Build the Future with Us
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.
Position Overview:
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.
Key Responsibilities:
a. Proposal Leadership & Capture Support:
- 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.
b. Contract Negotiation & Award:
- 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.
c. Contract Administration & Program Support:
- Serves as the primary point of contact for contracting officers, prime contractors, and customers on all contract-related matters following award.
- Administers the active contract portfolio: modifications, options, funding actions, CDRL/SDRL deliverable submissions, milestone and invoice tracking, and closeout.
- Provides Program Managers and executives with contract briefs and status throughout the life of each contract, and partners with Program Management to transition prototype and OTA successes into Programs of Record.
- Supports the DoD fielding of the RQ-35 Heidrun and RQ-70 Dainn by ensuring contract vehicles, delivery schedules, and acceptance terms are aligned with the Phoenix, AZ manufacturing ramp.
d. Compliance, Risk & Governance:
- Ensures compliance with FAR, DFARS, agency supplements, ITAR/EAR, CAS, and company policy across the portfolio; monitors Blue UAS and NDAA Section 848 traceability obligations as they flow into contracts.
- Identifies, assesses, and mitigates contractual risks related to cost, schedule, performance, and IP; resolves escalated contractual issues and disputes in coordination with legal, program, and executive stakeholders.
- Maintains complete, audit-ready contract files and supports internal, external, DCAA, and CPSR audits; contributes to SOX-aligned controls over revenue-bearing agreements as a public company.
- Develops, implements, and continuously improves contracts policies, procedures, and tools (e.g., Unanet, Costpoint, Salesforce, SharePoint).
e. Enablement & Function Growth:
- Trains Program Managers, Sales, and Business Development on contractual fundamentals, flow-downs, and proposal discipline.
- Establishes the standards, templates, and workflows that will allow the contracts function to scale, with the opportunity to build and lead a team as AIRO's backlog and program count grow.
f. Voice of the Customer & Business Insight:
- Collects, shares, and qualifies contracting trends, customer requirements, and procurement-vehicle intelligence with Sales, Global Business Development, and Program Management to shape capture strategy and expand or scale existing programs.
Qualifications:
- 10+ years of progressive federal and defense contracts experience, including several years at the Contracts Manager or Senior Contracts Manager level.
- Proven track record supporting proposal efforts that resulted in DoD prime awards in the tens of millions of dollars, from solicitation review through compliant submission and post-award administration.
- Experience in a high-volume proposal and contracts environment, well over 50 proposals per year, administering a portfolio of dozens of active DoD, NASA, DHS, or similar federal contracts, including SBIR/STTR.
- Full-lifecycle (cradle-to-grave) administration of CPFF, CPAF, FFP, T&M, IDIQ, and OTA instruments, including modifications, deliverables, and closeout.
- Experience operating through a corporate transition, small-business to large-business status, acquisition, or public listing, and adapting contract practices accordingly.
- Experience serving as the primary customer point of contact on contract matters; experience mentoring Contract Administrators is a plus.
- Experience supporting audits and advising executive leadership on contractual obligations and business impact.
Education:
- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Contracts Management, Finance, Law, Communications, or a related field.
- Master's degree (M.S. Management, MBA, J.D., or equivalent) highly preferred.
- Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM), Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM), or equivalent NCMA / DAWIA Contracting certification required.
- Active U.S. Security Clearance (Secret required; TS preferred) and U.S. Person status to access export-controlled data.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to sit, stand, and/or walk for extended periods
- Ability to use hands and fingers for manual dexterity and repetitive tasks
- Ability to bend, stoop, reach, push, pull, and lift as required by the position
- Ability to safely lift, carry, push, or pull objects within the requirements of the position
- Ability to perform the visual, auditory, and communication requirements necessary to perform the essential functions of the position
- Ability to work safely in the physical and environmental conditions applicable to the position
Company Benefits:
· Paid Time Off (PTO)
· Paid Holidays
· Parental Leave
· Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
· Health Savings Account (HSA)
· 401(k) with company match
· Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
· Commuter Benefits
· Basic Life Insurance – fully paid by the company for employees and their dependents
· Long-Term Disability Insurance – fully paid by the company
· Voluntary Short-Term Disability Insurance
· Supplemental Life Insurance options
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive, and the employee may also be asked to perform other reasonably related job duties as assigned by their immediate supervisor as required. All employees may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed. The AIRO Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer.