Compensation Overview

About the role

Sana Biotechnology is growing, and we are hiring new team members who believe in the potential of engineered cells as medicines, who are passionate about delivering the possible to patients, and who lead with the desire to work on novel ideas.  In this role, you will support the company’s contracting activities.  The primary focus of this role is to provide legal contracting support with the guidance of Contracts Counsel for Sana’s research, manufacturing, and clinical activities as well as general business, operational and organization-wide contracting support.  Additional responsibilities include interfacing with members of Finance, Purchasing, IT, and the People Team to develop and improve contract processes/templates, managing contract-related information and data with a view to contract lifecycle management (CLM), and assisting with maintenance and improvement of CLM software. 

What you’ll do

• Reviewing, drafting and negotiating a wide range of contracts with external parties to support the company’s research & development and general business operations, including confidentiality agreements, vendor and service agreements, statements of work, personnel-related contracts, consulting and advisory board agreements, license agreements, software and data-related agreements, amendments and change orders;
• Working with contract requesters with guidance from Contracts Counsel to review and improve legal and business terms of contracts;
• Managing, updating, and maintaining contract templates and contract ‘playbook’ language;
• Preparing contract training materials and training stakeholders in their use;
• Act as a point of contact for internal stakeholders such as clinical development, business development, finance, research, CMC and external contract specialists on contract matters;
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date contract records and documentation in accordance with Sana processes in the CLM system (Agiloft), and escalate issues to Contracts Counsel;
• Manage contract lifecycle, including processing contracts through execution, running CLM reporting, tracking expiration dates, and proactively consulting internal business partners about contract renewals;
• Working with stakeholders in the IT and Legal groups to implement, improve, maintain, and train end-users on, the CLM system;
• Continuously assess and provide recommendations to optimize the contract management processes to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and overall effectiveness
• Providing sound guidance and education to employees with support from Contracts Counsel on contract matters, including contractual obligations, the contract process, and Sana’s contractual standards;
• Consult with subject matter experts (e.g. IP, Regulatory, Quality, Compliance, IT) on contract terms; and
• Managing special projects as needed, including compliance initiatives, implementation of contract process changes, and development of contracting standards.

What we’re looking for

• Bachelor’s degree required;
• JD or 7+ years of professional experience as a paralegal/contracts manager;
• 4+ years of experience reviewing, drafting and negotiating the legal provisions of contracts in the biotechnology or pharmaceutical industry, including confidentiality agreements, vendor and service agreements, statements of work, personnel-related contracts, consulting and advisory board agreements, license agreements, software and data-related agreements, amendments and change orders;
• Familiarity with CLM software (Agiloft);
• Ability to understand and analyze legal contractual terms, accurately identify and assess the risks in a business arrangement, make decisions with respect to contract content that are in alignment with Sana’s risk tolerance and contracting standards, and offer a practical, business-minded approach to contract negotiation;
• Personable collaborator who can work successfully and build relationships with internal stakeholders and external parties to achieve business goals while managing risk;
• Ability to work independently and negotiate contracts with or without a playbook;
• Flexible and adaptable to shifting deadlines and priorities; able to effectively prioritize and manage a large volume of contract assignments;
• Analytical thinker with enough creativity to synthesize new solutions to old problems;
• Strong organizational and administrative skills;
• Commitment to integrity and ethical conduct and ability to handle confidential and proprietary information with discretion;
• Must have attention to detail and excellent drafting skills; and
• Effective and professional verbal and written communication skills.
  
  

What will separate you from the crowd

• Experience as a Contracts Manager in a clinical and commercial phase biotechnology or pharmaceutical company;
• Experience using and managing CLM software as a legal end-user;
• Experience implementing GDPR and other data privacy law compliance processes;
• Experience negotiating contracts related to clinical and scientific advisory boards; and
• Basic familiarity and experience drafting and negotiating contracts with health care providers (HCPs) and health care organizations (HCOs).
• Experience as a corporate and securities paralegal

What you should know 

• Less than 5% travel anticipated
• The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between $130,000 and $165,000/year; however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience