Senior Manager / Associate Director, Contracts

Vigil Neuroscience is the world's first microglia-focused therapeutics company. Our purpose is clear: to treat rare and common neurodegenerative diseases by restoring the vigilance of the microglia, the sentinel cells of the brain’s immune system. We are utilizing the tools of modern neuroscience drug development across multiple therapeutic modalities to rapidly deliver precision-based therapies to improve the lives of patients and their families.

Vigil seeks an energetic and mid- to senior-level Senior Contracts Manager to manage our day-to-day contracting functions as part of a small and growing legal team in a fast-paced environment. This position reports to the VP, Associate General Counsel and presents a unique opportunity to build the contracts infrastructure in a rapidly growing, dynamic organization. This is a hybrid position with expectations for 2-3 days in office at our headquarters in Watertown, MA.

Key Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing all the Company’s contracting activities from contract-request intake through execution and filing, including:

1. Preparing original draft agreements using company templates, reviewing third party agreements, and negotiating these agreements through signature based on appropriate risk and complexity.
2. For lower complexity and risk, drafting and negotiating agreements (i.e. confidentiality agreements, consulting agreements, statements of work, and change orders) with minimal oversight.
3. For higher complexity and risk, drafting and negotiating agreements with support of in-house or outside counsel.
4. Managing intake, tracking the progress of, and running point on the approval and execution of all company contracts that further include clinical trial agreements, master services agreements, material transfer agreements, manufacturing, and quality agreements.
5. Support the development and management of a playbook of commonly negotiated contractual provisions.
6. Strategically prioritize and process contract requests to facilitate rapid agreement preparation, review, and execution.
7. Working independently as well as proactively collaborating with in-house attorneys, outside counsel, finance colleagues, and other stakeholders spanning the entire company.
8. Thinking creatively to continuously improve efficiency within the contracting process for a better user experience that rapidly delivers executed contracts while ensuring quality.

• Complete understanding of the end-to-end contracting process with prior experience making improvements to current in-house, paper-based, contract management system.
• Demonstrated knowledge of contract software and database (CLM) and experience administering such systems.
• Familiarity and experience with common, core clinical stage biotech/pharma/life science contractual provisions.
• Understand and can explain the technical differences between the various contract types to diverse audiences.
• Identify legal risk in contracts and assist in the resolution of risk-favoring contract execution.
• Consistently model a high level of professionalism with proven ability to build trusting and respectful relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong initiative, attention to detail, and exceptional follow-through are essential.
• Anticipate and proactively solve issues.
• Must be able to communicate in a clear, concise manner.
• Ability to handle highly confidential information with discretion.
• Must be comfortable working independently and as an engaged team member.
• Strong WORD and Excel, and dbase skills.
• Proven ability to create new processes and workflow.

• Paralegal certificate or bachelor’s degree required.
• At least 10 years’ experience working directly with contracts or in a contracting department.
• Biotech/pharma/life science experience strongly preferred.
• Proficient in keeping detailed records of all contracting activities.
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication skills.
• Successful history of collaborating with teams on cross-functional initiatives.
• Committed to the values of integrity, accountability, and transparency.
• Candidates with Corporate Governance experience at a public company a strong plus – including familiarity with Board Portals and Section 16 filings.