Senior Contract Specialist, Clinical Research

Based in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Probity Medical Research (PMR) is an administrative support company that partners with clinical research sites and pharmaceutical companies to provide essential administrative services for clinical research trials. As a rapidly growing company, we are committed to advancing clinical research through exceptional service. PMR is an equal-opportunity employer, offering competitive wages, healthcare benefits, and an inclusive work environment.

The Senior Contract Specialist plays a critical role in supporting the legal and operational integrity of clinical research activities by reviewing, negotiating, and executing clinical trial and syndication agreements. This role is responsible for identifying and mitigating contractual risks, ensuring alignment with regulatory and business requirements, and protecting the organization’s interests through effective contract strategy and negotiation.

Working closely with internal teams, sponsors, CROs, and legal stakeholders, the Contract Specialist serves as a key point of contact for contract-related inquiries and supports the full contract lifecycle, including amendments, terminations, and document management. Additionally, this role contributes to the development and maintenance of standardized contract templates and improves tracking processes to support growing study volumes.

With a strong focus on accuracy, organization, and problem-solving, the Senior Contract Specialist manages multiple studies simultaneously, adapts to changing priorities, and ensures timely delivery against strict deadlines while elevating the way work is done. This position requires a high level of discretion, critical thinking, and independent judgment, while also contributing collaboratively to continuous improvements in contract management operations.

While the position offers flexibility for remote work, applicants must be available and willing to work on-site when required. On-site attendance may be infrequent but is necessary for select meetings, training, or operational needs. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those selected for further consideration will be contacted.

Job Responsibilities 

Contract Management
• Lead the review, negotiation, and finalization of complex Clinical Trial Agreements and Master Agreements and other research related contracts from draft through execution.
• Independently manage high-value, high-risk, or strategically significant contract negotiations with sponsors, CROs and other external stakeholders.
• Analyze sponsor-proposed contract language and develop negotiation strategies that balance legal, operational, financial, and business considerations.
• Identify contractual, operational, legal, and financial risks, recommending appropriate revisions to protect the organization’s interests.
• Resolve complex contractual issues by collaborating with internal stakeholders and external partners to achieve mutually acceptable terms.
• Analyze sponsor-proposed contract language and develop negotiation strategies that balance regulatory, operational, financial, and business considerations.
• Escalate significant contractual risks or unresolved legal issues to the Contracts Lead with recommended solutions.

Template Development & Standardization
• Develop and update internal contract templates, language, clause libraries and negotiation guidance to ensure consistency, compliance, and efficiency in negotiations.
• Recommend updates to templates based on regulatory changes, sponsor trends, operational experience, and organizational risk tolerance. 
• Promote consistency across negotiated agreements through standardized contract language and best practices.

Stakeholder Collaboration & Advisory Support
• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal and external stakeholders, addressing inquiries related to Clinical Trial Agreements and Syndication Agreements.
• Draft, execute, and maintain Syndication Agreements and related amendments, terminations, and supporting documents.
• Support the Contracts Lead with workload planning, assignment coordination, and quality review activities where appropriate.

Process Improvement & Operational Efficiency
• Identify and implement improvements to the contract tracking process for both study and site agreements as contract volume increases.
• Manage assigned studies, maintaining accurate records to support operational efficiency and regulatory compliance.
• Analyze contract metrics and recurring negotiation challenges to recommend operational improvements. 
• Support quality assurance initiatives by identifying trends, recurring issues, and opportunities for standardization.

Adaptability & Additional Responsibilities
• Support departmental initiatives and special projects.
• Perform other duties as assigned to contribute to the overall success of contract management processes. 

Skills
• Advanced Contract Negotiation
• Contract Interpretation and Risk Assessment
• Business and legal acumen
• Advanced Critical Thinking Skills
• Stakeholder Relationship Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Attention to Detail
• Excellent Written and Verbal Communication Skills
• Advanced Organizational and Time Management Skills
• MS Office Proficiency
• Creative and Innovative Thinking
• Ability to work independently and be a team player
• Task Delegation
• Process Analysis
• Adaptability and Flexibility
• Collaboration and Teamwork
• Advanced Problem-Solving and Analytical Skills
• Strategic Decision Making
• High level of professionalism and discretion

Qualifications and Requirements
• A bachelor’s degree or college diploma in Law, Business Administration, Economics, or a related field
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in contract management, legal administration, and clinical research contracts.
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision while collaborating effectively across departments.
• Demonstrated experience independently managing complex contract negotiations from initiation through execution.
• Strong understanding of contract interpretation, contractual risk assessment, and negotiation strategy.
• Advanced Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite Knowledge (particularly Word and Excel)
• Experience with DocuSign and PDF editing software, and contract management systems.
• Handle and prepare all aspects of confidential and sensitive documents
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent studies while consistently meeting deadlines.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills. 
• Ability to exercise sound judgment while handling confidential and legally sensitive information.

Working Conditions
• High-volume office environment working consistently at a desk using a computer to work with multiple documentation to complete tasks.
• Manual dexterity required to use desktop computer and peripherals. 
• Performing extensive and repetitive data entry tasks.