Senior Manager of Contracts
About The Position
The Senior Manager of Contracts leads complex sponsored research negotiations and oversees substantive review within Weill Cornell Medicine’s Office of Sponsored Research Administration, which executes more than 2,000 agreements annually. The role serves as the primary escalation point for contractual issues that remain unresolved after initial team review or require departures from established negotiating positions. It determines negotiation approaches for complex agreements, coordinates institutional decisions and advises leadership on contractual risk. Working with the Associate Director and General Counsel, the Senior Manager develops review standards and negotiation guidance, recommends changes to approval requirements, and guides staff through difficult contractual issues. The position coordinates with legal counsel and institutional partners to resolve complex obligations, evaluates outcomes and portfolio trends, and supports staff development and operational improvements. The role also maintains knowledge of regulations governing sponsored research and advises staff and institutional stakeholders on regulatory changes and their operational impacts. It leads the definition and prioritization of contracting business requirements for WRG Sponsored Programs (InfoEd) enhancements and evaluates whether system changes improve workflow, reporting and contractual oversight. Other advanced duties and responsibilities may be required.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
- Approximately 7 or more years of experience in sponsored research contracting, including three years supervising staff.
- A record of resolving complex negotiations and advising on contractual risk.
- Demonstrated knowledge of research integrity policies, including Conflicts, IRB, DSMB, IBC and IACUC.
- Demonstrated proficiency working with implementation of an electronic research administration system and a broad range of ITS skills.
- Exceptional communication and negotiation skills.
- Leadership and management capabilities.
Nice To Haves
- Juris Doctor or relevant master’s degree.
- Prior work in an academic medical center or university.
Responsibilities
- Serve as the primary escalation point for contractual issues unresolved after initial team review or requiring departures from established negotiating positions.
- Determine negotiation approaches for complex agreements and disputed contractual terms.
- Ensure proposed terms that create precedent or exceed delegated authority receive appropriate institutional review and approval.
- Develop substantive review standards and negotiation guidance with the Associate Director and General Counsel.
- Recommend changes to approval requirements and clarify decisions managers and staff may make independently.
- Evaluate contractual risk and negotiated outcomes across the contracting portfolio.
- Direct corrective action to address recurring issues and inconsistent application of institutional positions.
- Coordinate with legal counsel, privacy, compliance, technology transfer and research finance departments to resolve complex contractual obligations.
- Resolve matters involving intellectual property, publication rights, liability, and data or material use.
- Ensure accepted exceptions are documented and communicated to the team.
- Evaluate performance and develop staff judgment through coaching on difficult contractual provisions and negotiation strategy.
- Monitor changes in sponsor requirements, regulations and research activities to inform training priorities.
- Assess portfolio trends to identify persistent barriers, emerging demands and gaps in team capacity.
- Recommend staffing, resource allocation and operational improvements to departmental leadership.
- Maintain current knowledge of federal, state, sponsor and institutional regulations governing sponsored research, including human subject protections, animal care and use (IACUC), FDA regulations, export controls, conflict of interest requirements, privacy laws, research security mandates and intellectual property regulations.
- Deliver strategic guidance to staff and institutional stakeholders regarding regulatory changes and operational impacts on contracting.
- Lead the definition and prioritization of contracting business requirements for WRG Sponsored Programs (InfoEd) enhancements.
- Evaluate whether implemented system changes improve workflow, reporting and contractual oversight.
- Perform other advanced duties and responsibilities as required.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
