Industry Research Agreements Administrator, Sr

Department Overview

The Office of Proposal & Award Management (OPAM), a unit within Research Development & Administration (RDA), supports OHSU's missions of healing, teaching and discovery by partnering with the research community to electively navigate the pre-award and post-award administration on of sponsored projects. We support the OHSU research community with grant and contract proposal submission, contract negotiation, interpretation on and implementation on of sponsor terms and conditions and fiscal management of all sponsored projects. https://www.ohsu.edu/proposal-and-award-management

Function/Duties of Position

Contract Management                       

• Independently manage, analyze, draft, negotiate and execute complex sponsored project agreements funded by industry partners including, but not limited to, clinical trial agreements, collaboration agreements, investigator-initiated agreements, sponsored research agreements, master agreements, and business associate agreements.
• Negotiate contract terms, incorporate appropriate terms, and as necessary, draft terms, working with various contracting parties to ensure that the requirements of the University and the industry sponsor are met while mitigating risk, maintaining the integrity of the research plan and protecting the intellectual property rights of the principal investigator and the University.
• Consult and collaborate with CRSO, Collaborations and Entrepreneurship, OHSU Legal, Risk Management, ORIO, the funder, the sponsor and its affiliates, the principal investigator and his/her department where appropriate.
• Ensure that contract payment schedules, budgets, reporting requirements, termination schedules, and deliverable schedules are complete, compatible with OHSU policy, practicable, and in the best interest of the principal investigator and OHSU.
• Use extensive knowledge of applicable OHSU policy, public laws, regulations, and guidelines to translate program requirements into contract terms.
• Verify necessary internal prior approvals, compliance requirements and documentation of subcontract institutions.

Customer Service

• Provide superior customer service to internal and external contacts.
• Clearly and reliably communicate with sponsors on behalf of OHSU (sponsors both internal and external to OHSU).
• Provide subject matter expertise to entire Institution (including departments, hospital, foundation, and other contracting groups).
• Develop and maintain working partnership with IRB, CRSO, and other internal offices as needed.
• Actively participate as a team member by assisting others and freely sharing information.

Training

• Provide leadership and training on internal processes and procedures to departmental staff and stakeholders, including training of Contract Administrators and Contract Coordinators.
• Draft or modify policies, guidance, strategies, and practices to ensure researchers comply with contractual obligations under the contracts, including compliance with applicable state and federal regulation in conjunction with OHSU policies.
• Develop contractual language, standard terms and clauses, templates and master agreements for training and use by the Industry Agreement team.
• Participate in and contribute to externally focused departmental initiatives, such as contracts formal and informal training for department staff or faculty, brown-bag training sessions, and Research Administration Information Network (RAIN) meetings.
• Serve as a resource for department staff, including study teams.

Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree and five years of experience in federal and/or industry contract negotiation. OR
• Equivalent combination of education and experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Operate with a high degree of independence and autonomy, with the ability to identify and escalate issues appropriately.

• Identify, recommend and help implement process improvements, engaging in special projects as necessary.

• Ability to train and mentor others on understanding and negotiating contract language.

• Possess or attain within 6 months of hire OHSU signature authority for the specified contract type within portfolio.

• Ability to use independent professional judgment, take initiative, have a strong work ethic and express a positive attitude. 

• Ability to establish and maintain effective and collaborative working relationships and maintain a high degree of professionalism in dealing with OHSU faculty, staff and external funding agencies.

• Demonstrated excellent analytica