Northrop Grumman Defense Systems is seeking a Sr. Principal Contracts Administrator to join its team of qualified and diverse individuals supporting its Strategic Deterrent Systems Division. The Strategic Deterrent Systems Division reports to the Defense Systems Sector as well as directly to the Northrop Grumman Corporate Office in Roy, UT.
This role may offer a competitive relocation assistance package.
Please see links below to learn more about the nuclear triad and the Sentinel program:
• About Sentinel - Northrop Grumman
• Sentinel ICBM (LGM-35A)
• America's Nuclear Triad
What You’ll Get To Do:
The successful candidate will support the large, complex, high-profile Sentinel Program and work closely on a day-to-day basis with Managers, Directors, Vice Presidents, and rocket scientists and engineers! Sentinel is in the development stage and is to modernize the ground-based leg of the Nation’s strategic nuclear triad, which is the bedrock of U.S. national security. At a current contract value of over $13B, Sentinel represents one of the largest and most high-profile Northrop Grumman programs, with countless career and growth opportunities.
This position requires an understanding of US Federal Government contracting, excellent communication skills, as well as interpersonal and organizational skills. The ideal candidate is a team player; but also, a strong independent contributor with strong leadership skills, demonstrated problem-solving skills, and a proactive, detail-oriented approach.
The Contracts Professional responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
Act as primary interface with the customer for contractual issues.
Monitor the contract and the associated program to ensure that contractual obligations are communicated and understood.
Participate in contract proposal preparation, contract negotiations, and contract administration including contract change management, and customer contract activities to manage assigned contract(s) in accordance with company policies, legal requirements, and customer requirements.
Work under general supervision to develop solutions to both routine and complex contractual matters to ensure company compliance with contract requirements on assigned program(s).
Ensure fulfillment of contract requirements, manage contract changes, and maintain historical information.
Review terms and conditions to address wording/requirements and risks of financial terms, acceptance criteria, delivery requirements, warranty, intellectual property, termination provisions, indemnification and all other potential risk areas and recommend risk mitigation strategies.
Prepare and manage written communications with internal and external customers for assigned contractual matters.
Enter and maintain contract data into Contract Management System and/or Enterprise Accounting System.
Ensure timely delivery of all contractual deliverables and submission of invoices
As a full-time employee of Northrop Grumman, you are eligible for our robust benefits package including:
• Medical, Dental & Vision coverage
• 401k
• Educational Assistance
• Life Insurance
• Employee Assistance Programs & Work/Life Solutions
• Paid Time Off
• Health & Wellness Resources
• Employee Discounts
This position’s standard work schedule is a 9/80. The 9/80 schedule allows employees who work a nine-hour day Monday through Thursday to take every other Friday off.
You’ll Bring These Qualifications:
8 years experience with a Bachelors degree in Contracts or Procurement Administration, or related professional experience; 6 years experience with Masters degree in Contracts or Procurement Administration, or related professional experience; or 4 years experience with PhD.
8 years of experience working with FAR, including contract administration, acquisition and pricing principles.
Experience working with various contract types, including cost reimbursement and cost plus incentive fee type contracts, other incentive type contracts as well as fixed price, Time and Materials, etc..
Experience interpreting and working changes/modifications to government contracts and other contractual type of documents, e.g., non-disclosure agreements, memorandums of agreement, teaming agreements and similar documents.
Working knowledge of M365.
Must have the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance; US Citizenship is a prerequisite.
These Qualifications Would be Nice to Have:
Active Department of Defense (DoD) Top Secret security clearance or Federal civilian agency clearance equivalent.
Experience administering large, highly complex DoD weapon system development contracts or other large, complex U.S. Government contracts, including multiple contract types/pricing arrangements, option periods, and efforts involving design, hardware/software development, testing, manufacturing, and Government‑owned personal and real property (Government‑furnished and contractor‑acquired). Experience with Major Defense Acquisition Program (MDAP) Acquisition Category (ACAT) I / large, multi‑site or other high‑visibility, politically sensitive programs with intensive Government oversight (DCMA, DCAA, GAO, Congress).
Extensive experience in post‑award contract change management, including unilateral and bilateral modifications; proposing, evaluating, negotiating, and implementing adjustments to scope, schedule, and price; handling Requests for Equitable Adjustment and disputes; managing constructive changes; assessing impacts on cost, pricing data, delivery milestones, and technical performance; and reaching final negotiated agreement on cost and schedule adjustments, including for undefinitized contract actions (UCAs) and unpriced change orders (UCOs).
Experience supporting and/or leading the contracts administration function for mid-tier company (or Government equivalent) operating units, business units, divisions, or branches; working closely with cross‑functional leadership, engineering and technical teams, and program/project managers.
Experience with proposal preparation and negotiations for complex, large U.S. Government contracts and contract modification actions.
Knowledge of, and demonstrated experience with, the Defense FAR Supplement (DFARS), including the ability to interpret and implement DFARS requirements.
Experience guiding and mentoring less‑experienced contracts administration personnel.
Advanced skills with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaboration tools (e.g., SharePoint, Teams, Outlook).
Demonstrated excellent verbal and written communication skills; strong analytical and problem‑solving ability; attention to detail; and the ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities in a fast‑paced environment. Proven ability to work effectively with U.S. Government customers and internal stakeholders (e.g., technical and program managers, business management, operations).
DoD Contracting Professional Certification (or other US Government civilian agency equivalent), or other professional contracting certification, e.g., National Contract Management Association's Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) or Certified Federal Contracts Manager (CFCM) or Northrop Grumman's Certification Enterprise Contracts Training and Certification (ECTAC).
Self‑starter who actively pursues issue resolution and drives needed coordination with stakeholders; able to work effectively both independently and as part of a team.
Familiarity with cost/price analysis and Truthful Cost or Pricing Data, including experience reviewing and defending certified cost or pricing data, supporting audits, and addressing audit findings.
Familiarity and/or experience working contracts in an Earned Value Management System (EVMS) environment, including Integrated Program Management Data and Analysis Reports (IPMDAR), Contract Performance Reports (CPR), and Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) reporting.
Familiarity with DoD contractor business systems requirements (Accounting, Estimating, EVMS, Purchasing, Property) and associated clauses.
Experience negotiating and administering technical data and computer software rights, including data/software markings and license strategies.
Experience working with US Government security requirements.
Experience working with US Government export control requirements.
#Sentinelbusmgmt
Primary Level Salary Range: $101,400.00 - $152,200.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.Skills Required
- 8 years experience with a Bachelors degree in Contracts or Procurement Administration, or related professional experience; 6 years with Masters; or 4 years with PhD.
- 8 years of experience working with FAR, including contract administration, acquisition and pricing principles.
- Experience working with various contract types, including cost reimbursement, cost plus incentive fee, fixed price, and Time and Materials.
- Experience interpreting and implementing changes/modifications to government contracts and related documents (NDAs, MOAs, teaming agreements).
- Working knowledge of M365.
- Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government Secret security clearance; U.S. citizenship is a prerequisite.
- Understanding of U.S. Federal Government contracting and strong verbal and written communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
Northrop Grumman Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Northrop Grumman and has not been reviewed or approved by Northrop Grumman.
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Retirement Support — 401(k) matching is considered strong, with additional defined-benefit coverage for certain cohorts and options like catch-up contributions. Retirement programs are repeatedly highlighted as a core strength of the total rewards.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — PTO, company-paid holidays, and compressed work schedules (such as 9/80) provide meaningful time away and flexibility. These scheduling options are cited as a major quality-of-life benefit across many locations.
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Parental & Family Support — Paid parental leave alongside caregiver leave, adoption assistance, and back-up care supports a range of family needs. These programs have been expanded recently, signaling continued investment in family support.
Northrop Grumman Insights
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