Contract Manager

Blackfield Associates; Frankfurt; On-site; EUR 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Blackfield Associates is seeking a Contracts Manager for a major Life Sciences project in Germany. You will oversee the full contract lifecycle, negotiate complex agreements, and ensure compliance with German and EU regulations across multiple stakeholders.

The role requires fluent German and English, strong negotiation skills, and experience in life sciences contracts. This permanent position focuses on risk management, governance, and detailed contract administration in a regulated setting.

Qualifications

• Experience managing complex contracts in life sciences.
• Strong negotiation and drafting skills.
• Fluent in German and English is essential for communication and documentation.

Responsibilities

• Manage full contract lifecycle from drafting, negotiation and close-out.
• Draft, review and negotiate service, consultancy, supply, and subcontractor agreements.
• Ensure terms comply with German and EU legislation.
• Identify, assess and mitigate contractual and commercial risks.
• Coordinate with project management, procurement, finance and legal teams.
• Maintain contract registers and reporting; provide stakeholder guidance.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Contract management

Stakeholder management

Risk management

German contract law

Project lifecycle

Drafting agreements

EU legislation knowledge

Bilingual communication (German/Eng)

Job description

Contracts Manager - Life Sciences Project

Location: Germany

Employment Type: Permanent, Full-time

Languages: Fluent German and English (essential)

Sector: Life Sciences / Pharmaceutical / Biotechnology

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced Contracts Manager to support a major Life Sciences project in Germany. This is a permanent, full-time opportunity for a commercially minded contracts professional with experience managing complex contracts within the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare or wider life sciences sector.

The successful candidate will be responsible for the management, negotiation, administration and oversight of a range of commercial and project-related contracts, ensuring contractual compliance, effective risk management and alignment with business and project objectives.

Working closely with internal stakeholders, clients, suppliers, subcontractors and legal teams, the Contracts Manager will provide commercial and contractual guidance throughout the project lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the full contract lifecycle, from preparation and review through negotiation, execution, administration and close-out.
• Draft, review and negotiate a variety of commercial agreements, including service agreements, consultancy agreements, supply contracts, subcontractor agreements and change orders.
• Ensure contractual terms and conditions align with project requirements, commercial objectives and applicable German and EU legislation.
• Identify, assess and mitigate contractual and commercial risks.
• Monitor contractual obligations, deliverables, milestones, variations and key dates.
• Manage contract changes, variations, claims and commercial disputes, supporting resolution where required.
• Work closely with project management, procurement, finance, legal and technical teams.
• Support the preparation and review of tender documentation, contractual proposals and commercial submissions.
• Maintain accurate contract registers, records and reporting.
• Provide contractual advice and guidance to project stakeholders.
• Ensure appropriate governance, compliance and document control processes are followed.
• Proven experience in a Contracts Manager or similar commercial/contractual role.
• Experience working on complex projects within Life Sciences, Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology, Healthcare or a related regulated industry.
• Fluent German and English, both written and spoken - essential.
• Strong knowledge of contract negotiation, administration and commercial risk management.
• Good understanding of German contractual frameworks and relevant EU legislation.
• Experience managing multiple stakeholders and complex contractual relationships.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and problem‑solving skills.