Pricing Director

Overview

Pricing Director

LOCATION: Arlington, VA or Huntsville, AL (Hybrid)

JOB STATUS: Full-time

CLEARANCE: N/A

CERTIFICATION: CPP, CPA, CFA, PMP (preferred)

TRAVEL: As Needed

Astrion has an exciting opportunity for a Pricing Director in a hybrid work environment with headquarters located in Arlington, VA and Huntsville, AL. The Pricing Director must have in-depth knowledge and understanding of price modeling, strategies, processes and methodologies and be able to provide insights and guidance to the team and senior management in execution of cost proposals, competitive analysis, price to win, and risk management. Works directly for the VP of Pricing and supports Corporate-wide mission areas. Will also be required to work closely with our Chief Growth Officer and VP of Proposal Management to strategize proposal pricing responses. This position will also lead a team of rising analysts.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field with 12+ years of progressive experience in Federal Government pricing, cost proposal development, finance, and federal contracting, including 6+ years leading pricing teams. (AA/AS with 14+ years of relevant experience may be substituted.)
• Demonstrated expertise developing pricing strategies for complex Federal procurements including pricing risk analysis and margin optimization.
• Advanced proficiency building scalable financial and pricing models in Microsoft Excel and leveraging market intelligence sources (ERI, Salary.com, GS pay tables, and other labor market datasets).
• Experience applying AI-enabled productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft Copilot or similar generative AI platforms) and data analytics to improve pricing efficiency, proposal quality, and decision-making.
• Strong understanding of Federal acquisition regulations, including FAR Part 15, FAR Part 31, CAS, and DFARS, with experience supporting compliant cost proposals.
• Proven experience developing compliant cost narratives, basis of estimate documentation, pricing assumptions, and executive pricing presentations.
• Expertise supporting the full business development lifecycle, including RFIs, capture, pre-RFP shaping, RFP responses, proposal development, negotiations, and post-submission pricing activities.
• Deep knowledge of Federal contract types, including FFP, CPFF, CPAF, IDIQ, GWAC, and T&M, with the ability to develop pricing strategies aligned to contract risk and profitability.
• Strong executive communication skills with the ability to present pricing recommendations, defend pricing methodologies, and influence senior leadership on competitive pricing strategy.
• Demonstrated leadership experience managing pricing professionals while driving continuous process improvement, automation, and operational excellence.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS / SKILLS

• Department of Defense (DoD) pricing and proposal experience within highly competitive Federal markets.
• Experience leading pricing strategy for large, complex, or strategic captures exceeding $100M for both prime and JV contract pursuits.
• Experience incorporating AI, predictive analytics, automation, or business intelligence tools into pricing operations and proposal development.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Power BI, Power Pivot, Power Query, SharePoint, Teams, OneDrive, Copilot, and related business intelligence platforms.
• Experience with pricing system compliance, estimating system reviews, and interactions with DCAA, DCMA, or other government audit agencies.
• Knowledge of data visualization and dashboard development to communicate pricing trends, win probability, competitive positioning, and financial performance.
• Professional certifications such as CPP (Certified Pricing Professional), CPA, CFA, PMP, or equivalent are a plus.
• Experience supporting digital transformation initiatives within Pricing, Finance, Contracts, or Growth organizations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as a working manager by leading complex pricing efforts while mentoring a small team of developing pricing analysts, balancing hands-on proposal execution with leadership, coaching, and workload management.
• Develop and execute competitive pricing strategies that maximize win probability, profitability, and long-term business growth across Federal opportunities.
• Partner with Business Development, Capture, Proposal Management, Contracts, Finance, and Technical teams to shape acquisition strategies from opportunity identification through contract award.
• Direct the development of compliant, accurate, and compelling cost proposals, pricing volumes, cost narratives, and Basis of Estimate (BOE) documentation.
• Design, review, and approve complex pricing models that incorporate labor strategies, subcontractor pricing, indirect rates, escalation, risk, and profitability objectives.
• Leverage AI-enabled tools, automation, and advanced analytics to improve pricing efficiency, data quality, forecasting accuracy, and proposal responsiveness.
• Present pricing recommendations, business cases, and competitive strategies to executive leadership, influencing bid decisions and pricing outcomes.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives through process optimization, automation, and business intelligence solutions that reduce cycle time and improve proposal quality.
• Ensure compliance with FAR, DFARS, CAS, company estimating practices, and customer solicitation requirements while supporting DCAA/DCMA audits and negotiations.
• Lead pricing reviews, color team reviews, negotiations, fact-finding activities, and customer clarification responses throughout the proposal lifecycle.