Subcontracts Manager, Public Sector

Scale AI is at the forefront of the AI revolution, helping the U.S. government unlock the potential of AI across national security missions. We’re building and deploying agentic AI solutions on large, complex government programs that increasingly require Scale technology to integrate with capabilities delivered by traditional defense primes and other subcontractors.

We’re hiring a subcontracts manager to own the day-to-day relationships, execution, and integration of subcontractors supporting our Public Sector programs. You will work alongside Scale’s Delivery team and technical leads to ensure our subcontractors understand where their work fits into the broader technical solution, deliver against committed timelines and requirements, and remain fully integrated into our overall program execution.

This role requires unusual range: you should be equally comfortable reviewing an integrated master schedule and discussing technical dependencies as you are resolving an invoice, onboarding a new subcontractor, or flowing down security requirements. You will need technical fluency to understand what Scale is building and how subcontractor capabilities fit into the solution, while using strong program management and influence to hold external partners accountable for results.

You will:

Own day-to-day relationships with subcontractors supporting large Public Sector programs, including major defense primes and specialized technical partners

Understand Scale’s overall technical solution and ensure each subcontractor clearly understands how its scope, interfaces, and deliverables fit into that solution

Translate prime contract milestones and program requirements into clear subcontractor deliverables, timelines, dependencies, and acceptance criteria

Integrate subcontractor activities into the broader Integrated Master Schedule (IMS) and proactively identify dependencies, risks, and potential schedule impacts

Hold subcontractors accountable for committed scope, timelines, deliverables, status reporting, and corrective actions when execution falls behind

Partner closely with Scale technical leads and program managers who will review and approve the technical quality of subcontractor work, while you own execution, coordination, and follow-through

Establish clear operating cadences with subcontractors, including status reviews, action tracking, risk management, decision logs, and escalation mechanisms

Drive resolution of technical and programmatic blockers across Scale teams, subcontractors, customers, and other external stakeholders

Lead onboarding of new subcontractors and ensure they have the program context, systems access, security requirements, documentation, and operating processes necessary to execute

Coordinate the flow-down and tracking of applicable security, access, compliance, and program requirements

Manage subcontractor administrative workflows, including invoices, billing questions, documentation requests, staffing changes, access issues, and other day-to-day operational needs

Provide Scale program managers with a clear view of subcontractor performance and proactively escalate issues before they impact government deliverables

Build productive, high-trust relationships with subcontractor teams while maintaining a high bar for accountability and execution

Must haves:

Active Top Secret clearance

5+ years of experience in program management, technical program management, subcontractor management, defense acquisition, systems integration, or a related role

Experience managing external organizations against defined scope, schedules, milestones, and deliverables

Experience working with Integrated Master Schedules, Work Breakdown Structures, Statements of Work, deliverable tracking, and formal program reviews

Strong technical acumen and the ability to understand software, systems integration, interfaces, dependencies, and technical program plans without needing to be the engineer approving the work

Demonstrated ability to operate across both technical and administrative domains, from engineering dependencies and program schedules to invoicing, onboarding, and documentation

Experience building and managing integrated program plans with multiple teams, workstreams, and external dependencies

Strong ability to influence organizations and individuals outside of your direct reporting chain

Comfort holding sophisticated external partners accountable, including escalating performance issues when necessary

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly with engineers, program managers, executives, subcontractors, and government stakeholders

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, particularly around commitments, documentation, financial workflows, and schedule management

High ownership and a track record of proactively identifying risks and driving them through resolution

Willingness to work onsite in the Washington, DC area as required to support customers, programs, and classified work

Willingness to travel to subcontractor facilities as required

Nice to haves:

Experience working with or for a major defense prime contractor or managing relationships with traditional defense primes

Experience supporting large Department of Defense or Intelligence Community contracts

Familiarity with government contracting structures, subcontract administration, FAR/DFARS requirements, and flow-down obligations

Experience managing subcontractors delivering software, AI/ML, data, systems integration, or other technically complex capabilities

Familiarity with AI/ML systems, generative AI, agentic workflows, APIs, data pipelines, or modern software architectures

Experience supporting classified programs and coordinating security requirements, personnel access, and work across secure environments

Familiarity with subcontractor invoicing, cost tracking, forecasting, and financial reconciliation

Domain knowledge on technical topics related to homeland layered defense

Compensation packages at Scale for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position and may be inclusive of several career levels at Scale; it will be determined during the interview process based on work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Scale employees in eligible roles are also granted equity based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process, and confirm whether the hired role will be eligible for equity grant. You'll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous PTO. Additionally, this role may be eligible for additional benefits such as a commuter stipend.

The base salary range for this full-time position in the location of Washington DC is:

$166,400—$249,000 USD