Skills for Associate Director Contracts at a Fortune 500 Aerospace Defense Company
Daria, an Associate Director, Contracts at a Fortune 500 Aerospace & Defense Company, emphasizes that while "you have to be smart" and a "good communicator," success in this field hinges on "strong financial acumen" combined with the ability to "boil down complicated issues into simple terms"—skills learned more on the job than in formal education.
Communication, Critical Thinking, Financial Acumen, Problem-Solving, Drive
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Daria Sayan
Associate Director, Contracts
Fortune 500 Aerospace & Defense Company
University of Massachusetts Amherst
University of Arizona, MBA
Legal & Policy, Business Management & Admin
Aerospace, Aviation & Defense, Government & Public Sector
Operations and Project Management
International Student, Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Strong communication skills are essential for success.
2. Financial acumen and critical thinking are highly valued.
3. The ability to simplify complex issues is key to advancement.
Transcript
What skills are most important for a job like yours?
When I'm hiring someone for this kind of job, it's kind of an open canvas, but you have to be smart. You have to be a really good communicator and you have to be driven.
The rest we can teach you because in my job, you can't get an undergraduate or Master's degree for it; you really just learn it on the job.
That said, the people who end up succeeding the most are those who have both strong financial acumen coupled with a strong ability to think critically and boil down complicated issues into simple terms. The people who go up the ladder or tackle the hardest deals have those capabilities.