Job Title: Strategic Vendor Contracts Manager
Location: Leander, TX
Employment: Contract to direct
Industry: Aviation & Aerospace
Compensation: $70.00 - $75.00/hr.
Schedule: 40 hours/week
About the Opportunity:
- We are seeking an experienced Manager of Strategic Vendor Contracts to lead the client's vendor contract's function.
- This leader will serve as the company's authority on vendor contractual matters across supply chain and facilities business units, partnering with executive leadership to enable strategic growth while protecting the client's interests throughout the full vendor contract lifecycle.
- The Manager of Strategic Vendor Contracts provides leadership for the client's vendor contracts organization, overseeing the negotiation, administration, compliance, and execution of the client's Supply Chain and Facilities contracts.
- This role partners closely with Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, Facilities, Engineering, and Executive Leadership to develop contracting strategies that accelerate business growth while appropriately managing contractual and business risk, with particular focus on developing templates and playbooks supporting the aerospace industry.
- The ideal candidate brings extensive experience across supply chain and facilities contracting as well as commercial aerospace compliance protocols.
- This leader will build and develop a high-performing contracts organization capable of supporting the client's rapidly expanding portfolio of launch services, spacecraft, propulsion systems, and advanced space missions.
Why You'll Love Working Here:
- Supportive, team-driven culture that values collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
- Opportunity to grow your career with a global workforce solutions leader serving multiple industries.
- People-first environment that encourages employees to bring their authentic selves to work.
- Strong focus on partnership, innovation, and delivering meaningful results for clients and candidates.
Why This Opportunity is Exciting:
- This role offers the chance to join a company that prioritizes both people and performance-where your contributions directly impact client success while giving you room to grow and develop professionally.
About Acara Solutions
- Acara is a premier recruiting and workforce solutions provider-we help companies compete for talent. With a legacy of experience in various industries worldwide, we partner with clients, listen to their needs, and customize visionary talent solutions that drive desired business outcomes. We leverage decades of experience to deliver contingent staffing, direct placement, executive search, and workforce services worldwide.
Sound like a good fit?
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What You'll Do:
- Lead the client's vendor contracts organization supporting supply chain and facilities through negotiation, administration, and governance of vendor agreements.
- Develop contracting strategies that enable company growth through scalable initiatives while balancing legal, financial, technical, and programmatic risk.
- Partner with executive leadership to establish contracting policies, governance, and best practices aligned with the client's business objectives.
- Serve as the company's senior advisor on vendor contractual matters throughout the vendor selection and contract lifecycle.
- Lead negotiations of vendor contracts including:
- Raw materials, composites, machinery, propellants, flight hardware, avionics, and other related contracts.
- Facilities maintenance contracts.
- IT systems and services contracts.
- Ensure appropriate contractual flowdown of applicable FAR, DFARS, NFS, export control, quality and other customer requirements to suppliers.
- Interpret and advise on contractual rights, obligations, and risk mitigation strategies.
- Develop standardized contracting templates, playbook and processes that improve efficiency while maintaining compliance and appropriate governance.
- Work closely with Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, Facilities, Engineering and Quality to ensure successful contract execution.
- Support vendor engagement throughout the contract lifecycle, helping resolve contractual issues and maintain strong vendor relationships.
- Provide contractual guidance during change management, claims, modifications, and dispute resolution.
- Help shape vendor management and vendor onboarding and compliance program.
- Assist with career development, succession planning, and training programs to strengthen organizational capability.
- Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, customer focus, and continuous improvement.
- Drive standardization, automation, and process improvements across the vendor contracts organization.
What You'll Bring:
- Bachelor's Degree in Business or Supply Chain or Finance or Law or Engineering.
- 7+ years of experience with progressive supplier contract, procurement contract or subcontract management, including leadership of commercial contracts for the purchase of goods and services.
- 7+ years of experience negotiating complex supplier agreements, strategic sourcing agreements, procurement contracts and subcontracts.
What Sets You Apart:
- Experience supporting supply chain and facility needs for launch vehicle, spacecraft, satellite, defense, or aerospace manufacturing organizations.
- Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, export compliance, and government property requirements.
- Experience supporting aerospace, defense, launch services, spacecraft, or advanced technology programs.
- Strong understanding of intellectual property, data rights, export controls, organizational conflicts of interest, and risk allocation.
- Exceptional negotiation, analytical, written, and executive communication skills.
- Ability to build trusted relationships with vendors, executive leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Additional Information:
- Upon offer of employment, the individual will be subject to a background check.
- In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the necessary employment eligibility verification form upon hire.
- Under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), all employees assigned to this client must provide documentation verifying their status as a 'U.S. Person', as defined in ITAR clause 120.15. A U.S. Person is a protected individual under the anti-discrimination provisions of U.S. immigration laws.
After you apply, you may receive a call or message from our AI Talent Scout about this role or other opportunities that match your skills and preferences.
AI agent role is to help speed up your hiring process by answering questions, confirming basic information, and identifying whether there's a mutual fit.
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By applying for this job, you agree to receive calls, AI-generated calls, text messages, or emails from Acara Solutions and its affiliates, and contracted partners. Frequency varies for text messages. Message and data rates may apply. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. You can reply STOP to cancel and HELP for help. You can access our privacy policy at Website Privacy Policy | Acara
Aleron companies (Acara Solutions, Aleron Shared Resources, Broadleaf Results, Lume Strategies, TalentRise, Viaduct) are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Race/Color/Gender/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Veteran.
Applicants for this position must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position does not meet the employment requirements for individuals with F-1 OPT STEM work authorization status.
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Aleron
Jul 22, 2026