Director of Contracts

Job Description

Dewberry is currently seeking a Director of Contracts to lead, manage, and enhance the company’s Contracts Program. Reporting to the General Counsel, this is an opportunity to partner with business leaders and support teams across the enterprise and drive our company toward a proactive strategy in this area.

Dewberry is a leading, market-facing professional services firm with more than 60 locations and 2,500 professionals nationwide. What sets us apart from our competitors is our people. At Dewberry, we seek out exceptional talent and strive to deliver the highest quality of services to our clients. Whether you’re an experienced professional or a new graduate, you’ll have the chance to collaborate with the best and brightest and work on innovative and complex projects at the forefront of the industry. Our commitment to excellence stems from our personal integrity and from other defining attributes, which we call “Dewberry at Work,” that have inspired our employees to be successful for more than a half-century.

Responsibilities

Contract Management and Government Contracts Compliance:

• Leads and manages Dewberry’s Contracts group
• Provides contracts risk management guidance to operations and corporate services groups
• Serves as primary Contracts point of contact for the executive leadership
• Negotiates with an industry or market sector understanding of what is achievable
• Participates, as needed, in Government and third-party reviews, audits, investigations, and questions involving contracts and coordinates appropriate responses with legal counsel
• Plays key role identifying targeted contract compliance training requirements
• Develops and refines Contracts systems, policies, procedures, and processes for a consistent, risk-based approach to contract management and compliance with contract requirements.
• Attends external training and actively participates in industry organizations concerning contracts and compliance role
• Serves on Dewberry’s Compliance Committee as Contracts lead
• Travels on occasion to Dewberry offices and for industry contracts or compliance related organization/association conferences/events
  
  

Technical Skills

Required Skills & Required Experience

• Engineering degree and work experience as a practicing engineer
• Juris Doctorate and licensure in at least one state
• At least 20-years legal experience (primarily in an in-house role) demonstrating proficiency and depth of knowledge with contract law, construction law, federal government contracts, technology, transactions, and public and private sector professional services
• Understanding of, and the ability to, negotiate contractual agreements associated with federal, state/local, and private sector work and services
• Proficient at identifying and implementing contract systems, policies, processes, and risk based guidance
• Conversant with insurance and bonding as relates to construction and professional services
• Understanding of legal liability risks associated with contractual agreements
• Possesses dispute resolution experience
• Knowledgeable of federal government compliance for technology, construction, and professional services
• Knowledge of Cost Accounting Standards, cost allowability rules, and Truth in Negotiations Act and unique GSA schedule obligations.
• Ability to analyze complex issues, focus on researching relevant information, and provide an accurate assessment or conclusion based on researched information.
• Knowledge of how to address industry legal and contractual risks as relates to ethics and compliance
• Ability to meet short term needs while attending to long term business needs
• Ability to interact with other legal counsel to effectively identify and address ethics and compliance issues
• Eligibility and willingness to hold government clearance preferred
  
  

Soft Skills

• Leads through respect and expectation setting that aligns with Dewberry’s needs and elicits the best from staff
• Communicates in a clear readily understandable way
• Educates others on risk and compliance
• Exercises sound judgment concerning business, legal and contractual risk
• Plans and drives toward organized, sustainable, systematic approaches
• Delivers workable solutions with a client focus
• Listens well
• Understands how things are, how they should be, and how to win over others to get there
• Works effectively with leadership, colleagues, external clients, consultants throughout industry
• Understands the importance of leading by example and being all in on getting things done
• At this time, Dewberry will not sponsor a new applicant for work authorization.
• Dewberry is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or sexual orientation.
• Only recipients of an offer of employment from Dewberry, will be required to submit to a background screening which may include, but is not limited to, employment verification, educational and other credential verification, driving record check, criminal background check, and an investigative consumer report. These screenings will be conducted by Dewberry’s background vendor of choice and will be conducted in compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local law.