
This position is responsible for providing strategic leadership and direction to the Contracts and Procurement Management function at IDA. Reports to the Director of Finance, CFO and Treasurer and works closely with the General Counsel, Executive Vice Presidents, and other Directors in the effective execution of this role. Responsibilities include leadership and administration of all contract management and procurement activities, property management, shipping and receiving, and oversight of procurement activities at IDA’s offsite locations (CCS, CCR-L, CCR-P), and direct contact and interactions with government contracting personnel, internal and external auditors, vendors and IDA staff at all levels.
Personnel Management
Responsible for creating a high-performing contracts and procurement team. Responsible for training, developing, retaining and attracting personnel and providing leadership and coaching to department personnel covering a wide range of topics including division of responsibilities, allocation of resources, determining priorities, awareness of and adherence to IDA policies and procedures, and professional development. Direct supervision of the Purchasing Manager.
Contracts Management
• Management and administration of contract management processes to ensure compliance with all contractual terms and conditions; identify potential issues in contracts by providing expertise and assistance to executive management in the review of FFRDC sponsor agreements and prime contract terms and conditions.
• Review negotiation and end-to-end administration of prime contracts and contract modifications.
• Develop and maintain a trained and fully capable contracting team, ensuring staff have a working knowledge of FAR regulations, FFRDC and sponsor contract requirements and IDA contracting practices to ensure consistent application of these requirements in the end-to-end management of contracts.
• Work closely with IDA research staff to organize and manage prime contract activities including the submittal of cost proposals with supporting documentation.
• Work closely with IDA administrative and management staff for successful contract placement and execution including the identification, notification and resolution of potential contractual/legal issues.
• Establish and maintain proactive, effective working relationships with government contracting and audit officials.
• Monitor the processing of contract tasking and funding from start to completion, working closely with funding offices/sponsors and IDA administrative and management staff.
• Resolve contracting issues by interacting with government contracting and/or audit officials.
• Work closely with both IDA finance staff and government contracting staff to identify and resolve invoicing issues.
• Develop and maintain complete and accurate IDA practices and forms related to contracts management to remain current and in compliance with contractual requirements.
• Work with IDA’s IT team to leverage technology and digitalize IDA’s contractual processes, records management, metrics and reporting capabilities.
• Own the process for Intergovernmental Personnel assignments and/or government personnel coming to work at IDA on a temporary basis.
Procurement Management
• Manage and administer subcontract and purchase order procurement processes to ensure compliance with all contractual terms and conditions.
• Ensure IDA maintains an approved, end-to-end procurement system compliant with government procurement laws and regulations, capable of passing a CPSR review.
• Create and maintain complete and accurate IDA practices and forms related to procurement management to remain current and in compliance with legal, regulatory and contractual requirements.
• Develop and maintain a trained and fully capable procurement staff, ensuring staff have a working knowledge of FAR procurement regulations, CPSR requirements, and IDA procurement practices to ensure consistent application of these requirements in the procurement of goods and services.
• Work closely with IDA research divisions and corporate operations directorates to provide timely, effective, efficient procurement of goods and services that comply with IDA procurement practices:
a. Identify potential issues in corporate infrastructure subcontracts including provisions concerning intellectual property rights, copyright and confidentiality
b. Identify potential issues in contracts/leases by providing expertise and assistance to management in the review of leases and other corporate commercial contracts; provide initial review for issues or concerns such as confidentiality; copyright; intellectual property rights
c. Identify potential issues in service contracts by providing expertise and assistance to management in the review of other corporate commercial contracts; provide review for items such as ensuring caps on costs, no automatic renewals, clear SLA requirements, and clearly defined termination clauses
• Detailed working knowledge of Small Business reporting requirements
• Detailed working knowledge of Subcontractor reporting requirements
• Work with IDA’s IT team to leverage technology and digitalize IDA’s procurement processes, records management, and metrics and reporting capabilities.
• Serve as the process owner for Consultant Agreements.
Minimum Qualifications/Requirements
• Bachelors/Advanced degree (MBA or equivalent preferred) in related field or equivalent, and ten (10) or more year’s progressively responsible experience in government contracting and purchasing, including supervisory experience
• Additional training in contract law and a history of working with commercial contracts, leases, and similar contracts
• Demonstrated, detailed knowledge of federal government contract types, the government funding/contracting process, the Cost Accounting Standards (CAS) and the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and agency supplements
• Fundamental understanding of finance and accounting including government contract accounting
• Demonstrated knowledge of automated business systems (Costpoint/Deltek preferred)
• Proven ability to resolve complicated government contracts and procurement issues, working effectively with internal and external stakeholders
• Ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing
• Ability to obtain/maintain necessary security clearance
• Successful completion of a criminal background check is required
• US citizenship is required
Compensation
We support transparency, equity, and fairness in our compensation program and provide a reasonable estimate of the salary range based on data-driven market analysis for each position. While it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range, a reasonable estimate of the salary range for this role is $161,460-$258,336. Individual salary within this range will be commensurate with the incumbent’s experience, unique skills and qualifications, and other relevant factors.

IDA (Institute for Defense Analyses) – a not-for-profit corporation headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia just outside Washington, DC – operates three Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) in the public interest: the Systems and Analyses Center, the Science and Technology Policy Institute, and the Center for Communications and Computing.
Sponsors rely on IDA for dispassionate, fact-based, and scientifically rigorous research and advice to inform their decisions. Since 1956, IDA’s basic mission has remained unchanged – bring the best scientific, technical, and analytic talent to bear on issues critical to U.S. National security, in a research environment free of commercial or shareholder interests where objectivity and the public interest are foremost.
The work produced by IDA’s FFRDCs is characterized by unquestioned objectivity and high quality. Because of our unique relationship with our Government sponsors, IDA enjoys unusual access to highly classified and sensitive government and corporate proprietary information. We adhere to a strict regime for avoiding conflicts of interest. We are thus in the position of offering outsider perspectives on important issues with insider access to information.
Our diverse mix of professionals possesses expertise in a broad range of technologies and systems combined with deep knowledge of costs, policies, operations, and organizational matters. IDA continually renews and evolves its staff, integrating those newly educated in the latest advances in research with seasoned veterans of acquisition management, policy-making, and operational leadership roles in government and defense-related organizations. The exceptional creativity, determination, and commitment to service that IDA researchers bring to their work are the foundation of IDA’s excellence.