Sr. Contract Manager (Construction)

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Position Summary:

The Contracts Manager (Construction) serves as the contract subject-matter expert supporting Dawson's federal construction portfolio. Core scope includes pre-award risk analysis, post-award contract administration, modifications, REA navigation, and post-award risk mitigation, claims and disputes support, closeout, and contract reporting.

The Contracts Manager provides FAR/DFARS expertise, contract risk analysis, contract interpretation, and documentation discipline to support project/program managers and other internal stakeholders throughout the contract lifecycle. The Contracts Manager engages directly with government contracting officers on contract-specific matters (modifications, REAs, contract interpretation) and exercises independent judgment within established authority.

Salary Range: $112,000.00- $163,000.00 based on experience and interview.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

Pre-Award Contract Risk Analysis

• Review solicitations, RFPs, and RFQs for contractual terms, evaluation criteria, and risk; conduct contract risk reviews to inform proposal, capture, and bid/no-bid decisions.
• Identify ambiguous specifications, unusual terms and conditions, atypical bonding or insurance requirements, and other contractual risk factors on construction solicitations.
• Support pricing, program management, and capture teams with contractual analysis, flowdown requirements, and recommended mitigations.
• Prepare representations and certifications, contractual proposal volumes, and required forms.

Post-Award Contract Administration

• Administer the contractual side of assigned federal construction contracts and task orders on fixed-price construction (design-bid-build & design-build), JOCs, MATOCs/SATOCs, A-E contracts – from award through closeout and warranty period.
• Maintain expert-level working knowledge of FAR, DFARS, and applicable CFR provisions; stay current on policy changes, regulatory updates, and acquisition reform developments, sufficient to interpret and administer the terms of Dawson’s contracts post-award.
• Conduct ongoing contract risk reviews throughout the contract lifecycle, not only at award; surface emerging risks early and recommend mitigations.
• Ensure contract files are maintained, updated, and accurate; ensure timely and accurate contract data and reporting across all assigned contracts. Oversee documentation completeness to ensure audit readiness for DCAA, DCMA, IG, and agency review. The Contracts Manager ensures file integrity and contract-level recordkeeping.
• Track contract status, option exercises, period of performance, and key contractual milestones; provide contract-level reporting to PMs, program management, and the Director of Contracts.
• Support administration of insurance and bonding requirements, including Miller Act payment and performance bonds, builder's risk, general liability, and contract-required additional insured endorsements.
• Coordinate with Dawson's surety, broker, and insurance contacts on bond riders, certificates of insurance, and modification-driven coverage adjustments.

Modifications, REAs, and Claims Support

• Support project managers through contractual analysis and interpretation on modifications (supplemental agreements) and change orders; identify contractual implications and recommend positioning.
• Identify and frame equitable adjustments early; coordinate with project teams to capture cost and schedule impact data and prepare the contractual submission.
• Navigate post-award risk mitigation – differing site conditions, suspensions, acceleration events, constructive change positions – and maintain contemporaneous documentation that supports defensible contractual positions.
• Support claims preparation and dispute resolution activity, including coordination with outside counsel under Director-level authority where applicable.

Subcontract Agreements (Dawson as Subcontractor)

• Review and negotiate teaming agreements (TAs), non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and other pre-award arrangements where Dawson pursues federal work as a subcontractor or team member to a prime contractor.
• Review subcontract agreements where Dawson performs as a subcontractor to a federal prime contractor; analyze contractual terms, flowdown completeness, performance requirements, and risk exposure to Dawson.
• Support negotiation of subcontract terms, modifications, and changes with the prime contractor; identify contractual implications and recommend positioning.
• Manage the ongoing administration of subcontracts where Dawson is the sub, including prime-direction-passed-down changes, dispute resolution, contract interpretation issues, and coordination with the prime on performance and payment matters.

Government Engagement

• Serve as the contractual point of contact with government contracting officers, contract specialists, and government representatives on contract-specific matters – modifications, REAs, contract interpretation, contractual notices, and similar.
• Coordinate with project/program managers to ensure contractual and operational positions are aligned.
• Build and maintain government counterpart relationships through technical accuracy, responsiveness, and professionalism on contractual matters.

Closeout and Reporting

• Manage contract closeout activity, including final invoice review, release of claims, and contract file disposition.
• Provide contract status, modification visibility, and option-exercise reporting to program reviews, the Director of Contracts, and executive leadership.

Business Development Support

• Support business development across Dawson's entities on construction recompetes, MATOC/SATOC pursuits, and JV/teaming arrangements with input on contract strategy and risk.
• Build relationships across Dawson's business lines and external partners to support capture and recompete activity.

Cross-Functional Coordination and Process Development

• Work with project/program managers, capture leads, finance, HR, and business development on the contractual dimensions of contract execution and capture.
• Coordinate with the Subcontracts Department on prime-sub interface issues where Dawson-as-prime and Dawson-as-sub work intersect.
• Contribute to the development, review, and annual update of Dawson's Contracts Management handbook and related process documentation.
• Assist in refining and developing Contracts Department processes, workflows, and templates to improve efficiency, consistency, and risk management across the function.
• Support the delivery of training and capability-building programs for Dawson on contracts and federal acquisition topics.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, public administration, legal studies, or a related field; equivalent professional experience considered.
• Eight (8) or more years of progressive experience administering federal construction contracts, for the federal government or with a federal services prime, mid-tier, or major subcontractor.
• Expert-level working knowledge of the FAR/DFARS and agency supplements relevant to construction procedures.
• Direct experience administering Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, JOCs, MATOCs/SATOCs and A&E contracts.
• Direct experience with construction modifications, change order support, and REA preparation.
• Experience with teaming agreements, NDAs, and subcontract agreements where the contractor performs as a sub to a federal prime.
• Demonstrated experience identifying contractual risk and proposing mitigation strategies.
• Strong written and verbal communication; able to interpret complex contractual language and provide clear guidance to multiple stakeholders, particularly Project Managers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience as a federal Contracting Officer.
• Experience supporting or preparing claims under the Contract Disputes Act.
• NCMA certification (CFCM or CPCM) or DAWIA Contracting certification.
• Familiarity with WAWF/iRAPT, agency contract writing systems, and federal payment systems.
• Experience with JV or mentor-protégé construction arrangements.
• Established relationships across the federal construction acquisition community.
• Familiarity with task order vehicles such as OASIS+, GSA MAS, agency-specific IDIQs, GWACs, or BPAs, and the fair-opportunity process under those vehicles.
• Knowledge of non-traditional acquisition vehicles such as Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements, Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs), Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs), and SBIR/STTR procurements, including the contractual mechanics that differ from FAR-based contracts.
• Understands CMMC requirements and cyber compliance frameworks on DoD cyber/IT contracts.

Key Competencies

• Genuinely enjoys being the trusted contracts subject matter expert who makes our teams more effective, rather than seeking primary lead authority on negotiations.
• Independent judgment and sound contract interpretation within established authority.
• Effective communication with government contracting officers on contract-specific matters.
• Working understanding of how construction projects execute – schedules, submittals, RFIs, change order pricing – beyond the contractual paperwork.
• Identifies contract and project risk early and recommends mitigations.
• Direct, professional communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Curiosity and willingness to question assumptions when facts warrant.
• Ownership of assigned contractual outcomes.

Reporting and Structure

Reports to the Director of Contracts. No direct reports.