American Institutes for Research · 2 weeks ago
Vice President, Contracts, Grants and Procurement
United States
Contract
Remote
Director/Executive
$225K/yr - $265K/yr
20+ years expAmerican Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research. They are seeking a strategic and experienced Vice President, Contracts, Grants and Procurement to lead their Contracts, Grants, and Procurement Team, ensuring compliance and optimizing processes related to contract and grant management.
EducationHealth CareNon Profit
No H1B
Responsibilities
Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing contracts, grants, and procurement team, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and continuous learning while managing change to align with evolving organizational needs
Foster a culture within the department and across the organization that encourages experimentation, intelligent risk-taking, and learning from 'smart failures' without fear of retribution
Mentor and develop staff to approach the negotiation and administration of contracts with the strategic mindset and strong technical knowledge needed to contribute to strong business performance
Establish and drive team performance and growth, setting clear goals, providing ongoing feedback, and supporting professional development through coaching, training, and succession planning
Represent AIR in high-level negotiations with clients, partners, and funders, ensuring strategic alignment and effective collaboration across all aspects of contract and grant management
Lead a team of contract and grant negotiators, ensuring full compliance with funder requirements and effectively representing AIR’s capabilities to government, foundation and commercial contracting officers
Oversee the complete contract and grant lifecycle, implementing scalable, compliant processes that drive efficiency, mitigate risk, and align with AIR’s strategic objectives
Provide strategic guidance and business leadership, collaborating across teams and optimizing contract management systems to ensure data integrity and long-term effectiveness
Create a culture of continuous improvement within the team to ensure that processes are actively monitored for effectiveness and adjusted as needed to keep up with changing business needs
Drive the digital transformation and process optimization of all contracts, grants, and procurement systems, leveraging technologies like AI, machine learning, and advanced data analytics to enhance decision-making and efficiency
Ensure compliance with AIR policies, federal regulations (including FAR and Uniform Guidance), and funder-specific requirements, while supporting external reviews and audits related to contracts and grants
Monitor and manage risk across the contracts and grants portfolio, including areas such as intellectual property, conflicts of interest, data rights, and audit readiness
Serve as a senior advisor to AIR leadership, program teams, finance, and business development on contract and grant matters
Inspire and lead collaboration across internal units (e.g., Business Development, IT, Finance, Legal) to ensure procurement strategies support and enable their innovative initiatives
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to ensure alignment between contract execution and negotiation, maintenance and administration, project delivery and closeout
Lead and oversee the intake, execution, and management of funding agreements, ensuring alignment with AIR’s contract and grant administration processes and organizational standards
Collaborate with Finance, Business Development, Legal and other internal teams to support accurate data capture, reporting, and compliance related to acquired funding
Provide strategic input on proposal development, risk management and contract dispute resolution to support and strengthen AIR’s operational and business objectives
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in business, law, or related field; advanced degree preferred
Minimum of 20 years of progressive experience in contracts and grants administration, including at least 5 years in leadership and team management roles
Extensive knowledge of federal contracting regulations (including the FAR, Uniform Guidance), grants management, and compliance frameworks
Proven experience implementing or working with modern procurement and contract management software (ERP, e-sourcing tools) and a track record of automating manual processes
A proven record of initiating and carrying out productivity or process improvement programs that directly resulted in enhanced capabilities or mission success, not just cost savings
Deep knowledge of the regulatory landscape and experience interpreting evolving regulations but, as importantly, possessing the ability to navigate and leverage flexibilities within regulations to drive innovation
Adept at managing multiple high-stakes projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery, regulatory compliance, and alignment with organizational objectives
Strong analytical and decision-making capabilities, with a focus on translating data-driven insights into actionable strategies
Exceptional communicator, skilled at conveying complex contractual, business and regulatory concepts to diverse stakeholders with clarity and influence
Resilient under pressure, consistently maintaining accuracy, responsiveness, and ethical standards in contract/subcontract administration and grant and vendor management
Committed to integrity, accountability, and continuous improvement in all aspects of contracts, grants and procurement leadership
Proficiency in Microsoft 365 tools including OneDrive, SharePoint, Advanced Excel, and Word as well as Adobe Acrobat Pro is required
Experience in leveraging AI tools to drive efficiency and informed decision-making is essential
Preferred
Federal Contract Manager (CFCM) certification is desired
Experience with Microsoft Dynamics365 is preferred, but not required
Benefits
Total Rewards Program
Company
American Institutes for Research
An independent, not-for-profit corporation which performs basic and applied research
1001-5000 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$9.86MKey Investors
U.S. Department of EducationJim Joseph Foundation
2017-11-01Grant· $7.8M
2014-09-08Grant· $0.8M
2010-10-10Grant· $1.26M
Leadership Team
David Myers
President & Chief Executive Officer
Richard Jacik
Chief Technology Officer
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