Director of Federal Government and Commercial Contracts

[ABOUT ISTARI DIGITAL]

Istari is a digital engineering software company enabling our customers to turn the physical world into the digital to accomplish their specific mission or business objectives.

Istari was founded with the vision of making open, scalable digital engineering ecosystems a reality – where new technologies and systems are created digitally, free from the real-world constraints of costs and schedules. We are creating the world’s best engineering model sharing platform, allowing our customers to simply and securely integrate their models across different engineering disciplines, organizations, and security levels.

At Istari, we are passionate about our mission of creating the world's first open and scalable industrial metaverse. Whether our customers are designing prototypes, performing virtual testing, or training AI and autonomy for complex systems, we know that going digital will save them time, resources, and reduce their environmental impact.  

While we are a distributed team with most team-members working remotely, we place an emphasis on staying connected and collaborative, prioritizing in-person opportunities to build trust as a team. At Istari, we still believe that trust is best built in-person. To do this, we have an engineering headquarters in Cambridge, MA for focused technical development and several times per year we gather for an off-site that allows us to develop our professional skills and our team relationships.

[VALUES]

At Istari, we live by our values, which include:

Purposeful Autonomy

We value letting people self-organize and self-motivate. 

Our flat structure and lack of meeting clutter are meant to empower individuals and teams to be proactive.

Our autonomy is measured, goal-oriented, and results-driven – not meandering.

Clear objectives help us prioritize our time.

Smart Transparency

We believe in honest-but-kind communication, transparency, and open-door policies.

We love learning about challenges and tackling them early, not hearing good or bad news late.

We share work-in-progress across our team. 

Fast feedback keeps autonomy purposeful.

Continual Curiosity

At Istari, we love learning to do things ourselves.

We ask, read, share, teach – even watch YouTube videos – to learn new skills to solve problems.

When we make breakthroughs, we write them down.   

Writing focuses ideas, helps us learn, and helps us share.

Equal Opportunity

Istari is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status.

The Director of Federal Government and Commercial Contracts will lead the strategic planning and management of all contract activities within the organization, with a heavy emphasis in government contracts. This role is responsible for ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and for driving initiatives that enhance contract performance and maximize potential opportunities. The Director will work closely with executive leadership and various departments to align contract strategies with organizational goals.

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a strategic vision for commercial and government contracts, ensuring alignment with the organization's overall objectives.
• Contract Management: Manage the full lifecycle of contracts from acquisition to close-out, maintaining compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure diligent adherence to federal contracting regulations, including FAR, DFARS, and other relevant guidelines for government contracts, as well as applicable commercial laws and standards.
• Negotiations: Lead high-level contract negotiations with government entities, striving for optimal terms and outcomes.
• Risk Assessment: Identify and mitigate risks across all contracts, safeguarding the organization's interests.
• Team Development: Build and mentor a high-performing team of contract managers and specialists, promoting continuous learning and development.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with internal stakeholders, such as legal, finance, operations, and program management, to ensure comprehensive support for contracting efforts.
• Performance Monitoring: Oversee the performance of contracts, providing regular reports and insights to senior management.
• Process Improvement: Initiate and implement improvements in contract management processes, focusing on efficiency and effectiveness.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Law, Public Administration, or a related field. A Master’s degree or equivalent experience is preferred.
• Experience: Minimum of 15 years of experience in government contract management, with a proven track record in a leadership role both in government and commercial settings.
• Knowledge: Deep understanding of government contracting regulations and processes, including FAR and DFARS, as well as commercial contract standards and practices.
• Skills: Strong leadership, negotiation, and communication skills. Ability to manage complex projects and multi-disciplinary teams efficiently.
• Certifications: Professional certification in contract management (such as CPCM, CFCM, or equivalent) is highly desirable.

BENEFITS

We offer highly competitive benefits, including:

Health and Family

- Medical/Dental/Vision

- Employee Premiums are 100% Company Paid

- Life Insurance

- Flexible Work Hours 

- Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO) with federal government holidays

Financial

- Competitive Compensation 

- 401k 

- Company Stock Options

- Home Office Setup Budget

Learning

- Reimbursement for approved trainings and subscriptions

- Conferences (travel, lodging, and fees)

Note - some benefits are not available to interns or contractors.

Thank you for your interest in Istari. Expect to hear back from us soon with next steps.

Salary : $170,000 - $215,000