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Vice President, Legal Counsel

Arlington, Virginia, United States

Company Description

Govini transforms Defense Acquisition from an outdated manual process to a software-driven strategic advantage for the United States. Our flagship product, Ark, supports Supply Chain, Science and Technology, Production, Sustainment, Logistics, and Modernization teams with AI-enabled Applications and best-in-class data to more rapidly imagine, develop, and field the capabilities we need. Today, the national security community and every branch of the military rely on Govini to enable faster and more informed Acquisition decisions.

Job Description

Govini is looking for a forward-leaning, dynamic VP, Legal Counsel to join our high-growth defense tech company. As our first in-house legal counsel, this person will work closely with the CEO and Executive Team to navigate legal complexities related to government contracting and corporate matters in support of the company’s strategic objectives. The right candidate for this role is business-minded, has expert-level knowledge of the FAR and DFARS, and has experience working with growth teams in a software business. To be successful, the candidate should have a track record of getting to “yes,” creative problem solving, ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment with ambiguity, and a passion for the national security sector and issues related to U.S. defense.
 
This is a full time position based in Govini’s headquarters office in Arlington, VA.
This role may require up to 10% travel

Scope of Responsibilities

  • Drive customer growth by executing new government contracts and growing existing ones. Use your expertise in federal procurement law to help the Business Development, Sales, and Capture teams efficiently capture new contracts, grow existing contracts, and set up follow-on opportunities for future contracts. Assist in the strategy development for new business and lead or support negotiations with government acquisition officials and industry teammates. 
  • Manage relationships with procurement office representatives at government agencies. High-trust professional relationships with government contracting and procurement offices are critical to the company’s continued success, and you will be called upon to develop and foster these relationships throughout your tenure.
  • Provide legal counsel to and day-to-day partnership with the Capture and Contracts Management teams. Contribute to the development of major proposals and bid protests, lead or assist in key negotiations, resolve performance issues, identify risks and mitigations, and ensure compliance with laws, regulations, and policies.
  • Oversee the company’s ethics and compliance program. Work collaboratively with People Operations to ensure development, implementation and ongoing management of the program, policies, procedures and training. Identify potential areas of compliance vulnerability and risk, and develop/implement corrective action plans.
  • Support the Chief Strategy Officer in the evaluation and execution of M&A opportunities, evaluating risk, managing due diligence, and with internal leadership and external stakeholders.
  • Lead and manage all legal matters for the company including development of the legal strategy and framework in support of business needs. Collaborate with outside counsel in designated areas.
  • Actively participate as a senior member of the Management Team, working directly with cross-functional team members to provide legal and business counsel in support of the needs of each function.
  • Maintain current knowledge of important legal developments that could affect our public sector work, including new federal government procurement rules, compliancerequirements, transparency expectations, etc. Surface areas for action or potential new requirements to the leadership team for awareness and action as necessary.

Qualifications

  • U.S. Citizenship is required
Required Skills: 
  • The successful candidate will have a Juris Doctor degree and the ability to obtain an active Commonwealth of Virginia or Washington, DC bar membership.
  • 10+ years of experience in corporate legal environments, US government, or private practice law firm; public company experience is a plus
  • Experience in U.S. Federal Government contracting, including in the defense and intelligence communities, as applied to commercial software contracts
  • Specifically, experience in a high-growth technology company, working with business development, sales, and capture / proposal teams to negotiate agreements with U.S. federal government customers
  • Expert-level knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS); familiarity with International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR)
  • Knowledge of intellectual property matters relevant to advanced technology companies
  • Strong strategic and creative thinker
  • Ability to perform outstanding, high-quality work with independence
  • Impeccable business judgment/ethics
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills
  • Demonstrated ability to get things done quickly and prioritize in a fast-paced environment
We firmly believe that past performance is the best indicator of future performance.  If you thrive while building solutions to complex problems, are a self-starter, and are passionate about making an impact in global security, we’re eager to hear from you.
 
Govini is an Equal Opportunity Employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability and protected veterans status or any other characteristic protected by law.

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