Director Commercial Contracting (gn) (gn)

• Lead the negotiation and refinement of service agreements for both existing and new clients, including contract amendments. Oversee cross-functional negotiation teams in close coordination with Corporate Legal and, when needed, external law firms.
• Serve as the primary business-facing contact for clients during contract negotiations, actively handling commercial discussions and redlining in collaboration with Legal and IP teams.
• Align and manage internal stakeholders such as Legal, IP, Insurance, Finance, Tax, and Logistics, ensuring timely input from subject matter experts.
• Drive the finalization of feasibility studies, process development agreements, and clinical or commercial contracts.
• Supervise external legal partners in line with internal legal departments, track legal budgets, and review invoicing.
• Craft tailored negotiation strategies based on contract type, aligning legal, operational, and commercial aspects.
• Contribute to the creation and ongoing development of an internal ‘negotiation playbook’ outlining fallback positions across all key contract types.
• Proactively improve the end-to-end contracting process by refining templates, structures, and standard terms.
• Propose new contractual frameworks and alternative wording to ensure (i) alignment with industry norms, (ii) client acceptance, (iii) streamlined contracting processes, and (iv) measurable risk exposure.
• Deliver internal legal and contract-related training sessions within the business unit.
• Act as an internal contract advisor or expert as needed, including participation in escalation discussions, steering committees, or arbitration cases.

• University degree (minimum Bachelor’s, preferably Master’s) in Law, Business/Economics, or Natural Sciences.
• Minimum of 7 years of relevant experience in contract management or business development.
• Proven track record in negotiating complex service contracts within the life sciences industry, with exposure to both emerging firms and large pharmaceutical corporations.
• Deep understanding of contract manufacturing operations (ideally in the (bio-)pharmaceutical field), including solid knowledge of pharmaceutical development stages, CMC, quality assurance, and regulatory frameworks.
• Expertise in structuring legal and commercial terms of service and supply agreements, including risk assessment and mitigation techniques.
• Strong interest in legal topics and a practical approach to identifying and implementing contract solutions.
• Skilled in managing negotiations with diverse stakeholders, particularly in an international, matrixed environment.
• Fluent in English, both spoken and written, with excellent communication skills.
• Analytical thinker with a high degree of autonomy, initiative, and structured working style.
• Ideally experienced in drafting, standardizing, and improving contractual templates and clauses.
• Understanding of the full lifecycle of biopharmaceutical products and related production processes.

Vality One Recruitment GmbH