Senior Legal Contract Manager (US)

Overview

This remote role is open to candidates based in the United States and involves collaborating with global teams across multiple time zones.

The Senior Legal Contract Manager supports sponsor relationships through the review, negotiation, and management of complex commercial contracts. The role partners closely with Legal, Finance, Business Development, Operations, Therapeutic Leaders, and senior stakeholders, serving as a key point of contact during sponsor negotiations. Responsibilities include independently managing high-impact contract matters and improving contracting processes, templates, and standards.

Responsibilities

• Review, negotiate, and manage Master Services Agreements (MSAs), sponsor-provided contract templates, amendments, and other sponsor-facing agreements
• Draft, revise, and negotiate Confidential Disclosure Agreements (CDAs), contract notices, and ad hoc commercial contracts
• Identify legal, operational, financial, regulatory, and commercial risks; recommend practical solutions and escalate higher-risk matters when appropriate
• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure contract language reflects agreed scopes of work, budgets, timelines, payment terms, and sponsor requirements
• Lead and participate in sponsor negotiations and contract discussions, clearly communicating positions and driving resolution of open issues
• Manage the full contract lifecycle: intake, prioritization, negotiation, internal approvals, execution, and recordkeeping
• Evaluate business impact of contract terms to support decisions related to revenue, payment structures, deliverables, and operational commitments
• Maintain accurate contract documentation, status reporting, and records across contract management, finance, and CRM systems
• Recommend enhancements to templates, playbooks, workflows, and contracting standards to improve efficiency, consistency, and quality

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Legal Studies, Contracts Management, Healthcare Administration, Life Sciences, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience; JD preferred
• Minimum 5 years of experience reviewing, negotiating, and managing commercial contracts, including at least 3 years supporting sponsor-facing contracts within CRO, clinical research, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or life sciences environments
• Demonstrated experience independently managing MSAs, sponsor-provided templates, CDAs, amendments, contract notices, and other commercial agreements
• Strong understanding of legal and commercial contracting principles, including risk assessment, contract negotiation, and issue resolution
• Experience applying contract playbooks, guidance documents, standard clauses, and approved fallback positions with sound judgment and appropriate escalation
• Proven ability to collaborate with sponsors and cross-functional stakeholders to drive alignment, resolve issues, and move contracts to completion
• Proficiency with contract management systems, Salesforce, Microsoft Word redlining, Excel tracking tools, and document-management processes
• Proficiency in English

Preferred Qualifications

• JD preferred

Compensation & Benefits

• United States of America: $78,500.00 - $156,500.00 annually
• This salary range is intended to provide candidates an understanding of potential earnings.
• Compensation will fall within the provided range, but it is not a guarantee of exact salary.
• Final salary will be determined based on relevant experience, performance, education, and internal equity.
• Competitive benefits package depending on location.
• Pay equity and transparency; compliance with applicable labor laws.

Location

• Remote role for candidates based in United States
• Collaboration with global teams across multiple time zones