Senior Legal Contract Manager (US)

Worldwide; Durham (NC); Remote; USD 79,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

Worldwide Clinical Trials is seeking a Senior Legal Contract Manager to oversee complex sponsor contracts in a fully remote US role. You will negotiate MSAs, CDAs, and amendments, and manage the contract lifecycle from intake to execution.

This position requires strong risk assessment, contract playbook familiarity, and the ability to collaborate with Legal, Finance, and Operations to drive timely execution. 5+ years in CRO or life sciences contracts preferred.

Qualifications

• 5+ years reviewing, negotiating, and managing commercial contracts.
• At least 3 years supporting sponsor-facing contracts in CRO/pharma/life sciences.
• Independent management of MSAs, sponsor templates, CDAs, amendments, notices.
• Knowledge of contract playbooks, standard clauses, and escalation processes.
• Ability to collaborate with sponsors and cross-functional stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Review, negotiate, and manage MSAs, sponsor-facing templates, amendments, and related agreements.
• Draft, revise, and negotiate CDAs, contract notices, and ad hoc contracts.
• Identify risks and propose practical solutions; escalate when needed.
• Coordinate with stakeholders to ensure scope, budgets, timelines, and terms are reflected.
• Lead sponsor negotiations and drive issue resolution.
• Manage the full lifecycle: intake, negotiation, approvals, execution, records.
• Evaluate business impact of terms and support decision-making.
• Maintain documentation across contract management, finance, and CRM systems.
• Suggest enhancements to templates, playbooks, and workflows.

Skills

Contract negotiation

MSA management

CDAs

Cross-functional collaboration

Risk assessment

Document management

Salesforce

Redlining in Word

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

JD preferred

Tools

Salesforce

MS Word (Redlining)

Excel tracking tools

Job description

## Senior Legal Contract Manager (US)Apply: Remote: Durham, North Carolina: Full time: Posted Today: JR103218Who we areWe’re a global, midsize CRO that pushes boundaries, innovates and invents because the path to a cure for the world’s most persistent diseases is not paved by those who play it safe. It is built by those who take pioneering, creative approaches and implement them with quality and excellence.We are Worldwide Clinical Trials, and we are a global team of over 3,500+ experts, bright thinkers, dreamers and doers and, together, we are changing the way the world experiences CROs – in the best possible way.Our mission is to work with passion and purpose every day to improve lives and we are looking for others who value this same pursuit.Why WorldwideWe believe everyone plays an important role in making a world of difference for patients and their caregivers. From our hands-on, accessible leaders, to our cohesive and supportive teams, we are committed to enabling professionals from all backgrounds and experiences to succeed. We prioritize cultivating a diverse and inclusive environment that continues to promote collaboration and creativity. We are proud to be a workplace where people thrive by being themselves and are inspired to do their best work every day. Join us!**Make an Impact as a Senior Legal Contract Manager at Worldwide**As a Senior Legal Contract Manager, you will play a critical role in supporting sponsor relationships through the review, negotiation, and management of complex commercial contracts. Your expertise will help balance business objectives with legal and operational considerations, ensuring agreements are structured to support successful partnerships and execution.In this highly collaborative role, you will work closely with Legal, Finance, Business Development, Operations, Therapeutic Leaders, and senior stakeholders while serving as a key point of contact during sponsor negotiations. Your ability to identify risk, propose practical solutions, and drive contracts from intake through execution will directly contribute to business success.You will have the opportunity to independently manage high-impact contract matters, influence contracting strategies, and help improve processes, templates, and standards that support efficient and effective contracting across the organization.**Where You'll Work**This is a remote role open to candidates based in United States. You will collaborate with global teams across multiple time zones.**What You'll Do*** Review, negotiate, and manage Master Services Agreements (MSAs), sponsor-provided contract templates, amendments, and other sponsor-facing agreements.* Draft, revise, and negotiate Confidential Disclosure Agreements (CDAs), contract notices, and ad hoc commercial contracts to support business objectives.* Identify legal, operational, financial, regulatory, and commercial risks while recommending practical solutions and escalating higher-risk matters when appropriate.* Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure contract language accurately reflects agreed scopes of work, budgets, timelines, payment terms, and sponsor requirements.* Lead and participate in sponsor negotiations and contract discussions, clearly communicating company positions and driving resolution of open issues.* Manage the full contract lifecycle, including intake, prioritization, negotiation, internal approvals, execution, and recordkeeping.* Evaluate the business impact of contract terms and support decision-making related to revenue, payment structures, deliverables, and operational commitments.* Maintain accurate contract documentation, status reporting, and records across contract management, finance, and CRM systems.* Recommend enhancements to templates, playbooks, workflows, and contracting standards to improve efficiency, consistency, and quality.**What You'll Bring*** Bachelor’s degree in Business, Legal Studies, Contracts Management, Healthcare Administration, Life Sciences, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience; JD preferred.* Minimum 5 years of experience reviewing, negotiating, and managing commercial contracts, including at least 3 years supporting sponsor-facing contracts within CRO, clinical research, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or life sciences environments.* Demonstrated experience independently managing MSAs, sponsor-provided templates, CDAs, amendments, contract notices, and other commercial agreements.* Strong understanding of legal and commercial contracting principles, including risk assessment, contract negotiation, and issue resolution.* Experience applying contract playbooks, guidance documents, standard clauses, and approved fallback positions with sound judgment and appropriate escalation.* Proven ability to collaborate with sponsors and cross-functional stakeholders to drive alignment, resolve issues, and move contracts to completion.* Proficiency with contract management systems, Salesforce, Microsoft Word redlining, Excel tracking tools, and document-management processes.* Proficiency in English. At Worldwide Clinical Trials, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace by providing transparent compensation. The salary range for this position is annually (For hourly paid positions, the stated salary range reflects hourly rates): United States of America - $78,500.00 - $156,500.00The salary range provided is intended to give candidates an understanding of potential earnings. Compensation will fall within the provided range, and it not a guarantee of exact salary. The final salary will be determined based on relevant experience, performance, education, and internal equity. In addition to base salary, we offer a competitive benefits package depending on location. We ensure pay equity and transparency and comply with all applicable labor laws. Salary information will be discussed during the interview process, and we encourage candidates to inquire about compensation at any stage.