Forensic and Integrity Services - Government Contract Services - Manager

EY’s Government Contract Services (GCS) team helps organizations navigate the entire lifecycle of U.S. Government contracts, grants, federally funded programs, public works projects subject to federal and state labor standards. We advise clients on pricing, cost accounting, regulatory compliance, prevailing wage compliance, audit readiness, business systems, investigations, disputes, M&A diligence and integration, and operational improvements that help them compete effectively while managing compliance risk.

The opportunity  

Our GCS team works with industry-leading clients to develop innovative recommendations to some of the most challenging compliance risks and market opportunities that they face. You can expect to work on a broad mix of advisory, compliance, pricing, cost accounting, audit readiness, transaction, and dispute-related matters while building deep technical and client service skills in a highly specialized market. Our prevailing wage capabilities helps government contractors, energy and infrastructure developers, tax credit investors, and public works contractors comply with federal and state labor standards, including Service Contract Labor Standards, Davis-Bacon and Related Acts, Inflation Reduction Act prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, and state prevailing wage laws.

Your key responsibilities  

As a Manager in GCS, you will lead and support client engagements throughout the government contracting lifecycle. You will manage workstreams, supervise team members, analyze complex financial and operational data, and develop practical recommendations for clients operating under U.S. Government contract and grant requirements. You will also help clients assess compliance risks, respond to government audits, strengthen business systems and controls, develop compliant cost accounting structures, and improve processes that support pricing, estimating, billing, procurement, contract administration, and financial reporting.

Skills and attributes for success

• Managing the key components of a portfolio of GCS projects, including strategy, planning and execution
• Developing long-term relationships across a network of existing and potential clients, understanding their businesses to provide tailored insights
• Assessing current-state processes and controls, identifying gaps, and helping design practical improvements to estimating, pricing, accounting, procurement, billing, contract administration, and compliance programs
• Developing your team through timely coaching, review of work product, constructive feedback, and opportunities to build technical and client service skills
• Interpreting and applying applicable statutes and regulations (e.g. FAR, DFARS, CAS, 2 CFR 200, agency supplements), and award-specific requirements to real client situations
• Supporting clients with DCAA, DCMA, OIG, GSA, VA FSS, and other government audit and oversight matters, including audit readiness, audit response, remediation, and documentation support
• Developing and reviewing indirect rate structures, incurred cost submissions, forward pricing rate proposals, CASB Disclosure Statements, cost impacts, and cost accounting practice changes
• Assessing cost accounting, pricing, estimating, billing, procurement, timekeeping, contract administration, prevailing wage, and business system processes
• Leading prevailing wage compliance engagements under SCLS, DBA/DBRA, IRA prevailing wage and apprenticeship requirements, and state prevailing wage laws, including wage determination and worker classification analysis, certified payroll and fringe benefit testing, apprenticeship compliance, correction and penalty calculations, compliance monitoring programs, and Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation support
• Contributing to proposals, thought leadership, training, recruiting, and broader GCS practice development
• A strong desire to collaborate and grow with the broader GCS team

To qualify for the role you must have  

• A bachelor's degree in accounting, law, finance, business or related field
• 5 to 8 years’ relevant work experience
• Possess at least one professional designation, such as CPA, CFE, CFA   
• In depth experience with understanding and applying knowledge of U.S. federal regulatory and statutory requirements pertaining to public acquisitions and assistance awards, including most of the following:
  • Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR),
  • Cost Accounting Standards (CAS),
  • Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS),
  • 2 CFR 200
  • Prevailing wage requirements under Service Contract Labor Standards (SCLS), Davis Bacon Act (DBA)/Davis Bacon and Related Act (DBRA), Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), and/or state prevailing wage laws
  • Medicare, Medicaid, and/or FSS
  • Knowledge of contract, grant cost accounting practices, pricing, supply chain, or contracts in a government contract and/or grants environment
• Proven ability to assess, interpret, and apply government acquisition, assistance award, and labor standards regulations and industry standards
• Ability to develop technical responses to government award audits, compliance matters, audit findings, and remediation requests
• Previous experience in a client facing environment
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills, including the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly to varied audiences
• The ability to manage engagement teams ranging from 2 to 10 resources
• Excellent project and time management skills and the ability to prioritize when working on multiple engagements
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills, and the confidence to communicate complex technical concepts to a wide range of audiences
• The ability and willingness to travel and work in excess of standard hours when necessary
• Access to reliable transportation to/from the EY office and client sites. A driver’s license is strongly recommended as ride share and public transportation options may not be available in all locations

Ideally, you’ll also have

• Extensive experience with DCAA, DCMA, OIG, GSA, VA, HHS, DOE, NSF, DOL, or other federal agency audit or oversight activities
• Hands on experience building indirect rate models, including incurred cost submissions, forward pricing rates, CAS cost impacts, or rate restructuring
• Experience assessing, implementing, and monitoring DFARS business systems
• Experience with mergers and acquisitions, including due diligence, integration, divestitures, carveouts/spinoffs, or related compliance and cost accounting impacts
• Experience with prevailing wage and apprenticeship compliance, including certified payroll and labor compliance systems, Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigations, or prevailing wage diligence for tax credit transfers and transactions
• Experience with Deltek Costpoint, Unanet, JAMIS, SAP, Oracle, Microsoft Dynamics, Netsuite data analytics, automation, AI-enabled compliance, or other technology used by government contractors

What we look for  

You will join a nationally recognized government contracting advisory practice that supports clients across the full government contracting and federal funding lifecycle, from pursuit and pricing through contract performance, audit response, compliance remediation, disputes, investigations, and transactions. Our professionals bring experience across industry, public accounting, government audit, procurement, compliance, legal, finance, and operations.

We are looking for people who enjoy solving complex problems, learning deeply technical subject matter, and helping clients operate more effectively in the government market. The strongest candidates bring technical curiosity, sound judgment, clear communication, and a willingness to roll up their sleeves. You do not need to know every regulation on day one, but you should be comfortable researching complex requirements, asking thoughtful questions, developing practical answers, and helping clients move forward with confidence.

What we offer you
At EY, we harness our collective strength to empower you to shape your future with confidence through professional growth, personal fulfillment and an inclusive culture. Learn more at ey.com/us/careers.

• We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package where you’ll be rewarded based on your performance and recognized for the value you bring to the business.  The base salary range for this job is: 
• • New York City, Boston, and Washington DC Metro Areas, Washington State, and Southern California offices – $125,700 to $209,700
  • Bay Area California offices – $131,100 to $218,500
  • All other offices locations in the US, including Sacramento – $104,800 to $192,300 
• Individual salaries within these ranges are determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to education, experience, knowledge, skills and geography.  In addition, our Total Rewards package includes medical and dental coverage, pension and 401(k) plans, and a wide range of paid time off options.
• Under our flexible vacation policy, you’ll decide how much vacation time you need based on your own personal circumstances. You’ll also be granted time off for designated EY Paid Holidays, Winter/Summer breaks, Personal/Family Care, and other leaves of absence when needed to support your physical, financial, and emotional well-being.

Are you ready to shape your future with confidence? Apply today.                                              

• To make the most of your application experience, please limit yourself to two applications within a six-month period.
• EY accepts applications for this position on an on-going basis.
• For those living in California, please click here for additional information.
• At EY, our values set the foundation for how we work and the behaviors we expect of our people. Any misrepresentation or falsification of information or lack of integrity at any point in the recruiting process may result in withdrawal of your candidacy, revocation of an offer or immediate termination of employment.

EY  |  Building a better working world

EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets.

Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow.

EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions. Fueled by sector insights, a globally connected, multi-disciplinary network and diverse ecosystem partners, EY teams can provide services in more than 150 countries and territories.

All in to shape the future with confidence.

EY provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, pregnancy, genetic information, national origin, protected veteran status, disability status, or any other legally protected basis, including arrest and conviction records, in accordance with applicable law.  

EY is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities including veterans with disabilities. If you have a disability and either need assistance applying online or need to request an accommodation during any part of the application process,  please call 1-800-EY-HELP3, select Option 2 for candidate related inquiries, then select Option 1 for candidate queries and finally select Option 2 for candidates with an inquiry which will route you to EY’s Talent Shared Services Team (TSS) or email the TSS at ssc.customersupport@ey.com.