Forterra · 8 hours ago
Counsel - Supply Chain
Arlington, VA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
6+ years expForterra is a company focused on transforming the battlefield with intelligent ecosystems. They are seeking a highly skilled Counsel to join their Legal team, primarily responsible for supply chain matters while assisting with Growth, Operations, and Technology Transactions.
Defense & Space
No H1B
Security Clearance RequiredU.S. Citizen Only
Responsibilities
Independently draft, negotiate, and manage a broad range of supply chain and technology agreements, including supplier master agreements, long-term supply agreements, contract manufacturing, subcontracting, logistics, and professional services / consulting agreements
Serve as the primary legal advisor to supply chain and operations, leading supplier negotiations and advising on sourcing strategies and commercial risk allocation, including indemnification, liability, IP ownership, and termination
Advise on legal and regulatory requirements impacting Forterra’s supply chain, including ITAR, EAR, DFARS, Buy American Act, TAA, counterfeit parts prevention, and supplier cybersecurity requirements
Support supplier diligence, onboarding, and risk assessments, including evaluation of financial stability, geopolitical risk, sanctions exposure, and compliance posture
Develop and maintain standard supply chain contract templates, playbooks, training, and escalation frameworks to support efficient scaling of operations
Partner cross-functionally with engineering, quality, security, and program teams on manufacturing readiness, product changes, obsolescence, and end-of-life planning
Provide guidance on intellectual property protection and licensing in supplier and manufacturing relationships, including background IP, foreground IP, and data rights
Support government and prime contractor programs by aligning supplier terms with customer flow-down requirements and program obligations
Advise on disputes, claims, demands, and supplier performance issues, working closely with internal stakeholders to achieve timely and practical resolutions
Monitor legal, regulatory, and industry developments affecting defense and advanced technology supply chains and proactively advise leadership on emerging risks and mitigation strategies
Assist with broader transactional, commercial, and corporate matters, as needed
Qualification
Required
6+ years of relevant hands-on experience, including significant experience advising on supply chain, manufacturing, and technology transactions, preferably in the defense, aerospace, robotics, or advanced manufacturing sectors
Demonstrated expertise in negotiating complex supplier and service agreements, as well as familiarity with government contracting
Strong working knowledge of export controls, defense procurement regulations, and supply chain compliance requirements
Proven ability to operate independently while partnering closely with cross-functional business teams
High integrity, strong attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment
Comfort working with evolving technologies, hardware / software integration, and mission-critical systems
Candidates must also be eligible to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance
Preferred
Currently holds an active secret clearance
A combination of both law firm and in-house experience, preferably in defense
Experience with international or cross-border transactions involving defense technology
Benefits
Premium Healthcare Benefits: Three plan options, including an HSA-eligible plan, with Forterra covering 80% of the plan premium for you and your dependents.
Basic Life/AD&D, short and long-term disability insurance plans 100% covered by Forterra, plus the option to purchase additional life insurance for you and your dependents.
Extremely generous company holiday calendar including a winter break in December.
Competitive paid time off (PTO) offering 20 days accrued per year.
A minimum of 7 weeks fully paid parental leave for birth/adoption.
$9k annual tuition reimbursement or professional development stipend.
Fully stocked beverage refrigerators with all the Celsius your little heart desires.
401(k) retirement savings plan, including traditional, Roth 401(k), and after-tax deferral with company match up to 4%.
Company
Forterra
Forterra delivers autonomous mission systems for defense.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageRecent News
2025-11-14
2025-11-14
Washington Technology
2025-11-14
Company data provided by crunchbase