Licensing Operations Manager (Remote - US only)

Merck•Temecula, CA

16h•Remote

About The Position

This role is a key position in driving revenue, improving operational efficiency, and maximizing the value of the company’s intellectual property portfolio. The Licensing Operations Manager will design, optimize, and manage revenue generation and tracking systems for out-license agreements and department initiatives. This includes extracting and tracking agreement milestones, royalties, renewals, and expirations. The role requires interaction with internal and external partners in licensing, customer service, accounting, and invoicing teams to ensure accuracy and timeliness of information and to enable revenue generation and reporting. While primarily an internal role, occasional simple external negotiations (templatized renewals, extensions, terminations) with oversight may be conducted. The role operates in a fast-paced environment with a high volume of activity, requiring strong prioritization, flexibility, and exceptional organizational and multitasking skills. Accuracy is essential. Frequent use of Excel, Alliant, LEDOX, SharePoint, DocuSign, SAP, and Oracle is expected. The position serves as a trusted resource for information about out-licensing agreement-related processes and requires the ability to build and sustain productive relationships across a global ecosystem of internal and external partners.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a Life Science discipline, with 5+ years of experience in operational, lab management, or technology transfer within life sciences.
Bachelor’s Degree in a Life Science discipline with customer service experience for a life science company, including 5+ years’ experience in contract management.
Associate's degree in a Life Science discipline, with 8+ years of experience in operational, lab management, or technology transfer within life sciences.
Paralegal background AND 5+ years’ experience in license or legal operations or at an intellectual property-focused legal office.
Eligible to work in the US.
External applicants must be eligible to work in the US.

Nice To Haves

IP/License Management certification
Contract Management Certification
Experience in automating licensee communications and renewal workflows
Familiarity with AI is beneficial
Process optimization mindset: evaluating and implementing improved tracking and reporting workflows.
Adaptable to ambiguity and evolving requirements.
Multilingual: English, German, and Chinese.

Responsibilities

Own and optimize existing systems to manage out-licensing agreements.
Use Excel, various ERP systems, AdobeSign, Alliant, and LEDOX to organize legal documents and extract trackable events (milestones, renewal dates, royalty obligations) for monitoring.
Evaluate available tracking systems and processes to develop and implement an optimal tracking process for out-licensing programs.
Monitor and triage licensing email inbox, providing “license required” notifications as appropriate.
Release of Customer Orders for Shipment, upon license execution.
Review newly-signed license agreements to extract trackable information, partnering with negotiators to understand terms as needed.
Outreach to licensees with upcoming payment or reporting obligations, automating when possible.
Outreach to licensees with expiring agreements to offer and negotiate renewals.
Triage license-related issues to proper departments (invoice team, tax, customer service, distributors, etc.).
Build and maintain relationships with external licensees and internal partners to ensure continuing revenue flow.