Manager, Defense Contract

We made history and now we work to transform the future – for our customers, our communities and our families. You'll see your work on the road every day, helping people move freely and pursue their dreams. At Ford, you can build more than vehicles. Come build what matters.

If you possess exceptional business acumen and the ability to see the forest AND the trees, you can make the most of your unique insight and expertise as part of Ford’s Global Strategy team. We provide the thought leadership that helps advance Ford’s strategic objectives. We translate information into action as we apply in-depth knowledge to enable timely decisions and responsible allocation of enterprise resources.

In this position...

• The Defense Contract Manager role will drive "cradle-to-grave" contract and subcontract management for defense vehicle programs,spanning from initial capture and proposal activities to execution, change management, and final closeout.
• This is a dynamic, high-visibility role requiring a deep understanding of government procurement, direct engagement with internal executives, and strong relationship-building with Department of War (DoW) personnel.
• We operate as an agile, startup environment within Ford Motor Company.
• This is a highly collaborative team, and we are looking for teammates who are hungry to innovate and willing to put on multiple hats to make the team successful.
• If you thrive in a fast-paced environment where your impact is felt daily, you will fit right in.

Responsibilities

What you'll do...

• Cradle-to-Grave Administration: Manage the full lifecycle of federal contracts and subcontracts for assigned defense vehicle and engineering programs.
• Proposal & Capture Support: Lead bid and proposal activities, including drafting Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), Teaming Agreements, and subcontracting frameworks.
• Regulatory Compliance: Interpret and apply Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations (DFARS), and Other Transaction Authority (OTA) regulations.
• Stakeholder Interfacing: Serve as the primary point of contact for contractual matters with U.S. military customers, government agencies, and internal leadership.
• Subcontractor & Supplier Management: Partner with Ford stakeholders to ensure compliant procurement procedures to manage supply chain risks and ensure subcontractors meet federal guidelines.

Qualifications

You'll have...

• Bachelor's degree
• Minimum 5+ years of progressive experience in DoD and/or federal government contracts management.
• Regulatory Mastery: Proven, hands-on intermediate knowledge of FAR/DFARS compliance and OTA frameworks.
• Negotiation Skills: Demonstrated success negotiating complex defense-sector contracts and subcontracts.
• Legal Requirements: Due to federal government contract restrictions, the candidate must be a U.S. Citizen.

Even better, you may have...

• Military experience or veteran status; someone who understands the customer and speaks the same language
• Experience on large, complex defense programs, ideally vehicle programs, though aircraft (e.g., helicopters), power systems, or other complex systems are all relevant

Benefits

• Immediate medical, dental, vision and prescription drug coverage
• Flexible family care days, paid parental leave, new parent ramp-up programs, subsidized back-up childcare and more
• Family building benefits including adoption and surrogacy expense reimbursement, fertility treatments, and more
• Vehicle discount program for employees and family members and management leases
• Tuition assistance
• Established and active employee resource groups
• Paid time off for individual and team community service
• A generous schedule of paid holidays, including the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Paid time off and the option to purchase additional vacation time.