Who We Are: MapLight Therapeutics is a clinical stage biotech company that focuses on drug discovery for central nervous system disorders. We combine cutting-edge technologies including optogenetics, in vivo physiology, and spatial transcriptomics to identify novel drug targets and develop effective therapies to address psychiatric symptoms.
What You’ll Do:
An exciting new opportunity has opened up for a Contracts and Legal Systems Manager to assist with our day-to-day legal systems and contracting needs, including for clinical trials, supply, commercial, finance, and other key contracting areas. Reporting to the Company’s Sr. Director, Corporate Counsel, this individual will play a key role in a growing legal team, with many opportunities to grow their career with the company.
The ideal candidate should have significant experience working with contracts management systems, including acting as the key legal point of contact for business users, training clients, and managing contracts workflows within a cross-functional team. The ideal candidate should also have significant experience drafting, negotiating, and managing agreements for clinical and commercial-stage pharmaceutical and life sciences companies, including non-disclosure agreements, master services agreements, consulting agreements, manufacturing and supply agreements, clinical trial agreements, and other commercial agreements. Experience as a corporate paralegal or legal support analyst at life sciences companies or law firms is considered a plus.
The successful candidate must be able to take ownership of the legal function’s role in a company’s legal, procurement, and financial systems architecture, as well as work independently to draft, revise and negotiate agreements, with a flexible and collaborative approach.
Responsibilities:
- Be responsible for the operation and administration of the company’s contract management system, acting as the key point of contact for the business
- Coordinate and assist in developing policies, procedures and systems to support and facilitate efficient contract development and analysis
- Draft, review and negotiate a variety of day-to-day contracts, including non-disclosure agreements, master service agreements, consulting agreements, manufacturing and supply agreements, clinical trial agreements and other clinical documents, independently and with limited supervision
- Negotiate to conclude agreements as efficiently as possible while meeting client needs and safeguarding MapLight’s interests
- Effectively manage outside vendors, including working with and supervising outside counsel, as required
- Create, improve, and implement applicable forms, templates, processes, and procedures to improve efficiency
- Obtain and maintain a strong working knowledge of the Company’s business, scientific capabilities, and key strategic business objectives
Other Skills and Abilities:
- Solid business judgment and strategic thinking. Ability to recognize risk and develop practical, workable strategies to mitigate such risk
- Flexibility and willingness to work on a broad variety of matters
- Strong written and oral communications skills required to work both internally and externally.
- Ability to independently work with minimal day-to-day oversight
- Ability to meet deadlines while managing a substantial workload in a fast-paced environment
- Ability to engender confidence when advising clients at all levels
- Ability to work with the highest level of integrity
- Willingness to travel when required
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 5 years of progressive responsibility with recent experience in contract negotiation, administration and/or management
- Experience with pharmaceutical and life sciences companies
- Familiarity with design and administration of contracts management systems (e.g., Ariba, Coupa, Concur, NetSuite)
- Paralegal certification or equivalent legal education or training is considered a plus
- Comprehensive computer skills including Microsoft Office
Key MapLight Behaviors:
We consider these behaviors we seek in all MapLight employees.
- You can participate and work effectively with multiple cross-functional teams.
- You have strong interpersonal skills and understand relationships are key to being successful.
- You are a leader. Teams love working with you, and you are someone who takes pride in mentoring and supporting the careers of others.
- You’re a team player who is willing to roll-up your sleeves and get the job done.
Location: Candidates for this role must be within commuting distance of MapLight’s Burlington, MA office.
Travel: Minimal travel (1-2 times per year) is expected.
Compensation for this role may vary within the above range based on many factors including geographic location, candidate experience, and skills. Additional compensation/benefits include annual bonus opportunity, medical, dental, vision, life and AD&D, short term and long term disability, 401(K) plan with match, stock options, flexible non-accrual paid time off, and parental leave.
EEOC Statement: MapLight Therapeutics is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 5 years progressive responsibility in contract negotiation, administration and/or management
- Significant experience drafting, negotiating, and managing agreements for clinical and commercial-stage pharmaceutical and life sciences companies (NDAs, MSAs, consulting, manufacturing/supply, clinical trial agreements)
- Experience working with and administering contract management systems and managing contract workflows
- Familiarity with contract management platforms (examples listed: Ariba, Coupa, Concur, NetSuite)
- Ability to act as legal point of contact for business users, provide training, and coordinate cross-functional stakeholders
- Experience managing outside vendors and supervising outside counsel
- Comprehensive computer skills including Microsoft Office
- Solid written and oral communication, strong business judgment, and ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment
- Willingness to travel when required (minimal: 1-2 times/year)
- Paralegal certification or equivalent legal education or training
- Experience as a corporate paralegal or legal support analyst at life sciences companies or law firms
What We Do
Maplight is a biopharmaceutical company discovering and developing novel therapeutics for patients with disorders of the central nervous system (CNS).
