Associate Director D

University of Pennsylvania

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director is a non-attorney (BA required, JD or MA preferred) contracting professional who independently negotiates and executes a portfolio of moderately complex clinical research agreements and serves as the complexity bridge between Senior Contract Administrators and attorney-level contracting staff. This role will also have direct reports and serve as the manager of the OCR Legal Senior Contract Administrators. This role requires prior clinical research contracting experience and is not intended for entry-level contracting professionals. The Associate Director independently manages work/task orders under master agreements, CDAs/NDAs, DUAs, amendments, and completes first-pass drafting and issue-spotting for CTAs with oversight. As skill increases this role can independently handle CTAs, especially less complex CTAs or CTAs with sponsors that we have established precedent.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science and 5 to 7 years of clinical research contracting experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required.
Demonstrated ability to apply standard positions, identify risk issues, and escalate appropriately in a deadline-driven, high-volume environment.
Strong written communication, organization, and stakeholder-management skills.
Demonstrated ability to thrive in a busy, ever-evolving environment and collaborate with multiple stakeholders.
Demonstrated ability to manage high volume workload.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree or JD preferred, not required.
Some management/leadership experience preferred.
Experience in an academic medical center, CRO, sponsor, or comparable research environment supporting clinical research agreements preferred.
Familiarity with research administration/contracting systems (e.g., SOMERA, PennERA, RIS or similar) preferred.

Responsibilities

Independently negotiate, draft, and execute CDAs/NDAs, DUAs, amendments, and work orders/task orders under established policies and standard positions.
Serve as manager of Senior Contract administrators, serving as guide, mentor, and first level of review and escalation.
Complete first-pass CTA redlines and issue-spotting; escalate non-standard and high-risk terms to attorneys; revise drafts based on direction.
Manage assigned workflow, timelines, and documentation; ensure correct routing/approvals and accurate status tracking in applicable systems.
Apply and support standardization through templates, clause library, job aids, and playbook resources; flag recurring sponsor issues and propose improvements.
Serve as an internal point of contact for study teams and partners; drive matters toward execution-ready status and timely study activation.
Other duties as assigned.

Benefits

excellent healthcare
tuition benefits for employees and their families
generous retirement benefits
a wide variety of professional development opportunities
supportive work and family benefits
a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources
Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts
comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits
flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
exceptional tuition benefits
tuition assistance here at Penn
tuition assistance at other institutions for dependent children
generous retirement plans
pre-tax or Roth basis retirement savings
wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
substantial amount of time away from work
Long-Term Care Insurance
wellness and work-life resources
Professional and Personal Development resources
access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities
free or discounted admission and memberships to Penn arts and cultural centers and museums
substantial savings on other goods and services
Flexible Work Hours
Penn Home Ownership Services
Adoption Assistance