Senior Director of Operational Performance -100% Remote Role

The Senior Director of Operational Performance plays a vital role in support of the CCAoA mission by ensuring that contracts are drafted and executed in the best interest of CCAoA and creating clear procedural guidance and compliance control mechanisms to mitigate risk of non-compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and contractual terms and conditions. The position reports to CCAoA’s Senior Vice President of Operational Performance, ensuring day-to-day coordination with the organization’s delivery of direct services and supports for all relevant stakeholders and constituents.

Child Care Aware of America (CCAoA) is the only national organization that supports every part of the child care system. In partnership with an on-the-ground network of Child Care Resource and Referral (CCR&R) organizations, we work in states and communities to advance high-quality, affordable child care—transforming a patchwork of resources into a system that works for everyone. Together, we make America child care strong—and that makes everyone stronger. CCAoA is committed to recruiting and retaining a dynamic workforce to help build a child care system that serves all children and families. Join us in ensuring that every family has access to high-quality, affordable child care.

What We Offer

• Competitive starting salary commensurate with experience **The salary range reflected in this job posting is the hiring range for this position within the Washington DC Metropolitan area. Please note that a geographic differential will be applied to the salary for candidates hired from regions with a lower cost of living. This adjustment ensures competitive and equitable compensation based on location**
• The flexibility to work in a remote capacity
• Health & wellness benefit options
• A transparent professional environment where ideas are shared openly with honest discourse in a progressive atmosphere of growth & excellence
• Opportunity for growth and advancement
  
  

Job Responsibilities

• Under direct supervision of the Senior Vice President of Operational Performance, leads the organization’s Contracts Department.
• Proactively track and analyze new laws, relevant regulations, and contract trends for potential impact on CCAoA’s business goals and objectives.
• In partnership with CCAoA’s Department Leads (Senior Leadership Team/SLT), manages the day-to-day administration and execution of more than 250 government contracts, grants, subcontracts, and procurement commercial contracts.
• Actively track and solicit new lines of relevant business for CCAOA, in close coordination with the Senior Vice President of Operational Performance.
• In partnership with the Senior Vice President of Operational Performance and Vice President of Military Programs, serve as a point of contact with senior government contracting officials.
• Maintain the organization’s boiler plate agreements in accordance with applicable state and federal laws, regulations, and CCAoA’s policies and procedures.
• Manage contract change control process (i.e., contract renewals, modifications, amendments and/or change orders.)
• Analyze significant and/or unique contractual requirements, special provisions, terms, and conditions to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and CCAoA’s policies and procedures.
• Lead solicitation strategy, design and administration of solicitations. Prepares specialized and/or non-routine responses for proposals, bids, and contract modifications.
• Provide strategic legal counsel (in coordination with outside counsel) on active procurements for the organization, ensuring applicable compliance with all state and federal laws and regulations.
• In partnership with Department Leads (the Senior Leadership Team), institutes organizational practices to monitor contract and subcontract performance to determine necessity for approvals, amendments, extensions, termination and/or corrective action. Leads all compliance activities to ensure contractual obligations, federal acquisition guidelines, and internal policies are met.
• Collaborate with the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) to identify and implement Key Performance Indicators of success for each contract, ensuring integrity and compliance with all terms, conditions, and requirements within the contracts.
• Partner with the SLT on active procurements and contract monitoring activities to ensure high value and deliverables associated with contract terms and conditions.
• In concert with the SLT, facilitate the development of responses/strategies to address contract disputes, including arbitration of claims due to deficiency of performance in contractual requirements.
• Work in partnership with external counsel to provide a full range of legal services support including governance, ethics/compliance, government laws and regulations, federal procurement and commercial contracts.
• Support the Department Lead (SLT) to conduct statutory and regulatory research and analysis to support CCAoA’s programs and initiatives.
• Develop an “early learning system” for identifying potential legal issues and develops risk mitigation strategies alongside the SLT.
• Draft legal options, implications, and opinions on complex and confidential questions posed by members of the Senior Leadership Team.
• Establish a legal strategy, in coordination with outside counsel.
• Maintain and actively manage all related procurement files from their conception to ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations and rules.
• In partnership with Department Leads (members of the SLT,) oversees the start-up and close-out of contracts to ensure appropriate compliance, documentation and strategy.
• Research legal strategy on special contract related projects.
• Provide leadership, professional development, and direct supervision to Contract Specialists.
• Lead the design and development of an online database to track data collected for each individual contracts, grants, etc. to determine critical trends, projections, KPIs, and outcomes. This includes developing an internal monitoring system for providing up-to-date financial, quantitative, and qualitative information to the SLT.
  
  

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

• Experience leading an active Contracts Department with Government Contracts, Grants and Procurement contracting activity.
• Extensive knowledge of the FAR, DFAR, CFR Title 45, and OMB Circulars A-110, A-122 and A-133.
• Experience coordinating with external legal counsel to provide strategic guidance on matters such as federal procurement and assistance, laws and regulations, ethics/compliance, corporate governance and commercial contracts.
• Ability to exercise independent judgement and creativity applied to resolve contractual issues (including performance-based measures for contract-related issues.)
• Ability to provide counsel (in collaboration with external counsel) on matters involving broad and difficult legal questions.
• Strong business acumen that includes culture of outstanding service to customers, vendors, and internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills (written and oral.)
• Team builder with excellent collaboration skills.
• Excellent internal and external negotiation skills.
• Ability to operate effectively, even when things are not certain or the path forward is unclear.
• Prior experience working on federally funded contracts is required.
• Prior experience working on contracts funded by the U.S. Department of Defense is desired.
• Proficient in Microsoft Suite, Gov Win, JIRA, Asana and other project management software tools.
• Experience with contracts and financial management software.
• Ability to draft contract instruments in accordance with prescribed regulations and federal law.
  
  

Job Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate (or equivalent law degree) from an accredited law school with bachelor’s degree preferably in one or a combination of the following fields: accounting, business, finance, contracts, purchasing, economics or business administration.
• A minimum of 5-10 years of directly related work experience in the preparation, administration and monitoring of federally funded programs in a nonprofit/government contracting setting.
• A minimum of 5-10 years of legal experience, with a significant portion spent advising or working with non-profit organizations, understanding the regulations and challenges specific to this sector (e.g., tax-exempt status, grant management, and charitable giving.)
• Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified Professional Contracts manager (CPCM) is highly desired.
  
  

Salary Information: The salary range reflected in this job posting is the hiring range for this position within the Washington DC Metropolitan area. Please note that a geographic differential will be applied to the salary for candidates hired from regions with a lower cost of living. This adjustment ensures competitive and equitable compensation based on location