Contract Specialist - OSP (2026-49959)

University of Massachusetts Medical School; Worcester, Northern (MA, KY); Hybrid; USD 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Medical

Dental

Vision coverage

401(a) retirement plan with optional

403(b) plan

Job summary

University of Massachusetts Medical School is seeking a Contract Specialist under the direction of the Director of Sponsored Programs. You will develop, modify, and monitor contract and subaward processing, review research-related documents, and liaison between departments and providers involved in negotiations and approvals.

The role requires drafting contracts, negotiating terms, ensuring compliance with university, state, federal, and sponsor guidelines, and maintaining thorough documentation

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3–5 years of progressive experience.
• Demonstrate high proficiency in Outlook, Excel, Word and other office software.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and writing skills to communicate with diverse stakeholders.
• Demonstrated time management and problem-solving skills with ability to organize and prioritize workload.

Responsibilities

• Solicit, prepare, review, negotiate, and amend a full array of agreements, including collaboration and sponsored research agreements and subcontracts.
• Draft outgoing contracts and modifications to Sponsors; negotiate terms and route for reviews and signature.
• Review agreements for compliance with University, State, Federal and sponsor guidelines; advise on exceptions and negotiate with partners.
• Develop and revise processes to increase efficiency of document processing and maintain records in the system of record.
• Perform risk assessment and monitor subrecipients; ensure budget appropriateness and compliance with terms.
• Serve as liaison between departments, legal, state agencies, and sponsors in contract development and approval.
• Collaborate with campus leadership and cross-functional teams to resolve issues and interpret terms.

Skills

Outlook

Excel

Word

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or related field

Tools

Office software (Outlook, Excel, Word)

Job description

Explore the Possibilitiesand Advance with Us.

You can view all open jobs by visiting our jobs page or use the following search form to find jobs that suit your specificcareer interests.

When you join the UMass Chan Medical School team, you join us in advancing together to improve the health and well-being of our diverse communities throughout Massachusetts and across the US and the world.Together, we lead in education, research, health care delivery, and public service. Your life’s work is more than a career. It’s an expression of your passion, intellect, skill, and drive.UMass Chan's commitment to excellence, innovation, competitive benefits, and work-life integration will allow you to build a professionally rewarding career as we work together to better or improve the health of people around the globe.

General Summary

Under the direction of the Director of Sponsored Programs, the Contract Specialist develops, modifies and monitors contract and subaward processing and submission procedures and activities, reviews research related documents including material transfer, data use, and confidentiality agreements,, and serves in a liaison capacity between departmental staff and provider and agencies involved in the negotiation and approval process.

Responsibilities

• Solicit, prepare, review, negotiate, and amend a full array of agreements, including collaboration agreements, sponsored research agreements, federal clinical trial agreements, subcontracts, state contracts, data use agreements, non-disclosure agreements, materials transfer agreements, confidentiality agreements, and other forms of agreement, where required.
• Draft all outgoing new contracts and modifications to Sponsors, negotiate terms and conditions, and route for internal reviews, approvals, and signature, as needed.
• Responsible for reviewing assigned agreements to ensure compliance with University, State, Federal and Corporate sponsors guidelines and/or relevant data security provisions, provide recommendations relating to any exceptions or items of concern or caution and contribute to their creative negotiation with the partners.
• Develop, review, recommend, and interpret processes and procedures supporting agreement review and preparation; revise existing procedures or develop new ones to increase efficiency of document processing.
• Maintain a full record of document creation, review, and negotiation in the system of record.
• Perform risk assessment and regular and/or ad hoc subrecipient monitoring.
• Review all state contracts prior to signature and submission to state agencies; verify budget is appropriate; assure compliance with state priorities and policies and investigate any special terms and conditions.
• Review all subcontract agreements prior to signature and submission to sponsoring entities, verify budget is appropriate; assure compliance with federal, state and campus policies and review of special terms and conditions
• Ensure research management system is kept current with information, status and documentation for all contracts for transparency and to ensure audit compliance.
• Serve as liaison between departmental staff, legal, state, and sponsoring agencies involved in contract development and approval process
• Work collaboratively with campus leadership, university legal office, department administrators, principal investigators, and other cross functional teams to answer questions, resolve issues, and interpret terms and conditions.
• Attend meetings with State Agency– financial and programmatic as required.
• Solve complex problems by actively seeking information and new ideas from a variety of sources including conducting research on legal issues or other topics as required.
• Assist with processing and monitoring incoming award agreements, requests for additional information, and other OSP communications.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelors Degree required in Business Administration, Accounting, Finance or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 3-5 years of progressive experience
• Demonstrate high proficiency in Outlook, Excel, Word and other office software.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal and writing skills needed to present and communicate effectively with a diverse population of stakeholders.
• Demonstrated time management and problem-solving skills with ability to organize and prioritize workload, identify problem areas and take action to meet deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• Previous experience in an academic, health care, or public sector setting.
• Experience with a broad range of award mechanisms, including grants, contracts, subcontracts, data use agreements, confidentiality/non-disclosure agreements and cooperative agreements.

Posting Disclaimer

This job posting outlines the primary responsibilities and qualifications for the role but is not intended to be an exhaustive list.Duties and expectations may evolve in response to the needs of the department and the broader institution.

In alignment with our commitment to pay transparency, the base salary range for this position is listed above (exclusive of benefits and retirement).At UMass Chan Medical School, final base salary offers are determined based on a combination of factors, including your skills, education, and relevant experience.We also consider internal equity to ensure fair and consistent compensation across our teams.

Please note that the range provided reflects the full base salary range for this position. Offers are typically made within the midrange to allow for future growth and development within the role.

Benefits

• paid time off
• medical
• dental
• vision coverage
• participation in a 401(a)-retirement plan, with the option to contribute to a voluntary 403(b) plan

UMass Chan welcomes all qualified applicants and complies with all state and federal anti-discrimination laws.