Senior Contracts Manager, Clinical Agreements at Kardigan

<div class="content-intro"><p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">About Us</span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{}">&nbsp;</span></p> <div data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world.<br><br></div> <div>It is Kardigan’s mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, <span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">M.D., Ph.D.,</span> and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan’s co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. <strong>Driven by patients and their families</strong>, we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in <strong>being authentic</strong>—leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an <strong>eagerness to learn</strong>, we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to <strong>winning as a team</strong> with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to <strong>enable the impossible</strong> because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div></div><div class="x_elementToProof"><strong>Position Title:</strong> Senior Contracts Manager</div> <div class="x_elementToProof"><strong>Department:</strong> Legal</div> <div class="x_elementToProof"><strong>Reports To:</strong> Vice President, Corporate Law and Head of Transactions</div> <div class="x_elementToProof"><strong>Location:&nbsp;</strong>Princeton, NJ – On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs)</div> <div class="x_elementToProof">&nbsp;</div> <div class="x_elementToProof">&nbsp;</div> <div class="x_elementToProof"><strong>Job Overview</strong></div> <div class="x_elementToProof">&nbsp;</div> <div class="x_elementToProof">Kardigan is seeking an experienced Senior Contracts Manager to lead the negotiation and management of&nbsp;<br>Clinical Trial Agreements and other clinical-related agreements in support of Kardigan’s clinical development&nbsp;<br>programs. This is a hands-on drafting and negotiation role — the primary focus is clinical contracting, with&nbsp;<br>additional responsibility for general contracting needs across the business as they arise. This role does not have&nbsp;<br>ownership of Kardigan’s contract lifecycle management (CLM) system implementation or administration, which&nbsp;<br>is led separately within the Legal team. Kardigan seeks an exceptional candidate with strong clinical contracts&nbsp;<br>experience who can collaborate cross-functionally, negotiate agreements independently, and communicate&nbsp;<br>clearly and effectively with stakeholders at all levels. Attention to detail is essential. You will join our fast-paced&nbsp;<br>legal team, reporting to our Vice President, Corporate Law and Head of Transactions, and will interface directly&nbsp;<br>with Clinical Operations, R&amp;D, and other business stakeholders across the company.</div> <div class="x_elementToProof">&nbsp;</div> <div class="x_elementToProof">&nbsp;</div> <div class="x_elementToProof"><strong>Essential Duties and Responsibilities</strong></div> <div class="x_elementToProof"> <p><strong>Clinical Contracting (Primary Responsibility)</strong></p> <ul> <li>Independently draft, review, and negotiate Clinical Trial Agreements (US and ROW), Local Sponsor Agreements, and CRO agreements.</li> <li>Draft and negotiate clinical-adjacent agreements including Data Sharing and Data Processing Agreements, Standard Contractual Clauses (GDPR), Informed Consent Forms, Early Access/Compassionate Use Program agreements, Pharmacy Agreements, Indemnification Agreements, and Letters of Authorization/POAs.</li> <li>Serve as the primary contracts point of contact for Clinical Operations, working closely with the team to troubleshoot obstacles that arise during clinical trial start-up, site activation, and ongoing conduct.</li> <li>Track key clinical contract obligations, milestones, renewals, and deadlines across active studies and sites.</li> <li>Build and maintain effective working relationships with clinical sites, CROs, CMOs, investigators, and other external clinical stakeholders.</li> <li>Stay current on clinical trial regulatory and industry requirements (e.g., GCP, ICH) as they affect contract terms.</li> </ul> <p><strong>General Contracting</strong></p> <ul> <li>Draft, review, and negotiate additional company contracts as needed, including vendor and supplier agreements, MSAs, SOWs/WOs, consulting agreements, and NDAs.</li> <li>Translate business needs into clear, legally sound contract language that balances risk mitigation with operational flexibility.</li> <li>Serve as a resource to internal stakeholders — including Legal, Procurement, R&amp;D, Finance, and IT — on contracting matters outside the clinical space.</li> <li>Use Kardigan’s CLM system (Agiloft) for contract intake, drafting, routing, and tracking; partner with the Legal team members responsible for CLM administration on process and workflow questions, without owning system implementation or administration.</li> </ul> <strong>Risk Management &amp; Compliance</strong></div> <div class="x_elementToProof"> <ul> <li>Identify, assess, and escalate legal and business risks in a timely manner.</li> <li>Ensure contractual terms comply with applicable laws, company policies, and industry regulations.</li> <li>Monitor contract-related activities for compliance with internal policies and applicable law.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Business Partnership</strong></p> <ul> <li>Serve as a trusted advisor and liaison to Clinical Operations and other functions on contract negotiation strategy, process, and status.</li> <li>Communicate contract status, priorities, and risks clearly to stakeholders at all levels.</li> <li>Partner with the broader Legal team on cross-functional initiatives and process improvements affecting clinical and general contracting.</li> </ul> <p><strong>General</strong></p> <ul> <li>Support special projects and other contract-related initiatives as needed.</li> <li>Perform other duties as requested</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Qualifications and Preferred Skills</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s degree preferred; paralegal certification a plus.</li> <li>At least 7–10 years of relevant contracts experience, with substantial, hands-on experience drafting and negotiating Clinical Trial Agreements and related clinical agreements within the pharmaceutical, biotech, or life sciences industry.</li> <li>Proven track record negotiating CRO and vendor agreements, data privacy agreements (GDPR/Standard Contractual Clauses), and reviewing Informed Consent Forms.</li> <li>Working knowledge of the clinical trial regulatory framework (e.g., GCP, ICH) as it relates to contracting.</li> <li>Comfortable also handling general commercial contracts (vendor, consulting, NDA, MSA/SOW) outside the clinical space.</li> <li>Experience with contract lifecycle management systems, e-signature platforms (e.g., DocuSign), and collaboration tools; prior experience with Agiloft a plus.</li> <li>Strong organizational and planning skills, with the ability to triage, prioritize, and manage multiple concurrent negotiations in a fast-paced environment.</li> <li>Excellent issue-spotting, problem-solving, and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate with individuals at all levels inside and outside the organization.</li> <li>Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite.</li> <li>Commitment to integrity, ethical conduct, and handling confidential information with discretion.</li> <li>Meticulous attention to detail; able to work independently with good judgment and a strong team-oriented mindset.</li> </ul> </div><div class="content-pay-transparency"><div class="pay-input"><div class="description"><p>Exact Compensation may vary based on skills, experience and location.</p></div><div class="title">Pay range</div><div class="pay-range"><span>$153,000</span><span class="divider">&mdash;</span><span>$199,000 USD</span></div></div></div>