Principal Contract Administrator (Top Secret Clearance)
Job Description
Northrop Grumman is seeking a Principal Contract Administrator (Level 3) to join its team of qualified, and diverse professionals. This position will be in Elkton, MD.
The successful applicant will become part of Northrop Grumman's contracts organization and will support various Government programs, capture and proposal activities as well as provide contract operations support. The successful candidate will be a direct report to Contracts Leadership and will work closely on a day-to-day basis with the business managers, operations managers, capture managers and other functional teams throughout the department. The successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of contracts from the business development phase through contract closeout, delivering strong customer satisfaction, successful financial performance, and risk mitigation. Candidate's ability to build strong customer intimacy and employee engagement is key. Candidate must be a self-starter and able to work collaboratively with team members, including in an advisory role to program management, site management and the customers. Candidate will have knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement (DFARS).
In this role, the selected candidate will:
• Work complex assignments independently and support Finance, Program Management, and various levels of Management.
• Lead proposal preparation, contract negotiation and contract administration activities from the proposal phase through closeout.
• Administer daily contract activities for a variety of product lines and contract types, including cost reimbursable and firm fixed price; such activities will include establishing payment terms, initiating, and monitoring invoicing, collections, and funding to support financial objectives.
• Enter and manage data in the Contract Management System, financial and delivery systems.
• Participate in customer meetings, performing and monitoring compliance to contract requirements and leading change management process.
• Ensure non-disclosure agreements and contract terms and conditions are negotiated within company guidelines.
• Perform other contract administrative tasks as assigned.
Basic Qualification Principal Contract Administrator (Level 3):
• This position emphasizes skills and experience. Will consider Bachelor's Degree and at least 5 years relevant experience in U.S. Government contract administration and management/or related fields or Masters Degree with 3 years relevant experience; In lieu of formal degree, High School Diploma or equivalent (GED) and at least 9 years of relevant experience.
• Must have a demonstrated understanding of and experience with FAR and DFARS or other contracting laws/regulations.
• Must have a demonstrated experience with various contract types such as Cost Reimbursable, Firm Fixed Price, etc.
• Must have capable & effective proposal development skills, excellent negotiation skills, and excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Must possess excellent decision-making skills that support resolution of complex problems while minimizing risk to the Corporation.
• Advanced skills using MS Office suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Candidate must have and maintain Top Secret Clearance
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience in the defense industry.
• International and/or Foreign Military Sales experience a plus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with internal and external customers.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to learn and utilize various data entry software tools and to adapt with changes to those tools.
• Advanced understanding of Government contracting requirements.
Primary Level Salary Range: $87,000.00 - $130,600.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
Northrop Grumman is seeking a Principal Contract Administrator (Level 3) to join its team of qualified, and diverse professionals. This position will be in Elkton, MD.
The successful applicant will become part of Northrop Grumman's contracts organization and will support various Government programs, capture and proposal activities as well as provide contract operations support. The successful candidate will be a direct report to Contracts Leadership and will work closely on a day-to-day basis with the business managers, operations managers, capture managers and other functional teams throughout the department. The successful candidate will be responsible for all aspects of contracts from the business development phase through contract closeout, delivering strong customer satisfaction, successful financial performance, and risk mitigation. Candidate's ability to build strong customer intimacy and employee engagement is key. Candidate must be a self-starter and able to work collaboratively with team members, including in an advisory role to program management, site management and the customers. Candidate will have knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations Supplement (DFARS).
In this role, the selected candidate will:
• Work complex assignments independently and support Finance, Program Management, and various levels of Management.
• Lead proposal preparation, contract negotiation and contract administration activities from the proposal phase through closeout.
• Administer daily contract activities for a variety of product lines and contract types, including cost reimbursable and firm fixed price; such activities will include establishing payment terms, initiating, and monitoring invoicing, collections, and funding to support financial objectives.
• Enter and manage data in the Contract Management System, financial and delivery systems.
• Participate in customer meetings, performing and monitoring compliance to contract requirements and leading change management process.
• Ensure non-disclosure agreements and contract terms and conditions are negotiated within company guidelines.
• Perform other contract administrative tasks as assigned.
Basic Qualification Principal Contract Administrator (Level 3):
• This position emphasizes skills and experience. Will consider Bachelor's Degree and at least 5 years relevant experience in U.S. Government contract administration and management/or related fields or Masters Degree with 3 years relevant experience; In lieu of formal degree, High School Diploma or equivalent (GED) and at least 9 years of relevant experience.
• Must have a demonstrated understanding of and experience with FAR and DFARS or other contracting laws/regulations.
• Must have a demonstrated experience with various contract types such as Cost Reimbursable, Firm Fixed Price, etc.
• Must have capable & effective proposal development skills, excellent negotiation skills, and excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Must possess excellent decision-making skills that support resolution of complex problems while minimizing risk to the Corporation.
• Advanced skills using MS Office suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint).
• Candidate must have and maintain Top Secret Clearance
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience in the defense industry.
• International and/or Foreign Military Sales experience a plus.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with internal and external customers.
• Ability to work independently.
• Ability to learn and utilize various data entry software tools and to adapt with changes to those tools.
• Advanced understanding of Government contracting requirements.
Primary Level Salary Range: $87,000.00 - $130,600.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
About Northrop Grumman
Northrop Grumman is a leading global aerospace and defense technology company. Our pioneering solutions equip out customers with the capabilities they need to connect and protect the world and push the boundaries of human exploration across the universe. Driven by a shared purpose to solve our customers’ toughest problems, our nearly 100,000 employees contribute to launching the technology of tomorrow, today.
© 2025 Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.
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