Subcontracts Manager Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

CHAOS Industries is redefining modern defense with a multi-product portfolio that gives the ultimate advantage-domain dominance. The company's products are powered by Coherent Distributed Networks (CDN), empowering warfighters, commercial air operators, and border protection teams to act faster, adapt rapidly, and stay ahead of evolving threats. 

CHAOS Industries was founded in 2022 and has raised a total of $1 billion in funding from leading investors, including 8VC, Accel, and Valor Equity Partners. The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with offices in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, San Diego, Seattle, and London. For more information, please visit www.chaosinc.com.

Role Overview:

As CHAOS Industries scales production of advanced defense systems, our supply base becomes mission-critical-and so does the discipline with which we award and manage subcontracts. We are seeking a Subcontracts Manager to own the full subcontract lifecycle, from source selection through closeout, for the major subcontracts and supplier agreements that support our programs.

Working closely with Procurement, Supply Chain, Legal, Quality, and Program Management, you will lead subcontract formation and administration under FAR Part 44 and a CPSR-compliant purchasing system-including cost and price analysis, contractual flowdowns, and the qualification, compliance, and governance of our suppliers. This is a builder's role: you will establish the policies, files, and processes a purchasing system needs to pass a government review.

Responsibilities:

• Own the full subcontract lifecycle-requirements definition and SOW generation, solicitation (RFP), proposal evaluation, source selection, negotiation, award, administration, and closeout-for major and complex subcontracts.
• Draft and negotiate subcontract terms, price, deliverables, and schedule, and prepare the required FAR/DFARS documentation.
• Perform and document cost and price analysis, source-selection rationale, and consent-to-subcontract / advance-notification packages.
• Ensure prime contract requirements are properly flowed down to subcontractors and suppliers, and that subcontracts comply with FAR, DFARS, and applicable government requirements.
• Maintain a CPSR-compliant purchasing system and complete, audit-ready subcontract files (FAR Part 44).
• Own supplier onboarding, qualification, and risk assessment, and maintain approved supplier lists and supplier records.
• Coordinate supplier cybersecurity, quality, export-control, insurance, and regulatory reviews, and maintain supplier terms and conditions in partnership with Legal.
• Develop supplier scorecards and performance monitoring, and lead supplier audits, corrective actions, and remediation.
• Establish scalable subcontracts and supplier-governance policies and procedures.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree and 8+ years of subcontract administration / subcontracts management experience in a federal contracting environment; or a Master's degree and 6+ years; or, in lieu of a degree, 12+ years of directly related experience.
• Hands-on experience across the full subcontract lifecycle, including FAR/DFARS flowdowns and cost or price analysis.
• Familiarity with FAR Part 44, Contractor Purchasing System Reviews (CPSR), and consent-to-subcontract requirements.
• Experience with contractual flowdowns and supplier compliance requirements.
• Strong understanding of supplier risk management and governance principles.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• U.S. citizenship is required: this role accesses export-controlled information and requires a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance-current, or the ability to obtain and maintain one.

Preferred Requirements:

• Experience in aerospace, defense, manufacturing, or national-security environments.
• Experience managing subcontracts across multiple contract types (FFP, T&M, and cost-reimbursement).
• Familiarity with FAR, DFARS, ITAR, EAR, NIST 800-171, and CMMC requirements.
• Experience supporting AS9100 or other regulated quality systems.
• NCMA certification (e.g., CFCM/CPCM), CPSM, or CPSR / purchasing-system experience.
• Active U.S. Department of Defense Secret or Top Secret security clearance.

Why CHAOS?

• Health Benefits: Medical, dental, and vision benefits 100% paid for by the company
• Additional benefits: 401k (+ 50% company match up to 6% of pay), FSA, HSA, life insurance, and more
• Our Perks: Free daily lunch, 'No meeting Fridays', unlimited PTO, casual dress code
• Compensation Components: Competitive base salaries, generous pre-IPO stock option grants, relocation assistance, and (coming soon!) annual bonuses
• Team Growth: 350 employees and counting across 5 global offices

The stated compensation range reflects only the targeted base compensation range and excludes additional earnings such as bonus, equity, and benefits. If your compensation requirements fall outside of the range, we still encourage you to apply. The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. 

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