Industry Research Agreements Administrator, Senior

Overview

This role independently manages, analyzes, drafts, negotiates, and executes complex sponsored project agreements funded by industry partners. The position identifies and mitigates legal and business risks in agreements, ensures compliance with institutional policies, laws, and regulations, and provides creative solutions to balance compliance with research project needs.

Responsibilities

Contract Management

• Independently manage, analyze, draft, negotiate, and execute complex sponsored project agreements funded by industry partners, including (but not limited to) clinical trial agreements, collaboration agreements, investigator-initiated agreements, sponsored research agreements, master agreements, and business associate agreements.
• Negotiate contract terms, incorporate appropriate terms, and, when necessary, draft terms in collaboration with contracting parties to meet university and sponsor requirements while mitigating risk, maintaining the integrity of the research plan, and protecting intellectual property rights of the principal investigator and the university.
• Consult and collaborate with CRSO, collaborations and entrepreneurship, legal, risk management, ORIO, the funder/sponsor and affiliates, the principal investigator, and the investigator’s department as appropriate.
• Ensure contract payment schedules, budgets, reporting requirements, termination schedules, and deliverable schedules are complete, compatible with institutional policy, practicable, and in the best interest of the principal investigator and the institution.
• Use extensive knowledge of applicable institutional policies, public laws, regulations, and guidelines to translate program requirements into contract terms.
• Verify necessary internal prior approvals, compliance requirements, and documentation of subcontract institutions.

Customer Service

• Provide superior customer service to internal and external contacts.
• Clearly and reliably communicate with sponsors on behalf of the institution.
• Provide subject matter expertise to internal stakeholders (including departments, hospital, foundation, and other contracting groups).
• Develop and maintain working partnerships with IRB, CRSO, and other internal offices as needed.
• Actively participate as a team member by assisting others and sharing information.

Training

• Provide leadership and training on internal processes and procedures to departmental staff and stakeholders, including training of contract administrators and contract coordinators.
• Draft or modify policies, guidance, strategies, and practices to ensure researchers comply with contractual obligations, including compliance with applicable state and federal regulation in conjunction with institutional policies.
• Develop contractual language, standard terms and clauses, templates, and master agreements for training and use by the industry agreements team.
• Participate in and contribute to externally focused departmental initiatives, including contract-related formal and informal training for department staff or faculty, brown-bag training sessions, and Research Administration Information Network (RAIN) meetings.
• Serve as a resource for department staff, including study teams.

General Responsibilities

• Stay current with institutional and office policies and procedures.
• Maintain proficiency with university information systems, including (but not limited to) InfoEd, Cognos, eCRIS, OGA, IRB, IACUC, IBC, and Conflict of Interest in Research.
• Actively participate in training opportunities to build skills and increase knowledge.
• Assist in identification, evaluation, and development of more efficient and cost-effective processes.
• Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, plus five years of experience in federal and/or industry contract negotiation; or
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Must possess or attain within 6 months of hire institutional signature authority for the specified contract type within portfolio.

Skills & Abilities

• Ability to operate with a high degree of independence and autonomy; identify and escalate issues appropriately.
• Ability to train and mentor others on understanding and negotiating contract language.
• Ability to use independent professional judgment, take initiative, maintain a strong work ethic, and demonstrate a positive attitude.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective, collaborative working relationships and maintain professionalism with faculty, staff, and external funding agencies.
• Demonstrated excellent analytical skills, including the ability to understand and synthesize complex guidelines and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent communication skills, including interpreting, conveying, explaining, and upholding regulatory requirements and contract language to administrative and investigator clients.
• Ability to adapt to new or changed electronic systems, processes, and procedures (including in the absence of established processes).
• Ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced, sometimes stressful environment with competing deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to accurately comprehend and interpret medical and scientific terminology, concepts, and methodology.
• Ability to negotiate with multiple parties to mutually satisfactory results.
• Thorough understanding of budgeting principles and procedures.

Compensation & Benefits

• Healthcare for full-time employees covered 100% and 88% for dependents.
• $50K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee.
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from.
• Vacation: up to 200 hours per year (dependent on length of service).
• Sick Leave: up to 96 hours per year.
• 9 paid holidays per year.
• Substantial Tri-Met and C-Tran discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Childcare service discounts.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts to local and national businesses.

Location & Schedule

• Fully remote position within the United States.
• If employee chooses to utilize campus flex space, it’s a typical office environment.
• Possible travel to national meetings.
• Regular work hours coordinated with the manager.
• Work schedule falls within the normal daytime range of 7:30am–5:00pm Pacific time.

Additional Information

• Please enter work experience in months and years on resume.
• Reasonable accommodation information is available upon request.