Federal Contracts Manager

Work from Home

@Orchard LLC requires a Contracts Manager with hands-on experience managing the full lifecycle of Federal contract acquisition with an emphasis on contracts within Public Health, Health IT, IT transformation, and adjacent areas. The mission is to deliver improved health and national security-readiness solutions for federal programs through science research and development, systems engineering and integration, and digital transformation.

You will be working with experts in public health, performance evaluation, and health operations who solve the complex problems faced by civilian and military customers alike by leveraging advanced tools, including digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data analytics, cloud enablement, modeling, simulation, and more.

The Opportunity:

This is not a back-office administrative role; you are a critical strategic partner at the forefront of our mission. We are seeking a dynamic, mission-driven Contracts Manager to command the full contract lifecycle for complex federal, commercial, and international agreements.

You will be the contractual backbone for programs that deliver cutting-edge health and national security solutions. Your expertise will go beyond mere compliance; you will actively empower our program teams, mitigate risk, and engineer the contractual frameworks that drive successful mission outcomes. If you thrive in a fast-paced, agile environment and are passionate about enabling programs that save lives and protect our nation, this role is for you.

Your Impact: Key Responsibilities

• Act as a Strategic Advisor: Serve as the primary contractual guide for senior leadership and Program Managers, translating complex contract terms into actionable, mission-focused strategy.
• Drive Mission Execution: Proactively manage the full contract lifecycle (IDIQ, T&M, CPFF, FFP) from proposal to closeout, ensuring unwavering compliance with FAR, DFARS, and all regulatory requirements.
• Champion the Capture Process: Take a lead role in proposal development, co-leading the Business Volume, engineering pricing strategies, and ensuring every proposal is 100% compliant, compelling, and built to win.
• Proposal Writing: Play a key role in supporting the proposal development process, including technical writing and evaluation of content.
• Forge Critical Relationships: Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with government Contracting Officers and industry partners, establishing DLH as a trusted and reliable prime contractor.
• Command the Subcontract Lifecycle: Spearhead all subcontracting activities, from developing solicitations and negotiating aggressive, fair terms to managing subcontractor performance, ensuring our partners are as mission-focused as we are.
• Architect and Train: Design, refine, and implement corporate-wide contracts policies, procedures, and templates. Lead training to empower all DLH staff with critical contractual knowledge.
• Deliver Business Intelligence: Produce and analyze key reports—including funding projections, contract backlog, and pipeline analysis—to provide the executive team with the critical data needed for strategic decisions.
• Defend the Mission: Maintain impeccable, audit-proof contract files that defend the allocability, allowability, and reasonableness of costs and rigorously protect DLH's intellectual property.

What You Bring to the Mission

• A Bachelor’s degree and 8+ years of "in-the-trenches" experience managing the full lifecycle of complex, multi-million dollar federal contracts.
• Master-level negotiation skills with a demonstrated ability to create win-win scenarios with customers and subcontractors on terms, price, and schedule.
• Deep expertise in the FAR, DFARS, and other agency supplements, coupled with hands-on experience in ERP and government-approved procurement systems (CPSR experience is a major plus).
• An autonomous and proactive work ethic. You own your portfolio and drive results without the need for micromanagement.
• Exceptional critical thinking and communication skills. You can analyze a complex risk, articulate a clear mitigation strategy, and build consensus with stakeholders at all levels, from program staff to the C-suite.
• A proven track record of thriving under pressure, flawlessly managing competing priorities, and non-negotiable deadlines.
• The "Multiple Hats" DNA: You are a true builder and problem-solver, comfortable in a lean, fast-paced environment. You are ready to roll up your sleeves, navigate ambiguity, and do what it takes to get the mission done.
• Fluency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• CPCM or CFCM certification is highly desired.

Basic Compensation

$126,000 - $140,000 yearly salary

The salary range listed reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this role at the time of posting. The final offer may vary based on skills, experience, geographic location, market conditions, and internal equity. Additional compensation may include performance incentives and program-specific awards. We do not use salary history to determine compensation, in line with applicable law.

Established in 2010, @Orchard LLC has an exceptional reputation, providing staffing solutions to time-sensitive, talent scarcity issues to deliver better talent management ROI.  Our specialty lies in the critical area of program talent acquisition and resource management, not in one narrow skillset, but across many areas of technical and functional delivery. To learn more about our other exciting opportunities, visit our Jobs Page at www.atOrchard.com.