Description:
Become part of an inclusive organization with over 40,000 teammates, whose mission is to improve the health and well-being of the unique communities we serve.Summary:
UNC Clinical Research Partners (UNC CRP) is a newly established joint venture between UNC Health and the University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill designed to accelerate and grow industry-sponsored clinical research at UNC Chapel Hill and UNC Health. The Contracts Counsel will report to CRP's Chief Counsel and will be responsible for the negotiation and execution of all legal agreements between CRP and industry sponsors of clinical research at UNC and UNC Health. The position will be responsible for establishing a unified, consistent, and cost-effective approach to contracting for industry-sponsored clinical research; for monitoring, evaluating, and assessing the effectiveness of CRP's contracting processes and procedures; and for serving as the main point of contact for sponsors and third-party vendors with respect to CRP contracting. The Contracts Counsel will play a crucial role in CRP's mission to optimize and expand the administrative services necessary for clinical trials and enable expansion of partnerships with industry, foundation, federal, and other partners.
The Contracts Counsel will also advise and support the UNC School of Medicine (SOM) and its Office of Professional Service Contracts and Affiliations (OPSCA) with respect to the review, negotiation, and development of professional non-clinical agreements, including affiliation agreements, professional services agreements, educational grant agreements, teaching agreements, expert witness agreements, and other similar agreements. The position will also advise and support SOM and UNC Health leadership on other business and transactional legal issues intersecting and involving both institutions.
Responsibilities:
- CRP Contract Review and Negotiation: Responsible for leading and overseeing the drafting, negotiation, and execution of clinical trial agreements and other related legal agreements between CRP and industry sponsors.
- Triage, manage, and resolve issues arising in the contract negotiation process in close partnership with CRP, UNC, and UNC Health leadership. Lead the development and refinement of CRP's contract negotiation playbook, master agreement templates, and other related legal forms. Serve as the primary point of contact for industry sponsors regarding CRP clinical research agreements and for third-party vendors providing contract negotiation and revision services to CRP.
- CRP Policy and Process Development: Develop and implement policies, processes, procedures, and workflows to achieve efficient, smooth, and consistent negotiation, execution, and administration of clinical trial agreements. Continuously evaluate, assess, and refine contracting processes to improve start-up times for industry-sponsored trials. Collaborate with UNC and UNC Health contracting teams to ensure unified and consistent approaches to industry-sponsored clinical trial contracting.
- SOM/OPSCA Counsel and Support: Serve as resource and primary contact for first-line legal advice to OPSCA.
- Triage, manage, and resolve issues arising in the negotiation process for contracts routed through OPSCA.
- In partnership and close collaboration with the SOM Senior Advisor for Medical Affairs and the OPSCA Director, develop, refine, and maintain efficient and effective OPSCA processes, procedures, and workflows.
- UNC Health Counsel and Support: Supports partnership and serves as liaison between legal offices of UNC Health, CRP, and University. Supports UNC Health on all legal, risk, regulatory, compliance, and policy work directed to UNC School of Medicine academic/research units, functions, operations and leadership as well as work related to SOM clinical patient care programs. Provide legal advice and counsel to UNC Health, as requested and directed by the Chief Legal Officer and reporting to CRP's Chief Counsel.
- Leading People: Leads people toward meeting the organization's vision, mission, and goals. Provides an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts. Encourages workforce engagement by building a commitment to excellence and by promoting the organization's vision internally and externally. Delegates responsibility clarifies expectations and holds others accountable for achieving results related to their area of responsibility. Leads in a deliberate and predictable way and operates with transparency. Treats sensitive or confidential information appropriately. Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and by providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner.
- Leading Change: Acts as a catalyst for organizational change. Influences others to translate vision into action. Brings about strategic change, both within and outside the organization, to meet organizational goals. Establishes an organizational vision and implements it in a continuously changing environment. Is open to change and new information and rapidly adapts to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles. Deals effectively with pressure and remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers quickly from setbacks. Formulates objectives and priorities and implements plans consistent with the long-term interests of the organization. Capitalizes on opportunities and manages risks. Takes a long-term view and builds a shared vision with others.
- Results Driven: Exceeds organizational goals and customer expectations. Makes decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks. Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost-effective results. Delivers high-quality services and is committed to continuous improvement. Fosters a culture of safe and compassionate patient care. Makes well-informed, timely decisions, even when data are limited, or solutions produce unfavorable results. Positions the organization for success by identifying new opportunities and builds the organization by developing and improving services. Uses cost-benefit thinking to set priorities, monitors expenditures in support of programs and policies, and identifies cost-effective approaches.
Other Information:
Other Information:
Education Requirements:
Licensure/Certification Requirements:
Professional Experience Requirements:
Knowledge/Skills/and Abilities Requirements:
Job Details:
Legal Employer: STATE
Entity: Shared Services
Organization Unit: Clinical Research
Work Type: Full Time
Standard Hours Per Week: 40.00
Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity
Work Assignment Type: Hybrid
Work Schedule: Day Job
Location of Job: US:NC:Chapel Hill
Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: Yes
This position is employed by NC Health (Rex Healthcare, Inc., d/b/a NC Health), a private, fully-owned subsidiary of UNC Health Care System, in a department that provides shared services to operations across UNC Health Care; except that, if you are currently a UNCHCS State employee already working in a designated shared services department, you may remain a UNCHCS State employee if selected for this job.
Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran or political affiliation.
UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities. All interested applicants are invited to apply for career opportunities. Please email applicant.accommodations@unchealth.unc.edu if you need a reasonable accommodation to search and/or to apply for a career opportunity.
- Bachelor's and Juris Doctor degree required.
- Membership in the North Carolina State Bar.
- Requires at least three (3) years of transactional legal experience, including experience negotiating contracts in a higher education or clinical trial setting.
- Experience working in or knowledge of public entities, higher education, or other similar large and complex organizations.
- Knowledge of North Carolina law.
- Knowledge of academic medical centers and/or clinical research a plus.
- Collaboration: Experience working as part of teams with lawyers and non-lawyers on complex transactional projects.
- Communication: Ability to communicate effectively with internal teams, clients, and stakeholders at all levels.
- Decision-Making: Strong analytical and critical thinking skills with the ability to identify issues, develop solutions, and make informed decisions in a timely manner.
- Regulatory Knowledge: In-depth understanding of legal and policy contracting requirements.
- Commitment to Quality: Experience in implementing or improving processes to reach or maintain high standards of quality and excellence in a higher education, clinical, or other organizational setting.
Job Details:
Legal Employer: STATE
Entity: Shared Services
Organization Unit: Clinical Research
Work Type: Full Time
Standard Hours Per Week: 40.00
Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity
Work Assignment Type: Hybrid
Work Schedule: Day Job
Location of Job: US:NC:Chapel Hill
Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: Yes
This position is employed by NC Health (Rex Healthcare, Inc., d/b/a NC Health), a private, fully-owned subsidiary of UNC Health Care System, in a department that provides shared services to operations across UNC Health Care; except that, if you are currently a UNCHCS State employee already working in a designated shared services department, you may remain a UNCHCS State employee if selected for this job.
Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran or political affiliation.
UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities. All interested applicants are invited to apply for career opportunities. Please email applicant.accommodations@unchealth.unc.edu if you need a reasonable accommodation to search and/or to apply for a career opportunity.