Manager, Retail Contracting

Bavarian Nordic•Durham, CA

49d•$120,000 - $155,000•Remote

About The Position

This is a highly visible, hands-on role. The Manager, Retail Contracting, will be expected to independently manage strategic contracting decisions and the operational execution of contracts through manual tools (e.g., Microsoft Word, SharePoint), without administrative support. The Manager, Retail Contracting, will be responsible for developing, negotiating, and managing contract structures that support vaccine access and pull-through within the retail pharmacy channel, translating strategic objectives and pricing guidance into actionable and compliant agreements. This role partners with Retail Sales, Legal, and Brand teams to evaluate retail program proposals ensuring timely, accurate, and strategic contracting terms that align with business needs, contracting governance, and regulatory requirements. The position collaborates with internal pricing and operational teams to ensure contract terms are feasible and accurately reflected in contract documents, The role requires a proactive self-starter and subject matter expert in retail pharmacy dynamics, capable of navigating complex contracting environments and influencing stakeholders across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum 5+ years of pharmaceutical experience in pricing, contracting, market access, or commercial operations
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment
Experience managing end-to-end contract lifecycle activities, including renewals, amendments, and coordination of downstream implementation
Familiarity with government pricing considerations and experience with vaccines or retail pharmaceutical products preferred
Strategic Contracting Judgement: Evaluates retail contract proposals with strong commercial judgement, balancing access objectives, pricing integrity, and operational feasibility
Applies deep understanding of retail pharmacy dynamics, vaccine channels, and customer purchasing behavior to inform contract design.
Interprets policy and regulatory guidance appropriately and escalates issues when proposals deviate from established frameworks or precedent
Maintains composure and sound judgement in complex, high-pressure negotiations with large retail customers
Business Acumen & Analytical Thinking: Understands how contract structures influence pricing outcomes, gross-to-net dynamics, and broader commercial strategy
Identifies financial, operational, and contractual risks embedded in proposed deal structures
Connects market behavior and retail channel trends to contract implications and decision-making
Collaboration & Stakeholder Influence: Builds alignment across cross-functional teams by clearly articulating options, risks, and recommendations in business terms
Partners effectively with Legal/Compliance, Pricing Strategy, Sales, and Brand teams to refine contract structures
Influences outcomes without formal authority, ensuring early engagement and proactive issue resolution
Execution & Accountability: Manages multiple contract priorities and deadlines with strong organizational discipline and attention to detail
Ensures accuracy and completeness of contract documentation to support downstream processing and audit readiness
Maintains awareness of contract timelines, dependencies, and escalation triggers to support timely execution
Ensures adherence to structured workflows and governance requirements in a low-automation environment

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (e.g., MBA or related field) is a plus
Practical experience in retail pharmaceutical contracting is strongly preferred
Familiarity with contract lifecycle management tools (e.g., Model N, iContracts) and understanding of downstream operational processes such as pricing execution, chargebacks, and compliance reporting
Experience supporting the full contract lifecycle, including renewals, amendments, escalations, and coordination of implementation activities.
Experience in pharmaceutical or vaccine contracting, or other channel-based commercial contracting models preferred.
Experience contributing to business case development by providing contract-level insights, assumptions, and program mechanics to support financial modeling.
Experience leading or participating in cross-functional contracting discussions involving Sales, Brand, Pricing, Legal/Compliance stakeholders.
Exposure to other commercial contracting models (e.g., GPO or channel-based purchasing organizations) preferred.

Responsibilities

Draft, negotiate, review, and route retail contract structures and pricing programs aligned with U.S. Commercial retail strategies in partnership with Legal, Compliance, and Pricing leadership
Translate strategic objectives and pricing guidance into contract terms tailored to retail pharmacy business models
Evaluate program proposals from Retail Sales and Brand teams, recommending contract structures that support access, pull-through, and compliance with contracting governance
Develop retail-specific contract language, incentives, and program mechanics that address channel needs while maintaining policy and regulatory compliance
Ensure accurate transition of executed agreements to the Contract Administration team and support downstream implementation
Provide retail-specific insights, assumptions, and program mechanics that feed into business case modeling performed within Pricing & Contracting
Collaborate with key stakeholders during business case review to ensure alignment on financial expectations, operational feasibility, and strategic intent
Design contract terms consistent with pricing guidance, gross-to-net expectations, and established governance frameworks, ensuring that retail programs can be operationalized and monitored
Apply sound business judgment to access trade-offs, financial implications, and strategic fit of proposed retail contract scenarios, ensuring terms support sustainable access and protect pricing integrity
Provide consultative guidance grounded in channel knowledge and contracting experience to help stakeholders anticipate risks, unintended consequences, and operational considerations
Partner closely with Retail Sales to align contracts with customer strategies, seasonality, and pull-through initiatives
Work with Brand/Marketing to ensure contract structures support promotional plans, campaign timelines, and channel strategies
Assists with the development of pricing committee materials
Collaborate with Legal to ensure agreements follow regulatory, legal, and policy requirements
Coordinate with contract administration and master data teams to confirm operational feasibility of contract terms and ensure clean, accurate contract documentation
Maintain awareness of active agreement performance and collaborate with cross-functional partners to initiate contract amendments or escalations when business, operational, or compliance triggers are met
Maintain visibility into retail performance trends and assess implications for contract clauses such as volume commitments, price reversion triggers, claw-back mechanisms, and renewal criteria
Maintain strict adherence to governance processes, approval workflows, contracting policies, and delegated authority requirements
Maintain documentation of contracting decisions and support audit-readiness across contract processes
Ensure contracts comply with internal policies, government regulations, and applicable industry codes, escalating issues to Legal/Compliance as needed
Identify opportunities to improve the contracting process, documentation standards, and decision timelines
Collaborate with stakeholders to strengthen planning around contract lead times and minimize last-minute negotiations that jeopardize business continuity
Respond to emerging business needs by developing flexible and scalable contract language that supports evolving retail strategies and minimizing contractual inefficiencies