American Institutes for Research
Director, Pre-Award Contracts
$160K–$200K
US-Remote +1 · Remote · Director · Full-time · Posted Oct 1, 2026
- Location
- US-Remote
Remote (United States) - Experience
- 12+ years of progressive relevant experience, including 5+ years in people management.
- Education
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field; Master’s or JD preferred.
- Visa sponsorship
- Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship, including H-1B sponsorship, is not available. Depending on project work, qualified candidates may need to meet certain residency requirements.
About the job
The Director leads AIR’s pre-award contracting strategy and operations, from opportunity and proposal support through negotiation of new awards, while managing compliance, risk, systems, and a team of specialists.
What you'll do
- Lead enterprise-wide pre-award contracting strategy and oversee solicitation, evaluation, and negotiation of awards across diverse funders.
- Ensure regulatory compliance, manage contracting risks, and improve processes, systems, reporting, and audit readiness.
- Lead and develop the pre-award team and partner with internal departments, clients, and external stakeholders.
What they ask for
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Public Administration, Supply Chain Management, or a related field.
- 12+ years of progressive experience across contracts, grants management, procurement, or related functions, including 5+ years in people management.
- Deep knowledge of federal and state contracting and grants regulations, including FAR and Uniform Guidance.
- Experience negotiating a wide range of contract and agreement types and supporting public, private, and commercial funders.
Nice to have
- Master’s degree or JD.
Pay
$160,000 — $200,000 USD (annual salary)
Tools
FAR, Uniform Guidance, Microsoft Office Suite, ERP
Model-written summary · the original posting is authoritative