirements, exceptions, representations, and risks; and develops compliance matrices.
• Owns the Contracts, Compliance, and Certifications volumes, and manages the end-to-end submission of a compliant proposal package in coordination with Program Management, Engineering, Finance, and Pricing.
• Supports pricing reviews and cost-volume development, ensuring cost realism, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), and DCAA-audit readiness where applicable.
• Drafts and negotiates Non-Disclosure Agreements, Teaming Agreements, Memoranda of Understanding, and Statements of Work with primes, subcontractors, agents, and national business partners.
• Builds and maintains the proposal library, boilerplate, templates, and past-performance records that allow AIRO to respond to a high volume of opportunities at speed.

• Negotiates complex contracts, subcontracts, and amendments across FFP, CPFF, CPAF, T&M, IDIQ, OTA, and commercial structures, balancing business objectives with risk and compliance.
• Evaluates FAR/DFARS clauses, customer flow downs, data rights (technical data and computer software), intellectual property provisions, export-sensitive provisions, and NDAA supply-chain requirements.
• Advises executive leadership on contractual terms, obligations, and business impact prior to signature; exercises judgment within delegated authority and escalates unresolved risk appropriately.