Manager/Sr. Manager - Contracts

BRIDGE Innovation & Business Development, at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School (UMass Chan) is looking for a Manager/Sr. Manager-Contracts to join their team.

What do we do? BRIDGE team ideates and executes a comprehensive business strategy to commercialize UMass Chan's IP portfolio through the development of New Companies (NewCos), alliances, licensing agreements and partnerships. BRIDGE team is accountable for structuring, negotiating, and implementing a variety of transactions with external entities, including investors, leading as well as new pharma/biotech companies, incubators, and other research organizations.

Success at BRIDGE & UMass Chan: BRIDGE @ UMass Chan reported licensing revenue of approximately $146 million during FY2018 and ranked fourth among all U.S. institutions and third among universities in terms of licensing revenue. BRIDGE and UMass Chan researchers have also co-founded multiple successful companies - Alnylam, Atalanta Therapeutics, ApicBio, Voyager Therapeutics, Generation Bio, Acworth & Bacainn to name a few.

UMass Chan is a research powerhouse: UMass Chan is a vibrant research enterprise that spends >$250M per year in research activities and consistently produces noteworthy advances in clinical and basic research. In 2006, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to UMass Chan professor Craig C. Mello, PhD for discoveries related to RNA interference (RNAi). In 2024 the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded to Victor Ambros for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. UMass Chan researchers have made pivotal advances in HIV, cancer, diabetes, infectious disease, and in understanding the molecular basis of disease. UMass Chan programs and centers include the RNA Therapeutics Institute, the Gene Therapy Center, Program in Gene Function and Expression, Systems Biology and Neurotherapeutics.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Manager/Sr. Manager will serve as support for Office of Innovation & Business Development - Transactions leadership.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

Support the contracting process of UMass Chan business development team, including processing and review of a high volume of Confidential Disclosure Agreements (CDAs), Core Service Agreements (CSAs), Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), and other University to Business based contracts. This person will be the individual primarily responsible for ensuring the timely execution of CDAs and MTAs.
• Consistently maintain records for correspondence and documentation in the contract management software system in relation to all existing and in-progress contracts.
• Collaborate and direct communications with internal stakeholders and departments including provision of support to Office of Sponsored Projects and Office of Clinical Research, as necessary.
• Execute directives from Transactions team leadership, including coordination and dissemination of administrative functions, follow-through of activity systems, downstream processing after contract procurement by New Ventures and Business Development team leadership.
• Negotiate with external academic and commercial contracting partners, including demonstration and presentation of legally supported assertion of necessary contractual language and specifications as required for a public university of higher education.
• Demonstrate collaboration skills such as communication, conflict resolution, open-mindedness, inclusivity, and adaptability in their interactions with internal team members, stakeholders, and counterparties.
• Act as a resource for external contract administrators, paralegals, and laboratory assistants to ensure efficient communication and streamlined contract processes throughout the lifecycle of the agreement.
• All other duties and responsibilities as requested by leadership and colleagues from time to time.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• A minimum of 5 years of previous work experience in a role performing contract and transaction functions such as contract drafting, review, and negotiation, technical writing, with strong preference for combination of both contract and biotechnology or pharmacology experience.
• Undergraduate degree required; preferably in the scientific, technical writing, medical, or legal fields. Experience in contract or legal support for academic and/or public sector(s) a plus.
• Deep understanding of the contract/transaction lifecycle and ability to navigate bottlenecks to expedite the contract lifecycle process.
• Knowledge of public policy nuances applicable to the academic and public sectors including as pertaining to indemnification, governing law and venue, sovereign immunity, express and implied warranty provisions
• Ability to postulate contractual specifications relevant to UMass Chan and present supportive negotiations to external partners to assert UMass Chan's requisite contract clauses.
• Strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills, including specifically the skills needed to negotiate with legal counsel of external stakeholders (from the perspective of a legal based but non- counsel role), including ability to confront negotiations directly and manage difficult conversations and interactions.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Paralegal or degree in scientific field with additional experience in academic or public sector.

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