Clinical Trial Contract Specialist, COM Dean's Office of Clinical Research

University of Cincinnati; Cincinnati (OH); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Tuition remission

Retirement plans

Work-life balance

Job summary

University of Cincinnati is seeking a full‑time Clinical Trial Contract Administrator in the College of Medicine. You will manage industry clinical trial contracts, negotiate terms with sponsors, and coordinate with budgets, legal counsel, and study teams to ensure smooth start‑up and execution of agreements.

The role entails partial remote work with in‑office presence at Clifton Campus, collaborating across OCR and UC Health teams to support clinical research operations.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in English, Legal Assisting, Pre-Law, Business Administration, or related field.
• Six (6) years of relevant work experience can be used in lieu of education requirement.
• Two (2) years business operations/law/contract experience, ideally in healthcare, pharmaceutical industry or academic environment.
• Thorough knowledge of pre- and post-award industry clinical trial administration, experience negotiating industry clinical trial contracts, and identifying and resolving pre- and post-award obstacles.

Responsibilities

• Review, redline, and negotiate industry clinical trial contracts.
• Advise faculty, department staff, management, and co-workers in process-related topics; communicate effectively regarding contract and budget negotiation status and pending items.
• Consult and triage complex terms with University's legal counsel; advocate the University's interests in negotiations with external entities.
• Work with budget administrators to ensure the best and correct budget option(s) are in place prior to execution.
• Conduct or carry out work procedures and activities in accordance with industry, local, state, federal, and university regulations; handle sensitive information with confidentiality.
• Track contracts and budgets. Remain current on changes to drafts and filing conventions, enter data into University systems, and update negotiation status changes within database systems to maintain data integrity and workflow.
• Execute contracts and submit final drafts of the industry clinical trial contract for approvals and signatures.
• Work with University accountants to ensure proper fiscal account set-up.
• Work as liaison between departments, sponsors, and team members including scheduling and managing teleconferences with sponsors in a professional manner.
• Track metrics and email inboxes to facilitate timely turnaround times.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Budget management

Communication

Legal liaison

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Contract management systems

Job description

Current UC employees must apply internally via SuccessFactors

Next Lives at the University of Cincinnati

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati ranks among the nation's best urban public research universities. Home to more than 53,600 students, 12,000 faculty and staff, and over 360,000 living alumni, UC, a Carnegie 1 institution, combines research prowess with a physical setting The New York Times has called "the most ambitious campus design program in the country." UC's momentum has never been stronger as the anchor of the Cincinnati Innovation District, the oldest cooperative education (co-op) program in the country with students earning $94 million annually through paid experiences, an academic health system, and as a member of the Big 12 Conference. The university contributes $10.6 billion in economic impact to the city and $22.7 billion to the state of Ohio. At UC, next is all of us. Learn more at uc.edu.

UC is a mission-driven organization where we are committed to student success and positively transforming the community through scholarship and service. We thrive on innovation, making an impact, and fostering an environment where staff and faculty are key contributors to UC's success.

Job Overview

As one of the oldest medical schools in the country, the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (COM) has a reputation for training best-in-class health care professionals and developing cutting-edge procedures and research that improves the health and clinical care of patients. In partnership with the UC and UC Health academic healthcare system and Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, College of Medicine's faculty are transforming the world of medicine every day.

The Office of Clinical Research (OCR), a centralized department that works with the UC and UC Health research community, is seeking to fill a full-time Clinical Trial Contract Administrator position in the College of Medicine. This position would work with several teams within the OCR, collaborating with budgets, contracts and other processes to facilitate the start of clinical research studies. The selected candidate will work on clinical trial agreements, and ensure smooth processes related to negotiations, start-up timelines, and study team communication.

This position includes the flexibility for partial remote work. Part-time in-office presence at the Clifton location is expected.

Essential Functions

• Review, redline, and negotiate industry clinical trial contracts. Interact with sponsors' legal, budget and contracting staff. Prepare working and final draft(s) of documents.
• Advise faculty, department staff,management, and co-workers in process-related topics; communicate effectively regarding contract and budget negotiation status and pending items; advise sponsors, external constituents, and other staff to ensure proper administrative stewardship throughout the life of a contract.
• Consult and triage complex terms with University's legal counsel; advocate the University's interests in negotiations with external entities.
• Work with budget administrators to ensure the best and correct budget option(s) are in place prior to execution.
• Conduct or carry out work procedures and activities in accordance with industry, local, state, federal, and university regulations; handle sensitive information with confidentiality.
• Track contracts and budgets. Remain current on changes to drafts and filing conventions, enter data into University systems, and update negotiation status changes within database systems to maintain data integrity and workflow.
• Execute contracts and submit final drafts of the industry clinical trial contract for approvals and signatures.
• Work with University accountants to ensure proper fiscal account set-up.
• Work as liaison between departments, sponsors, and team members including scheduling and managing teleconferences with sponsors in a professional manner.
• Track metrics and email inboxes to facilitate timely turnaround times.

Required Education

• Bachelor's Degree in English, Legal Assisting, Pre-Law, Business Administration, or related field.
• Six (6) years of relevant work experience and/or other specialized training can be used in lieu of education requirement.

Required Experience

• Two (2) years business operations/law/contract experience, ideally in healthcare, pharmaceutical industry or academic environment.
• Thorough knowledge of pre- and post-award industry clinical trial administration, experience negotiating industry clinical trial contracts, and identifying and resolving pre- and post-award obstacles.

Additional Qualifications Considered

• Effective verbal, written, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Strong analytical skills, attention to detail, problem solving, docket management, and organizational skills.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office.
• Ability to interact effectively with pharmaceutical companies and clinical research organizations, and to work collaboratively with university departments and UC's legal counsel. Demonstrate diplomacy, tact and professional demeanor.
• Familiarity with the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), clinical trial process, intellectual property, and/or technology compliance.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment

• Office environment/no specific unusual physical or environmental demands.

Compensation and Benefits

UC offers an exceptional benefits package designed to support your well-being, financial security, and work-life balance. (UC Benefits) Eligibility may vary by position and FTE status. Highlights include:

Salary/Hourly Pay Rate Information:

Comprehensive Tuition Remission

UC provides tuition remission for you and your eligible dependents, covering tuition costs for nearly all undergraduate and graduate programs offered by the university.

Robust Retirement Plans

As a UC employee, you won't contribute to Social Security (except Medicare). Instead, you'll choose between state pension plans (OPERS, STRS) or an Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP), with UC contributing 14-18% of your salary based on position.

Real Work-Life Balance

UC prioritizes work-life balance with a generous time-off policy, including:

Vacation and sick time

11 paid holidays and additional end-of-year paid time off (Winter Season Days)

6 weeks of paid parental leave for new parents

Additional Benefits Include:

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription)
• Flexible spending accounts & wellness programs
• Professional development & mentorship opportunities

To learn more about why UC is a great place to work, please visit our Careers Page.

UC is an E-Verify employer. If hired into this position, you will be required to provide satisfactory proof of employment eligibility by providing acceptable, original forms of identification for employment verification via the Federal I-9 employment verification process.

Equal Opportunity Employer. Building a workplace where all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment, including Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans.

REQ: 103941