Senior Contracts Manager and Buyer

Job Description SummaryOrganization's Summary Statement:
The Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence & Security (ARLIS) at the University of Maryland is a University-Affiliated Research Center (UARC) dedicated to advancing research, innovation, and technology transition to improve decision making for U.S. national security. ARLIS combines deep scientific expertise with operational insight to address challenges in intelligence analysis, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence / machine learning, quantum science, and human-machine teaming. Researchers, scientists, engineers, and analysts at ARLIS collaborate with government agencies, industry partners, and academic institutions to deliver actionable insights and transformative solutions through research and development. Employees at ARLIS work on projects of critical importance, contribute directly to the nation’s security, and are supported by a culture that values integrity, collaboration, and professional growth.
The Senior Contracts Manager and Buyer serves as the lead procurement professional for the Applied Research Laboratory for Intelligence and Security (ARLIS), and is responsible for leading all procurement activity for the laboratory, from acquisition planning and solicitation through award, administration, and closeout. It supports a portfolio that includes Department of Defense-sponsored, classified, and other sponsor-sensitive research programs and requires the ability to operate effectively in complex, highly regulated, and security-conscious research environments. The position reports to the ARLIS Director of Operations, maintains a dotted-line reporting relationship to the University of Maryland Chief Procurement Officer, exercises delegated procurement signature authority on behalf of the University, and serves as the primary liaison between ARLIS and Procurement & Business Services.
Incumbent is responsible for planning, soliciting, negotiating, awarding, administering, and closing out a broad range of procurements and provides acquisition strategy and procurement guidance to Principal Investigators and laboratory leadership, administers contracts and purchase orders, and ensures procurement activities are executed efficiently and in compliance with applicable laws, regulations, sponsor requirements, and University policies. The position also develops and maintains procurement procedures, internal controls, and audit-ready documentation; manages procurement activity within University systems; supports audits and reporting requirements; and collaborates with stakeholders across ARLIS, Procurement & Business Services, Research Administration, Export Control, Security, and the Office of General Counsel to support complex acquisition requirements.
The position ensures that all procurement actions comply with applicable federal regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), and Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), as well as State of Maryland procurement law, University System of Maryland Procurement Policies and Procedures, and University of Maryland procurement policies, while delivering responsive, mission-aligned acquisition support to research programs.
Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:
• Knowledge of public procurement principles and applicable regulations, including the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS), Uniform Guidance (2 CFR 200), and State of Maryland and University System of Maryland procurement policies.
• Knowledge of solicitation methods, contract types, and procurement documentation requirements across the full acquisition lifecycle.
• Skill in negotiating pricing, terms, and conditions and in performing cost and price analyses to support award decisions.
• Skill in building collaborative relationships and effectively communicating procurement requirements, status, and constraints to diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, discretion, and integrity in the execution of delegated signature authority.
• Ability to manage a high volume of concurrent procurement actions while maintaining accuracy, compliance, and customer responsiveness.
• Ability to interpret and apply complex regulations and policies to novel procurement situations.
Preferred Qualifications
Education:
• Bachelor's Degree in Supply Chain Management, Business Administration, Public Administration, Finance, or a related field.
Experience:
•Eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in procurement, purchasing, contract administration, or acquisition management, preferably within higher education, government, or a federally regulated environment.
• Experience leading procurements in support of Department of Defense-sponsored, classified, or other sponsor-sensitive research programs
• Experience exercising delegated procurement or signature authority within a university, State of Maryland, or other public-sector procurement organization.
• Experience administering subcontracts or purchase orders containing federal flowdown requirements under FAR/DFARS-based prime awards.
• Experience with Workday or comparable e-procurement and ERP systems.
• Professional procurement certification such as CPPO, CPPB, CPM, CPSM, CPCM, or CFCM.
• Experience supporting classified research programs and coordinating procurement-related security, export control, and research administration requirements.
• Current or prior U.S. Government security clearance up to the TS/SCI level.
License/Certifications: N/A
Minimum Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
Experience: Four (4) years of experience managing federally funded sponsored research projects or research administration.
Other: Additional work experience as defined above may be substituted on a year for year basis for up to four (4) years of the required education.
Other: Must be able to obtain a U.S. security clearance. If selected, you must meet the requirements for access to classified information and will be subject to a government security clearance investigation that includes criminal and credit history checks, as well as verification of U.S. citizenship, birth, education, employment, and military history.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:
Knowledge of project management methodologies and best practices as applied to sponsored research projects.
Knowledge of OMB Uniform Guidance, Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), and institutional policy requirements.
Skill in developing and managing project schedules, budgets, and resource plans.
Skill in analyzing financial data and project performance metrics using Microsoft Excel and reporting tools.
Ability to identify, assess, and mitigate project risks and compliance issues.
Ability to communicate effectively with PIs, sponsors, and leadership, including preparation of project reports and briefings.
Ability to manage multiple complex projects with limited supervision in a fast-paced, regulated environment.
Additional Job Details
Required Application Materials: Cover Letter, Resume, List of References
Best Consideration Date: 10/16/26
Posting Close Date: N/A
Open Until Filled: YES
Job RisksNot Applicable to This Position
Financial Disclosure RequiredYes
For more information on Financial Disclosure, please visit Maryland's State Ethics Commission website.
DepartmentVPR-Applied Research Lab for Intelligence & Security
Worker Sub-Type Staff Regular
Salary Range$132,920 - $159,504
Benefits Summary
For more information on Regular Exempt benefits, select this link.
Background Checks
Offers of employment are contingent on completion of a background check. Information reported by the background check will not automatically disqualify anyone from employment. Before any adverse decision, the finalist wil