Director, Subcontracts

Job description

ABOUT FIREFLY AEROSPACE Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company that enables our world to launch, land, and operate in space – anywhere, anytime. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the only commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the only company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, and orbital vehicles provide government and commercial customers with full mission services from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space. Firefly Aerospace is a space and defense technology company on a mission to reliably and repeatedly launch, land, and operate space systems from Earth to the Moon and beyond. As the partner of choice for critical space missions, Firefly is the first commercial company to launch a satellite to orbit with 24-hour notice and the first company to achieve a successful Moon landing. Headquartered in north Austin, Texas, Firefly is looking for passionate, hardworking innovators to join our team and help fuel our successful trajectory into space. As an end-to-end responsive space company, Firefly Aerospace enables our world to launch, land and operate in space — anywhere, anytime. Our launch vehicles, lunar landers, spacecraft, propulsion systems, and orbital vehicles serve commercial, civil, defense, and international customers across the entire mission lifecycle — from low Earth orbit to the Moon and beyond. We are seeking an experienced Director of Subcontracts to build, lead, and scale Firefly's subcontracts function within Supply Chain. Reporting to the VP of Supply Chain, this executive will serve as the company's senior authority on subcontract strategy, structure, and execution across all supply chain and facilities business units — partnering with executive leadership to enable strategic growth while protecting Firefly's interests throughout the full subcontract lifecycle. The Director of Subcontracts provides strategic leadership and organizational direction for Firefly's subcontracts organization, owning the negotiation, administration, compliance, and execution of the company's supplier subcontracts, strategic sourcing agreements, and complex procurement instruments. This leader sets the enterprise subcontracting strategy, establishes governance and delegation-of-authority frameworks, and builds a scalable, high-performing team. The role partners at the executive level with Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, Facilities, Engineering, Quality, and Program Management to develop subcontracting strategies that accelerate Firefly's growth while managing contractual, financial, technical, and programmatic risk. The Director owns the development of subcontract templates, playbooks, and policies across a predominantly commercial portfolio that also includes government-funded programs, driving standardization across a rapidly expanding line of launch services, spacecraft, propulsion systems, and advanced space missions. The ideal candidate brings deep, progressive experience in commercial supplier subcontracting and complex procurement, a demonstrated record of building and scaling teams, and the working knowledge of government compliance protocols needed to manage a mixed portfolio. RESPONSIBILITIES Strategic Leadership & Organizational Direction Own and set the enterprise subcontracts strategy supporting supply chain and facilities, aligning subcontracting approaches with Firefly's growth objectives, program milestones, and financial targets. Build, structure, and scale the subcontracts organization to match Firefly's growth—defining the right team model, roles, and levels over time rather than inheriting a fixed structure. Establish and maintain the subcontracts governance framework, including delegation-of-authority thresholds, approval workflows, and signature authority policies. Serve as the company's senior executive advisor on all subcontract matters, providing counsel directly to the VP of Supply Chain and other executive stakeholders. Define and report on organizational KPIs, cycle-time targets, savings goals, and risk metrics to executive leadership. Subcontract Strategy, Negotiation & Business Growth Direct and personally lead the most complex, high-value, and strategically critical subcontract negotiations. Develop enterprise subcontracting strategies and scalable sourcing initiatives that balance cost, schedule, quality, and risk. Lead make-vs-buy analyses in partnership with Engineering, Program Management, and Finance to inform sourcing decisions. Structure fixed-price, cost-type, incentive, and hybrid subcontract arrangements appropriate to program risk profiles. Risk Management & Compliance Own the commercial subcontracting framework, including standardized terms, risk allocation, indemnification, warranty, and liability provisions appropriate to a fast-moving aerospace manufacturing environment. Ensure appropriate contractual flowdown of applicable FAR, DFARS, NFS, export control, and quality requirements to suppliers on the subset of programs that carry government funding or prime-contract obligations. Set policy and provide authoritative interpretation on contractual rights, obligations, and risk mitigation across both commercial and government-flowed subcontracts. Establish standardized subcontract templates, playbooks, and terms libraries that improve efficiency while maintaining compliance and governance. Partner with Legal and Compliance to manage organizational conflicts of interest, intellectual property, and data rights across supplier subcontracts. Cross-Functional & Executive Partnership Partner at the executive level with Legal, Finance, Supply Chain, Facilities, Engineering, Quality, and Program Management to ensure successful subcontract execution. Lead supplier engagement strategy throughout the subcontract lifecycle, resolving escalated contractual issues and maintaining strategic supplier relationships. Provide senior contractual leadership during change management, claims, modifications, terminations, and dispute resolution. Own and evolve the supplier onboarding, qualification, and compliance program in partnership with Supply Chain and Quality. Maintain a documented FAR/DFARS flowdown interface with the Contracts function—receiving customer-imposed obligations and ensuring correct flowdown to suppliers. Organizational Leadership & Talent Development Own career development, succession planning, performance management, and training programs to build organizational capability and bench strength. Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, customer focus, and continuous improvement. Drive standardization, automation, and process improvement across the subcontracts organization, including systems and tooling investments. REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Finance, Law, Engineering, or a related field. 12+ years of progressive supplier subcontract, procurement, or complex contract management experience, including a demonstrated record of building, scaling, and leading teams—whether through direct people management, matrixed leadership, or standing up a function from an early-stage baseline. Deep expertise in commercial supplier subcontracting, with working knowledge of FAR/DFARS flowdown sufficient to manage a mixed commercial/government portfolio. Proven track record negotiating complex, high-value supplier agreements, strategic sourcing agreements, and subcontracts across multiple commodity and service categories. Strong command of intellectual property, data rights, export controls, organizational conflicts of interest, and risk allocation. Exceptional negotiation, analytical, written, and executive communication skills, including experience advising senior executives. Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with suppliers, executive leadership, and cross-functional stakeholders. U.S. Person status required due to export control regulations. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Master's degree (MBA, JD, or related advanced degree). Professional certification such as NCMA CPCM/CFCM, ISM CPSM, or equivalent. Experience leading subcontracts or procurement for launch vehicle, spacecraft, satellite, defense, or aerospace manufacturing organizations. Familiarity with ITAR, EAR, export compliance, and government property (FAR/DFARS) requirements as applied to government-funded programs within a predominantly commercial portfolio. Experience supporting aerospace, defense, launch services, spacecraft, or advanced technology programs in a high-growth environment. Firefly offers outstanding benefits for our employees, including generous health, dental and vision plans with low plan deductibles, parental leave, relocation benefits, educational reimbursement, short term disability, and flexible PTO options. To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Firefly Aerospace, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Firefly is governed based on merit, competence and qualifications and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability or any other legally protected status.