children’s Oncology Group
Senior Director of Contracts Management Position
Position Summary:
The Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a National Cancer Institute supported clinical trials group, is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. The COG unites more than 12,000 experts in childhood cancer at more than 220 leading children’s hospitals, universities, and cancer centers across North America, Australia, and New Zealand in the fight against childhood cancer. Our goal is to cure all children and adolescents with cancer, reduce the short- and long-term complications of cancer treatments, and determine the causes and find ways to prevent childhood cancer.
COG is seeking a proactive, thoughtful, and strategic hands-on contracts management leader for this inaugural position of Senior Director of Contracts Management. This role requires a highly motivated individual to make a positive impact in a continually evolving, fast-paced environment. The Senior Director will have the unique opportunity to establish a new contracts management department, incorporating existing resources, new staff and systems, shaping its strategy, processes, and culture. The Senior Director will work cross-functionally to develop, monitor, and maximize key performance metrics and implement new initiatives as needed. This role reports directly to the Executive Director of Administration and Finance, providing strategic leadership and vision for its contracts management functions.
The Senior Director of Contracts Management is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of the organization’s contracts management function. This includes leading a team of contracts management professionals, collaborating with the organization’s General Counsel, driving contract negotiations with pharmaceutical and other industry partners, creating and maintaining agreement templates for federal and non-federal contracts, and executing general business contracts with vendors and third parties. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with federally funded and industry-funded contracts, ensuring compliance and alignment with organizational goals.
The successful candidate will thrive in a deadline-driven setting, work independently, and effectively communicate across multiple departments. They will demonstrate impeccable attention to detail, bringing a high degree of accuracy and professionalism to their work. We are looking for a professional with a strategic mindset, exceptional team development and management capabilities, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to provide clear direction.
The Senior Director will also be responsible for fostering an ethical culture of accountability, ensuring a strong commitment to performance in accordance with all applicable laws, statutes, and best practices. They will promote transparency and integrity within the organization’s contracts management function, contributing to the organization’s overall mission and long-term success.
This is an ideal position for an experienced mission-driven contracts management leader who is passionate about the mission and eager to contribute to lasting change. The Children’s Oncology Group is a 100% remote employer, though some travel may be required. Employee must reside within the United States.
Full salary range for this position: $144,278 to $225,289 per year. The typical hiring range for this position is from $144,278 (minimum) to $184,784 (midpoint), based on 100% FTE. The starting salary is determined based on the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.
The benefits package will include, but is not limited to, health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off and paid holidays.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Leadership and Team Management:
a. Provide strategic leadership and direction to the contracts management team.
b. Establish and lead a small contracts management team, providing direct oversight of day-to-day functions and strategic direction.
c. Recruit, mentor, and develop results-oriented contracts management staff.
d. Foster a collaborative and high-performance team culture.
e. Develop tools and systems to provide critical operational information and make actionable strategy and operations recommendations.
2. Contracts Management:
a. Develop and maintain templates for all types of contracts and agreements.
b. Leverage deep knowledge of federal funding templates.
c. Identifying and ensuring flow down terms from master/prime agreements to workorders and subawards.
d. Ensuring terms and conditions across agreements, including agreements using different funding sources, do not conflict, mitigate risk and address liabilities.
e. Oversee the drafting, review, negotiation, and execution of all contracts and agreements, including amendments and dispute resolutions.
f. Oversee and/or perform negotiations in high-stakes industry contract discussions, ensuring mutually beneficial agreements.
g. Ensure timely and accurate processing of contracts to meet organizational objectives.
h. Establish and maintain effective systems and processes for contract lifecycle management.
i. Stay abreast of changes in federal and industry regulations affecting contracts.
3. Compliance and Risk Management:
a. Ensure all contracts comply with federal regulations, organizational policies, and applicable laws.
b. Identify and mitigate potential risks in contract terms and conditions.
c. Collaborate with the General Counsel to address legal and compliance issues.
4. Collaboration and Coordination:
a. Serve as the primary liaison between the contracts management team and the General Counsel’s office.
b. Partner with internal stakeholders, including finance, legal, and program teams, to align contracts with organizational goals.
5. Reporting and Analysis:
a. Prepare and present reports on contract status, risks, and opportunities for senior leadership.
b. Analyze trends in contracting practices and recommend improvements to policies and procedures.
Other Responsibilities:
All other duties as assigned.
Required Skills & Qualifications
Preferred Qualifications
Why Join Us: This is a unique opportunity to be on the ground floor of a critical role within a mission-driven organization. The Senior Director will play a vital part in shaping the contracting function of the Children’s Oncology Group, contributing to lasting change and making a difference in the lives of children and families impacted by cancer.
If you are a strategic, ethical hands-on contracts management leader with a passion for nonprofit work and a commitment to excellence, we encourage you to apply.
FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) STATUS
This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.
EEO STATEMENT
The Children’s Oncology Group (COG) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
COG believes that diversity and inclusion among our employees is critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Employment at COG is based on merit, competence, and qualifications, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities for training and advancement for all employees. COG is also committed to making our application process accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodation upon request. For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, please feel free to access it here.
ADA STATEMENT
The Children’s Oncology Group is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Recruitment Team at least 72 hours in advance at [email protected].
This position falls under a contract with the Federal Government and is subject to the provisions in OMB Circular A-76 which prohibit contractors from performing inherently governmental functions. Specifically, employees placed in agency positions will not perform inherently governmental functions, nor supervise any personnel other than the contractor’s own staff, nor make final decisions or sign documents that commit the U.S. Government.
The Children’s Oncology Group (COG), a National Cancer Institute supported clinical trials group, is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. The COG unites more than 12,000 experts in childhood cancer at more than 220 leading children’s hospitals, universities, and cancer centers across North America, Australia, and New Zealand in the fight against childhood cancer. Our goal is to cure all children and adolescents with cancer, reduce the short- and long-term complications of cancer treatments, and determine the causes and find ways to prevent childhood cancer.
COG is seeking a proactive, thoughtful, and strategic hands-on contracts management leader for this inaugural position of Senior Director of Contracts Management. This role requires a highly motivated individual to make a positive impact in a continually evolving, fast-paced environment. The Senior Director will have the unique opportunity to establish a new contracts management department, incorporating existing resources, new staff and systems, shaping its strategy, processes, and culture. The Senior Director will work cross-functionally to develop, monitor, and maximize key performance metrics and implement new initiatives as needed. This role reports directly to the Executive Director of Administration and Finance, providing strategic leadership and vision for its contracts management functions.
The Senior Director of Contracts Management is a key leadership role responsible for overseeing and managing all aspects of the organization’s contracts management function. This includes leading a team of contracts management professionals, collaborating with the organization’s General Counsel, driving contract negotiations with pharmaceutical and other industry partners, creating and maintaining agreement templates for federal and non-federal contracts, and executing general business contracts with vendors and third parties. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with federally funded and industry-funded contracts, ensuring compliance and alignment with organizational goals.
The successful candidate will thrive in a deadline-driven setting, work independently, and effectively communicate across multiple departments. They will demonstrate impeccable attention to detail, bringing a high degree of accuracy and professionalism to their work. We are looking for a professional with a strategic mindset, exceptional team development and management capabilities, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to provide clear direction.
The Senior Director will also be responsible for fostering an ethical culture of accountability, ensuring a strong commitment to performance in accordance with all applicable laws, statutes, and best practices. They will promote transparency and integrity within the organization’s contracts management function, contributing to the organization’s overall mission and long-term success.
This is an ideal position for an experienced mission-driven contracts management leader who is passionate about the mission and eager to contribute to lasting change. The Children’s Oncology Group is a 100% remote employer, though some travel may be required. Employee must reside within the United States.
Full salary range for this position: $144,278 to $225,289 per year. The typical hiring range for this position is from $144,278 (minimum) to $184,784 (midpoint), based on 100% FTE. The starting salary is determined based on the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.
The benefits package will include, but is not limited to, health insurance, retirement plan, paid time off and paid holidays.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Leadership and Team Management:
a. Provide strategic leadership and direction to the contracts management team.
b. Establish and lead a small contracts management team, providing direct oversight of day-to-day functions and strategic direction.
c. Recruit, mentor, and develop results-oriented contracts management staff.
d. Foster a collaborative and high-performance team culture.
e. Develop tools and systems to provide critical operational information and make actionable strategy and operations recommendations.
2. Contracts Management:
a. Develop and maintain templates for all types of contracts and agreements.
b. Leverage deep knowledge of federal funding templates.
c. Identifying and ensuring flow down terms from master/prime agreements to workorders and subawards.
d. Ensuring terms and conditions across agreements, including agreements using different funding sources, do not conflict, mitigate risk and address liabilities.
e. Oversee the drafting, review, negotiation, and execution of all contracts and agreements, including amendments and dispute resolutions.
f. Oversee and/or perform negotiations in high-stakes industry contract discussions, ensuring mutually beneficial agreements.
g. Ensure timely and accurate processing of contracts to meet organizational objectives.
h. Establish and maintain effective systems and processes for contract lifecycle management.
i. Stay abreast of changes in federal and industry regulations affecting contracts.
3. Compliance and Risk Management:
a. Ensure all contracts comply with federal regulations, organizational policies, and applicable laws.
b. Identify and mitigate potential risks in contract terms and conditions.
c. Collaborate with the General Counsel to address legal and compliance issues.
4. Collaboration and Coordination:
a. Serve as the primary liaison between the contracts management team and the General Counsel’s office.
b. Partner with internal stakeholders, including finance, legal, and program teams, to align contracts with organizational goals.
5. Reporting and Analysis:
a. Prepare and present reports on contract status, risks, and opportunities for senior leadership.
b. Analyze trends in contracting practices and recommend improvements to policies and procedures.
Other Responsibilities:
All other duties as assigned.
Required Skills & Qualifications
- Advanced degree in relevant discipline (JD, Master in Business Law, etc.)
- At least 10 years of proven experience in contracts management, including at least 5 years in a leadership role.
- Experience establishing a small contracts management department by identifying, coaching and mentoring high-performing team members
- Demonstrated experience with federal funding agreements, industry-funded contracts, including clinical research agreements with pharmaceutical partners.
- Strong negotiation, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
- Exceptional knowledge of contract law, compliance requirements, and risk management practices.
- Experience in implementing a contract management lifecycle system.
- Ability to be self-directed, as well as a drive towards collaboration, innovation, and pursuit of creative solutions that advance the mission and impact of the organization.
- Comfortable leading change in a fast-paced environment.
- Desire to engage with key stakeholders to better understand the organization’s operations, pursue new opportunities as well as solutions to meet organizational needs.
- Possess a strategic mindset and the ability to think critically about business challenges with an eye towards problem solving and decision making.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to exercise a high degree of judgment and diplomacy as well as maintaining the highest integrity and ethics.
Preferred Qualifications
- Significant experience with DocuSign contracts management lifecycle system
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite
Why Join Us: This is a unique opportunity to be on the ground floor of a critical role within a mission-driven organization. The Senior Director will play a vital part in shaping the contracting function of the Children’s Oncology Group, contributing to lasting change and making a difference in the lives of children and families impacted by cancer.
If you are a strategic, ethical hands-on contracts management leader with a passion for nonprofit work and a commitment to excellence, we encourage you to apply.
FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT (FLSA) STATUS
This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.
EEO STATEMENT
The Children’s Oncology Group (COG) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information, military and veteran status, and any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
COG believes that diversity and inclusion among our employees is critical to our success, and we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Employment at COG is based on merit, competence, and qualifications, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities for training and advancement for all employees. COG is also committed to making our application process accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodation upon request. For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, please feel free to access it here.
ADA STATEMENT
The Children’s Oncology Group is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodation in its services, programs, activities and employment for individuals with disabilities. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Recruitment Team at least 72 hours in advance at [email protected].
This position falls under a contract with the Federal Government and is subject to the provisions in OMB Circular A-76 which prohibit contractors from performing inherently governmental functions. Specifically, employees placed in agency positions will not perform inherently governmental functions, nor supervise any personnel other than the contractor’s own staff, nor make final decisions or sign documents that commit the U.S. Government.