Vannevar is a defense technology company building AI to deter our adversaries. In the 21st century, conflict moves at algorithmic speed and foresight equals firepower. Our agentic AI is purpose-built to compete with China—from cross-Strait conflict to gray zone coercion. Trained on the most mission-relevant datasets in defense, our technology models adversary behavior, simulates campaigns, and recommends the best course of action to decision makers. Our AI systems are some of the most trusted in the industry and actively used on the front lines of the Indo-Pacific to keep the peace and save lives.
Exceptional technology starts with exceptional people. Vannevar is a small agile team combining world-class engineers with veteran strategists who bring deep expertise in defense and tradecraft. We’re building a company defined by mission impact, user empathy, and disciplined growth. In just three years, we grew from $3M to $80M in ARR, achieved early profitability, and reached unicorn status—proving that disruption doesn’t require an ego, and staying power doesn’t mean standing still.
We're looking for a Contracts Manager to help us stay organized as we scale. You are ambitious and thrive in a fast-paced and quickly evolving environment, but are also detailed, process oriented, and organized. You are strategic. You’re focused on where we’re going and build the plans and processes to support our goals. At this point we’re still learning. You’re energized by the prospect of creating new tools and processes to make the company operate more effectively, and not afraid to make changes when the first, or second, attempt can be improved.
As contracts manager, you will work from within the Legal/GRC team across capture, revenue, and finance organizations to build and maintain contract files, assist with managing government contracts compliance, and create the workflows and processes to drive efficiency in existing and new business requirements.
What you’ll do- Develop and maintain government contracts management processes, from pre-contract activities to final contract milestones/deliverables
- Build AI-native workflows into contract management and compliance processes – replacing manual review wherever possible
- Maintain government contract registration, reporting, and disclosures in government systems such as SAM.gov, PIEE, CPARS, etc.
- Assist in negotiating and administering agreements with our customers, subcontractors, and vendors, ensuring adherence to company policies and government regulations
- Provide frontline support for contract-related requests from internal stakeholders; respond to inquiries from customers, subcontractors, and vendors
- Monitor contract performance on complex government contracts; identifying and escalating challenges that may threaten performance
- Design and implement policies and procedures to ensure compliance with laws and regulations in support of our federal business including export control/OFAC and FAR/DFARs requirements
- Bachelor’s degree
- 3+ years relevant experience (e.g. government contracting specialist or contracting officer, contracts manager at a defense contractor, or paralegal or legal ops experience)
- Knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement (DFARS), and other agency supplements
- Experience with Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs) GSA schedules, Government Wide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs), BPAs, and other multi-award contract vehicles
- Experience leading cross-functional projects
- A track record of taking initiative and being resourceful to accomplish ambitious goals
- Effective organizational skills and ability to juggle many competing priorities
- Fluency with spreadsheets, basic statistics, and an ability to use data to drive decisions
- Interest in AI/ML, law, privacy, and cybersecurity
- Experience with government acquisitions via Broad Agency Announcement, Commercial Solutions Opening, SBIR Phase 3, Consortiums, and other unique competitive and non-competitive government procurement types
- Knowledge of government contract and subcontract processes including flow downs, change management, inspection, acceptance, payment, warranty, close-out and records retention
- Experience at a startup, defense contractor, or high-growth technology company
- Experience negotiating subcontracts on Federal programs
- Active Security Clearance (or ability to obtain one) and willingness to travel onsite.
- Health, dental, and vision insurance
- Remote friendly with WeWork access
- Unlimited PTO, shared downtime during the federal holiday calendar, and company-wide off time at the end of each year
- 401(k) match
- Lifestyle & wellbeing stipends
- Salary top-up during military reserve duty
- Fully paid parental leave
- Child and pet care reimbursement during travel
We are committed to protecting the privacy of all applicants. Official emails from the company will come from an @vannevarlabs.com domain. Under no circumstances will a legitimate representative from our company contact you to request passwords, financial information, or other sensitive personal data. Please be vigilant of potential scams.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree
- 3+ years of relevant experience in government contracting, contracts management at a defense contractor, paralegal work, or legal operations
- Knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and other agency supplements
- Experience with Other Transaction Agreements, GSA Schedules, Government Wide Acquisition Contracts, BPAs, and other multi-award contract vehicles
- Experience leading cross-functional projects
- Initiative and resourcefulness in accomplishing ambitious goals
- Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities
- Fluency with spreadsheets, basic statistics, and data-driven decision-making
- Interest in AI/ML, law, privacy, and cybersecurity
- Experience with government acquisitions through BAAs, Commercial Solutions Openings, SBIR Phase 3, consortiums, and other procurement types
- Knowledge of government contract and subcontract processes, including flow-downs, change management, inspection, acceptance, payment, warranty, closeout, and records retention
- Experience at a startup, defense contractor, or high-growth technology company
- Experience negotiating subcontracts on federal programs
- Active security clearance or ability to obtain one
- Willingness to travel onsite
What the Team is Saying
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Vannevar Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare is considered comprehensive, with top-tier medical, dental, and vision coverage highlighted alongside mental-health support and wellness stipends. These elements are consistently presented as core pillars of the package.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off is framed as generous, featuring unlimited PTO, shared downtime aligned to federal holidays, and a company-wide year-end break. The approach signals an expectation that employees actually disconnect and use their time.
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Parental & Family Support — Parental leave is described as fully paid for 12 weeks for all parents, with an additional 4 weeks for new mothers and flexibility to take leave in blocks over a year. Family-planning assistance, monthly caregiving stipends, and travel-related child/pet care reimbursement extend support beyond leave.
Vannevar Insights
What We Do
Vannevar combines Silicon Valley innovation with former special operators to build AI for real-world national security outcomes. Since our founding in 2019, Vannevar has deployed its technology across 125 missions, safeguarding our service members and improving our country's deterrence. We believe our military service members and intelligence officers deserve access to the best technology American innovation can offer, and we are mobilizing frontier technology for this mission. Our founders have 30 years of combined experience across AI labs, national security strategy, intelligence agencies and special operations. We're supported by a number of leading VCs, including Felicis, DFJ Growth, Point72, Costanoa, and General Catalyst. Vannevar is one of the most capital efficient defense tech companies, reaching early profitability and becoming a defense tech unicorn in 2024.
Why Work With Us
We pride ourselves on being a team of passionate, low-ego professionals who share a commitment to engineering excellence and a genuine concern for the people and AI agents we deliver. Vannevar is a company that truly cares about its people and one of our core principles is "put your wellbeing first".
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Vannevar Offices
Remote Workspace
Employees work remotely.
We are distributed across the map, but united by the mission. We go where the mission takes us and deliver where others can’t. Honolulu, Seattle, San Francisco, Washington D.C., New York. You decide what's next.
