Northrop Grumman is seeking a Sr. Principal Contract Administrator to join its team of qualified, and diverse professionals. This position will work onsite in Rocket Center, WV.
The successful applicant will become part of Northrop Grumman's contracts organization and will support various Government programs, capture and proposal activities as well as provide contract operations support. The successful candidate will be a direct report to Contracts Leadership and will work closely on a day-to-day basis with the business managers, operations managers, capture managers and other functional teams throughout the department. The successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of contracts from the business development phase through contract closeout, delivering strong customer satisfaction, successful financial performance, and risk mitigation. Candidate's ability to build strong customer intimacy and employee engagement is key. Candidate must be a self-starter and able to work collaboratively with team members, including in an advisory role to program management, site management and the customers. Candidate will have knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement (DFARS).
In this role, the selected candidate will:
- Work complex assignments independently and support Finance, Program Management, and various levels of Management
- Lead proposal preparation, contract negotiation and contract administration activities from proposal through closeout.
- Administer daily contract activities for a variety of product lines and contract types, including cost reimbursable and firm fixed price; such activities will include establishing payment terms, initiating, and monitoring invoicing, collections, and funding to support financial objectives.
- Enter and manage data in the Contract Management System, financial and delivery systems.
- Participate in customer meetings, performing and monitoring compliance to contract requirements and leading change management process.
- Ensure non-disclosure agreements and contract terms and conditions are negotiated within company guidelines.
Basic Qualifications Sr. Principal Contract Administrator:
- This position emphasizes skills and experience. High School Diploma or equivalent (GED) and at least 12 years of applied experience. Will consider Bachelor’s degree with 8 years relevant experience; 6 years with Masters; 4 years with PhD
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, especially Excel and PowerPoint
- Must be able to obtain and maintain DoD (Department of Defense) Secret clearance
- Must have a demonstrated experience with various contract types such as Cost Reimbursable, Firm Fixed Price, etc.
- Must have capable & effective proposal development skills, excellent negotiation skills, and excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Must possess excellent decision-making skills that support resolution of complex problems while minimizing risk to the Corporation.
- Must have a demonstrated understanding of and experience with FAR and DFARS.
Preferred Qualifications
- Working knowledge of FAR/DFARS clauses
- Experience in the defense industry
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with internal and external customers
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to learn and utilize various data entry software tools and to adapt with changes to those tools
- Basic understanding of Government contracting requirements
Skills Required
- High school diploma or GED with at least 12 years of applied experience
- Alternatively, a bachelor's degree with 8 years of relevant experience
- Alternatively, a master's degree with 6 years of relevant experience
- Alternatively, a PhD with 4 years of relevant experience
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office, especially Excel and PowerPoint
- Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret clearance
- Experience with cost-reimbursable, firm-fixed-price, and other contract types
- Proposal development and contract negotiation experience
- Strong oral and written communication skills
- Strong decision-making and complex problem-solving skills
- Understanding and experience with FAR and DFARS
- Working knowledge of FAR and DFARS clauses
- Defense industry experience
- Ability to work independently
- Ability to learn and use data-entry software tools
- Basic understanding of government contracting requirements
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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
What We Do
We are a close-knit community of big thinkers collaborating to keep the world safe. Our passion, creativity and expertise bring next-level technology solutions to life in autonomous systems, cyber, C4ISR, strike, space, and logistics and modernization for our customers around the globe. On the Northrop Grumman team, you’ll join our pursuit of excellence immersed in a dynamic culture of innovation and respect. Your unique perspective will help achieve our shared vision for the future of global security. Every step of the way, you'll be supported by world-class training, employee resource groups and a comprehensive benefits package that enables greater health and happiness for you and your family. Worldwide and across disciplines, we’re challenging what’s possible for technology to protect people and places from undersea to outer space and into cyberspace. And we see the impact of our performance every day. We are Northrop Grumman, and we work on what matters—now, you too can make a difference. Explore opportunities in engineering, IT, manufacturing, business management, cybersecurity and more with us. Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.









