Senior Manager, Sourcing and Subcontracts

About this role

AIR’s Contracts, Grants & Procurement (CGP) team is seeking a talented Senior Manager, Sourcing and Subcontracts, to join it’s forward-thinking and supportive team. This role will lead enterprise-wide strategic sourcing initiatives and provide functional leadership and oversight for subcontract administration throughout the entire project lifecycle, from proposal development through project execution and closeout.
This role will serve as a key advisor on complex procurement and subcontracting matters, leading a high-performing team while driving sourcing strategies, supporting negotiations, ensuring regulatory and contractual compliance, and delivering reporting and insights that align with organizational objectives and client requirements. The position plays a critical role in strengthening procurement and subcontract management practices, mitigating risk, and fostering effective partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.
Reporting to the Senior Director, Subcontracts & Procurement, this position is focused on strategic procurement leadership, subcontract administration, and sourcing excellence. It is distinct from transactional purchasing functions and emphasizes strategy, governance, compliance, and operational impact at an organizational level.
This position has the flexibility to work remotely within the United States (U.S.) or from one of our U.S. office locations. This does not include U.S. territories. Occasional travel required for meetings, training sessions, and conferences.
About AIR:
Founded in 1946 and headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit organization that conducts behavioral and social science research and delivers technical assistance to address some of the most pressing challenges in the United States and globally. We generate evidence and apply data-driven solutions that expand opportunities and improve lives for all.
Key Responsibilities:
The key responsibilities for the position include, but are not limited to, the following:
Strategic Sourcing & Procurement Leadership

• Lead strategic sourcing initiatives and complex competitive procurements (RFPs, RFIs, RFQs) that support both client-driven and enterprise-wide business needs.

• Develop sourcing strategies, lead negotiations, and proactively manage procurement risks to optimize cost, quality, compliance, and business outcomes.

Subcontract Oversight

• Provide functional oversight and guidance to Subcontract Administrators across pre-award and post-award activities.

• Participate in proposal and project kickoffs to determine subcontracting strategies and subcontract administrator engagement requirements.

• Serve as the escalation point for complex subcontract administration issues, risks, and negotiations.

• Support subcontract negotiations, contract formation, modifications, and issue resolution.

• Develop and maintain subcontracting templates, tools, and standard operating procedures to drive consistency and effectiveness.

Compliance, Risk Management & Reporting

• Ensure compliance with procurement policies, subcontract requirements, and applicable regulations while supporting audits and maintaining audit-ready documentation.

• Monitor and escalate procurement and subcontract risks, and provide management reporting on operational activity, compliance metrics, key issues, resolutions, performance trends, and process improvement opportunities.

People Leadership & Team Development

• Lead, coach, and develop a talented team, promoting engagement, accountability, and professional growth.

• Set performance expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and support talent development, and knowledge sharing across the team.

• Foster a collaborative, customer-focused team culture that drives innovation, adaptability, and high-quality service delivery.

Process Improvement & Operational Excellence

• Lead the standardization and continuous improvement of procurement and subcontract administration processes, tools, templates, and best practices to drive efficiency and consistency.

• Promote operational excellence through streamlined processes, enhanced stakeholder experience, transparency, accountability, and effective service delivery.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Partner with program teams, business development, proposals, legal, compliance, finance, and purchasing to develop and execute effective sourcing and subcontracting strategies.

• Advise stakeholders on procurement best practices, supplier performance, risk mitigation, and issue resolution to support organizational and project objectives.

Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time based on evolving business needs.
Qualifications:
Education, Knowledge, and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or a minimum of nine years of equivalent professional experience.

• Demonstrated experience in strategic sourcing, procurement, subcontract administration, and contract lifecycle management.

• Experience working in compliance-driven environments, preferably within the U.S. Federal Government contracting space.

• Legal background or experience supporting contract drafting, review, and vendor negotiations; J.D. and/or procurement-related certifications (e.g., CPSM, CIPS, CPP) are a plus.

• Proficiency with e-sourcing platforms, procurement technologies, and contract management systems.

• Knowledge of procurement regulations, compliance requirements, risk management principles, and subcontracting best practices.

Skills

• Strong communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build relationships and engage effectively across all organizational levels.

• Strong strategic sourcing, procurement, and subcontract administration expertise, including competitive procurements, supplier management, and contract negotiations.

• Strong analytical, strategic thinking, and…