Industry Research Agreements Administrator, Senior

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.

Function/Duties of Position

The Sr. Industry Research Agreements Administrator is responsible for independently managing, analyzing, drafting, negotiating and executing complex sponsored project agreements funded by industry partners. Sr. Industry Research Agreements Administrator identifies and mitigates legal and business risks in agreements, ensures compliance with institutional policies, laws and regulations. This position must provide creative solutions to balance compliance and the needs of the research project.

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.

Maintain Expertise

• Stay current with OHSU, RDA, CRSO, ORIO and OPAM policies and procedures.
• Actively participate in training opportunities made available to build skills and increase knowledge.
• Participate in and contribute to internally focused departmental quality initiatives, such as in-service training, procedural analysis and improvement, and team building.
• Maintain proficiency with University information systems including, but not limited to: InfoEd, Cognos, eCRIS, OGA, IRB, IACUC, IBC, and Conflict of Interest in Research.

General Responsibilities

• Find ways to accomplish tasks and resolve issues while maintaining compliance. Be comfortable with the “grey” areas and think outside the norm to find creative solutions.
• Teamwork - Understand and support the concept of teamwork and offer to assist other OPAM team members with sponsored projects administration issues and sharing of information.
• Process Improvement - Assist in the identification, evaluation and development of more efficient and cost-effective processes.
• 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.

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

Skills and Abilities

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

• 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 analytical skills with the ability to understand and synthesize complex guidelines and regulatory requirements.

• Excellent communication skills as demonstrated by the ability to interpret, convey, explain, and uphold regulatory requirements and contract language to administrative and investigator clients in the OHSU research community.

• Ability to organize and prioritize work with emphasis on tracking for rapid status-check.

• Ability to adapt to new or changed electronic systems, processes, and in the absence of processes.

• Ability to handle multiple priorities in a fast-paced, sometimes stressful environment often with competing deadlines.

• Demonstrated ability to accurately comprehend and interpret medical and scientific terminology, concepts, and methodology.

• Ability to negotiate with multiple parties and come to mutually satisfactory results.

• Thorough understanding of budgeting principles and procedures.

• Ability to exercise diplomacy and handle highly confidential matters discreetly.

Additional Details

Please include work experience on resume in months and years.

Fully remote position within the United States. If employee chooses to utilize campus flex space, it’s a typical office environment; regular work hours to be coordinated with manager. Possible travel to national meetings.

Work schedule falls within the normal daytime range of 7:30am – 5:00pm pacific time.

Benefits

• Healthcare for full-time employees covered 100% and 88% for dependents.
• $50K of term life insurance provided at no cost to the employee.
• Two separate above market pension plans to choose from.
• Vacation - up to 200 hours per year dependent on length of service.
• Sick Leave - up to 96 hours per year.
• 9 paid holidays per year.
• Substantial Tri-Met and C-Tran discounts.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Childcare service discounts.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Employee discounts to local and national businesses.

Why apply to OHSU?

We are Oregon's only public academic health center. In addition to caring for patients, we lead groundbreaking research. We also train the next generation of health care professionals. As Portland's largest employer, we give you opportunities to learn and advance in a system of hospitals and clinics across Oregon and Southwest Washington. All are welcome. OHSU welcomes people of all ages, ethnicities, genders, national origins, religions and sexual orientations. We are striving to build an anti-racist, multicultural institution and encourage people with diverse backgrounds to apply. To request reasonable accommodation, contact

Originally posted on Himalayas