The Role
Manage contract compliance for commercial, government, and defense subcontracting: track obligations and flowdowns (FAR/DFARS/prime), implement compliance processes, coordinate across Legal, Supply Chain, Finance, Security, Engineering and program teams, support proposals and audits, and maintain records and training materials.
Summary Generated by Built In
As the Contracts Compliance Manager at Impulse Space, you will be an integral member of the Legal team responsible for supporting contract compliance operations for commercial, government-related and defense subcontracting matters. This is a non-attorney role intended to focus on contract administration, obligation tracking, flowdown management, and operational implementation of FAR, DFARS, prime contractor and defense-related subcontract requirements as the company scales.
Impulse is a fast-growing aerospace company developing spacecraft and in-space transportation systems for commercial, civil and defense-related customers. The ideal candidate is practical, detail-oriented and able to work cross-functionally to ensure contract requirements are understood, assigned, tracked and implemented across the business.
Responsibilities
- Coordinate with Legal, Government Relations and business teams to identify operational obligations and internal action items arising from customer contracts, government-related subcontracts, supplier agreements and prime contractor flowdowns
- Manage and enhance systems for tracking and supporting implementation of FAR, DFARS, agency-specific, prime contractor and defense-related subcontract requirements
- Partner with Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, Security, Engineering, IT, Business Development, Mission Management and Program teams to support implementation of contract requirements through workflows, checklists, training materials and compliance processes
- Coordinate with Supply Chain and Procurement to ensure required customer, FAR/DFARS, export control, cybersecurity, quality and compliance flowdowns are included in supplier and subcontractor agreements
- Support proposal, RFP/RFQ, diligence, certification, customer inquiry and closeout processes by coordinating inputs and maintaining supporting records
- Partner with internal teams to align contractual requirements with company processes and escalate legal interpretation, negotiation or risk-allocation issues to counsel
- Provide clear, practical summaries of contract obligations and compliance requirements to internal business teams
- Participate in other Legal team and cross-functional compliance projects as needed
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in business, legal studies, government contracts, public policy, engineering or a related field
- 5+ years of experience in contracts management, subcontract administration, government contracting, procurement compliance, legal operations or a related role
- Experience reviewing, administering or supporting contracts involving FAR, DFARS, federal agency clauses or defense prime contractor flowdowns
- Strong understanding of the contract lifecycle, including flowdown analysis, obligation tracking, contract administration and closeout
- Ability to translate contract and compliance requirements into practical internal processes
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Pragmatic, business-minded approach to risk management and compliance
Preferred Skills and Experience
- 4+ years of demonstrated experience working for or with an aerospace, defense, space, hardware, manufacturing or other highly regulated technology company
- Experience supporting a company that serves as both a prime contractor and subcontractor
- Familiarity with CUI, NIST SP 800-171, CMMC, ITAR, EAR, OFAC, forced labor laws and related labor standards, both domestically and in international supply chains, domestic preference, counterfeit parts, records retention, audit rights and related defense industrial base requirements
- Experience with contract lifecycle management tools, Smartsheet, Confluence, Jira or similar tracking systems
- Experience supporting internal audits, government customer reviews, prime contractor compliance requests, supplier flowdown programs or contract closeout activities
- Active or prior U.S. security clearance, or ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
- Government contracts, contract management, or paralegal certification a plus
- Demonstrated experience in a growth-stage company or startup environment
Additional Information:
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Compensation bands are determined by role, level, location, and alignment with market data. Individual level and base pay is determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on job-related skills, education, experience, technical capabilities and internal equity. In addition to base salary, for full-time hires, you may also be eligible for long-term incentives, in the form of stock options, and access to medical, vision & dental coverage as well as access to a 401(k) retirement plan.
Impulse Space’s spacecraft manufacturing business is subject to U.S. export regulations including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR). This position requires applicants to be either U.S. Persons (i.e., U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent U.S. resident (green card holder), an individual granted asylum in the U.S., or an individual admitted in U.S. refugee status) or persons eligible to obtain an export license from the U.S. Departments of State, Commerce, or other applicable U.S. government agencies. Learn more about the ITAR here.
Impulse Space is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Impulse Space is governed on the basis of merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.
About
Impulse Space, the in-space transportation company founded by Tom Mueller, is opening access beyond Low Earth Orbit (LEO) with its fleet of in-space transportation vehicles. The high-energy Helios vehicle unlocks orbits beyond LEO with its powerful Deneb engine, dropping off payloads in MEO, GEO, heliocentric, lunar, and other planetary orbits. The flight-proven Mira vehicle uses a nontoxic, high-impulse chemical propulsion system to offer orbital transport, constellation deployment, and precision reentry services to customers throughout LEO. Led by a team that delivered the most reliable rockets in history, Impulse provides economical and efficient in-space transportation by reliably and rapidly getting customers where they want to go.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in business, legal studies, government contracts, public policy, engineering, or related field
- 5+ years experience in contracts management, subcontract administration, government contracting, procurement compliance, legal operations, or related role
- Experience reviewing, administering, or supporting contracts involving FAR, DFARS, federal agency clauses or defense prime contractor flowdowns
- Strong understanding of contract lifecycle, including flowdown analysis, obligation tracking, contract administration and closeout
- Ability to translate contract and compliance requirements into practical internal processes, workflows, and checklists
- Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- US Person status or eligibility to obtain an export license from U.S. government agencies (ITAR/EAR constraints)
- 4+ years experience working for or with aerospace, defense, space, hardware, manufacturing, or other highly regulated technology company
- Experience supporting prime contractor and subcontractor relationships and supplier flowdowns
- Familiarity with CUI, NIST SP 800-171, CMMC, ITAR, EAR, OFAC, forced labor laws, counterfeit parts, records retention, audit rights
- Experience with contract lifecycle management tools, Smartsheet, Confluence, Jira or similar tracking systems
- Experience supporting internal audits, government customer reviews, prime contractor compliance requests, or contract closeout activities
- Active or prior U.S. security clearance, or ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
- Government contracts, contract management, or paralegal certification
- Demonstrated experience in a growth-stage company or startup environment
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The Company
What We Do
Impulse enables low-cost and nimble last-mile space payload delivery - access any orbit, reach other worlds.
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