Contracts Manager

About Varda

Low Earth orbit is open for business. Varda is accelerating the development of commercial space infrastructure from inorbit pharmaceutical processing to reliable and economical reentry capsules.

From lifesaving pharmaceuticals to more powerful fiber optics there is a world of products used on Earth today that can only be manufactured in space. Varda is accelerating innovation in the orbital economy by creating both the products and infrastructure needed so space can directly benefit life on Earth. Our mission is to expand the economic bounds of humankind.

Our team is uniquely suited to accomplishing this goal with leadership and staff comprised of veterans from SpaceX Blue Origin major pharmaceutical companies and Silicon Valley. Varda was founded in January 2021 by Will Bruey and Delian Asparouhov with significant backing from world class investors including Khosla Ventures Lux Capital Founders Fund Caffeinated Capital General Catalyst and Also Capital.

Varda is headquartered in El Segundo California where we have offices and a production facility where our vehicles equipment and materials are built integrated and tested. Varda also has offices in Washington DC and Huntsville AL (coming soon).

Join Varda and work to create a bustling inspace ecosystem.

About This Role

Vardas Legalteam is looking for acontracts manager to support the companys complex technical contracts with both government offices and commercial customers. As a critical member of a small team you will report directly to the General Counsel and willbe responsible for negotiating and managing novelgovernment and commercial aerospace microgravity and pharmaceutical contracts. You will work across a variety of disciplinesto shape the future of both the pharmaceutical and hypersonics industries. This role requires attention to detailgreat project management and strong communication. As Contracts Manager you will be directly responsible for various contractlifecycle activities including preaward and postaward documentation contract compliance including FAR/DFARS compliance managementsupporting proposal generation organizingand managing contractfiles.

This is a fulltime exempt position located in our El Segundo headquarters.

Responsibilities

• Represent Varda to customers and serveas the counterpartcontracting officer for both government and commercial missions
• Lead or support contract negotiations with our customers while establishing and maintaining a positive working relationship
• Efficiently remove blockers to contract signature while protecting the companys interests
• Provide comprehensivecontractsupport and coordination across teams to ensure mission management operations proposals sales product and leadership teams are informed of and are in compliance with signed contracts and regulations
• Efficiently manage thecontractcloseout process including final deliveries payments and resolving outstanding issues
• Managecompliance efforts with governmentcontracts and regulatory entities including in particular the FAR and DFARS
• Create and maintaincontractand business files
• Efficiently manage thecontractcloseout process including final deliveries payments and resolving outstanding issues
• Advise management of their rights and obligations under thecontracts
• Reviewand provide recommendations on all types ofcontractsand agreements as needed
• Draft review and negotiate a variety of contracts and agreements including vendor contracts client agreements and partnership agreements

Basic Qualifications

• BA/BSdegree in law business finance or similar field
• 4 years of contract management experience
• 2 years of governmentcontract managementexperience
• Experience with variousGovernment contracttypes in particular Firm Fixed Price contracts Other Transaction Authorities(OTAs) and Space Act Agreements
• Experience with government contract compliance requirements under the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Supplement) and the NASA FAR Supplement (NFS)
• Experience with commercialcontracts including confidentiality/nondisclosure and vendor agreements
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate and provide strong verbal and written arguments
• Ability to deliver on aggressive and competing deadlines
• Experience with export controlled materials and compliance under both the ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulation) and the EAR (Export Administration Regulation)
• Willingness to travel up to 25 of the time

Preferred Skills and Experience

• NationalContractManagement Association Certification
• TS/SCI Clearance
• Experience with pharmaceutical or space industries
• DoD and/or NASAcontractadministration or related experience

Pay Range

• Salary range: $125000 $170000/per year.
• This role isonsitein El Segundo CA
• Leveling and base salary is determined by jobrelated skills education level experience level and job performance
• You will be eligible for incentives in the form of stock options and/or longterm cash awards

• Varda like all employers must ensure that its employees working in the United States are lawfully authorized to work in the U.S. Additionally our employees are exposed to and have access to certain exportcontrolled items. At present some of our technology to which employees have access requires a license to be exported to individuals other than U.S. Persons as defined in U.S. export regulations. Because our employees are provided access to exportcontrolled items our current policy is to only hire U.S. persons who are permitted to have access to our technology without an export license.

  US person means: U.S. citizen U.S. lawful permanent resident or protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)3 (i.e. individual admitted to the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum in the U.S.

  Learn more about the ITAR here.

Benefits