Sr. Manager, Site Budgets and Contracts

The Role

Joining Moderna means advancing mRNA science to transform medicine. Work with exceptional global teams on a broad pipeline and build a career that makes a real difference for patients.

Moderna is establishing a leading research, development, and manufacturing facility at Harwell to support onshore mRNA vaccine production for respiratory diseases in the UK.

This long term investment will create skilled jobs and strengthen collaboration with academic, NHS, and government partners. We welcome experts ready to help expand access to life saving vaccines.

Reporting to the Director, Global Clinical Operations (GCO) Business Analytics & Operations Management (BAOM), you will take a leading role in the generation, review and oversight of investigator site budgets and investigator grants across Phase I–IV clinical trials. You will combine deep Grants Manager and/or GrantPlan expertise with internal, third-party vendor and industry data to build accurate budgets, inform scenario planning and understand its impact on study budgets.

Working across GCO, Clinical Operations, CROs and key functional partners, you will provide strategic oversight of site budgets, contracts and negotiations throughout study start-up and the duration of assigned studies. Your work will be critical to maintaining Fair Market Value (FMV) and GCP-driven principles, managing risks and negotiation parameters, and enabling sites to activate against target clinical trial timelines, while creating opportunities to work close to Generative AI tools and emerging digital capabilities that can enhance analytics and operational decision-making.

Here’s What You’ll Do

• Create, directly oversee and manage investigator site budgets across multiple assigned clinical trials within a designated therapeutic area.

• Generate and review accurate Phase I–IV investigator grant (IG) budgets using Grants Manager, leveraging extensive Grants Manager and/or GrantPlan expertise to deliver budgets efficiently.

• Validate budgets using Moderna internal data, third-party vendor data and relevant industry data.

• Provide consistent site contract and budget oversight and support to assigned Clinical Operations clinical trial teams, bringing up-front and ongoing strategic planning tailored to individual programs and study requirements.

• Provide input into scenario planning and assess the resulting impact on study budgets.

• Leverage internal and CRO-provided Investigator Grants reference data alongside available Fair Market Value benchmarking tools to establish clinical trial-specific IG budget estimates that support trial budget forecasting.

• Lead and/or contribute to the development of target FMV-based investigator grant budgets and negotiation parameters across therapeutic areas including infectious disease, oncology and/or therapeutics, operating within an outsourced CRO model.

• Act as the lead point of contact for CRO site budget activities on assigned studies, overseeing the development and approval of global investigator site budgets and associated negotiation parameters.

• Ensure cross-program and cross-clinical-trial consistency in country-level site budget targets and parameters.

• Directly manage and track CRO investigator site Clinical Trial Agreement (CTA) and budget negotiations in alignment with FMV and GCP-driven principles.

• Collaborate closely with assigned CROs and Clinical Operations to ensure established clinical trial investigator grant budgets remain within target throughout the CTA negotiation process.

• Serve as the liaison between CROs and Moderna Legal/Clinical Contracts and Outsourcing teams during the review and finalization of country-level CTA/CSA templates.

• Monitor key performance indicators, including cycle times and SIV/site activation targets, ensuring adherence to baseline clinical trial timelines for CTA negotiations and site activation.

• Participate in Clinical Trial Team (CTT) and/or joint Moderna/CRO clinical trial team meetings on an agenda-driven basis, particularly when strategic decisions affecting site contracts are under discussion.

• Serve as the lead point of contact for required site contract and/or budget amendments throughout the duration of assigned studies.

• Proactively identify site contract-related risks, negotiation challenges and potential roadblocks that could affect clinical trial execution or site activation.

• Proactively escalate issues to the Director, BAOM; Associate Director, Site Contracts and Budgets; and/or Clinical Operations teams as appropriate to prevent delays to site activation timelines.

• Support the development and continuous improvement of departmental processes, SOPs, budget and contract standards, and other special projects as requested.

• Collaborate across GCO functional stakeholders, CROs and Clinical Operations to provide ongoing oversight of site budget execution during the clinical trial start-up (SSU) phase and support site activation against target timelines.

• Explore opportunities to apply Generative AI and emerging digital tools to budget analytics, benchmarking, scenario planning and operational insights while maintaining appropriate quality and governance standards.

• Travel approximately 10% as required.

The key Moderna Mindsets you’ll need to succeed in the role:

“We act with dynamic range, driving strategy and execution at the same time at every step.”

“We behave like owners. The solutions we’re building go beyond any job description.”

Here’s What You’ll Need (Basic Qualifications) 

• Minimum 5 years’ direct experience in global investigator site budget creation and negotiations; strong experience in the use of GrantManager/GrantPlan; preferable experience in CTA template language negotiations and/or support in collaboration with Legal. 

• Effective communication and collaboration with key internal and external stakeholders, including CDO, CRO and investigator site personnel.

• Strength in financial analysis and financial justification.

• Familiarity in working within an outsourced model; experience in direct CRO oversight of CTA/budget negotiations.

• Proficient in MS Office Products with advanced knowledge of Excel; ability to work with and be proficient in stand-alone system applications.

• High level of attention to detail in management of high volumes of investigator site financial data.

• Works on increasingly complex and problems of diverse scope requiring critical analysis and comprehensive evaluation of critical factors.

• Increasingly exercising independent judgment in developing methods and techniques to obtain solutions (and process improvements).

• Increasing independence in determining specific tasks to accomplish in order to meet certain goals and objectives.

• Increasing self-reliance in performing tasks.

• Works in a team environment.

Pay & Benefits

At Moderna, we believe that when you feel your best, you can do your best work.  That’s why our benefits and well-being resources are designed to support you—at work, at home, and everywhere in between.

• Competitive healthcare, plus voluntary benefit programs to support your unique needs
• A holistic approach to well-being with access to fitness, mindfulness, and mental health support
• Family building benefits, including fertility, adoption, and surrogacy support
• Generous paid time off, including vacation, bank holidays, volunteer days, sabbatical, global recharge days, and a discretionary year-end shutdown
• Savings and investments to help you plan for the future
• Location-specific perks and extras

The benefits offered may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Moderna and the country where you work.

About Moderna

Since our founding in 2010, we have aspired to build the leading mRNA technology platform, the infrastructure to reimagine how medicines are created and delivered, and a world-class team. We believe in giving our people a platform to change medicine and an opportunity to change the world.  

By living our mission, values, and mindsets every day, our people are the driving force behind our scientific progress and our culture. Together, we are creating a culture of belonging and building an organization that cares deeply for our patients, our employees, the environment, and our communities. 

We are proud to have been recognized as a Science Magazine Top Biopharma Employer, a Fast Company Best Workplace for Innovators, and a Great Place to Work in the U.S. 

As we build our company, we have always believed an in-person culture is critical to our success. Moderna champions the significant benefits of in-office collaboration by embracing a 70/30 work model. This 70% in-office structure helps to foster a culture rich in innovation, teamwork, and direct mentorship. Join us in shaping a world where every interaction is an opportunity to learn, contribute, and make a meaningful impact. 

If you want to make a difference and join a team that is changing the future of medicine, we invite you to visit modernatx.com/careers to learn more about our current opportunities. 

Moderna is a smoke-free, alcohol-free, and drug-free work environment. 

Moderna is a place where everyone can grow. If you meet the Basic Qualifications for the role and you would be excited to contribute to our mission every day, please apply! 

Moderna is committed to equal opportunity in employment and non-discrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a person's race, color, sex, gender identity or expression, age, religion, national origin, ancestry or citizenship, ethnicity, disability, military or protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, or any other personal characteristic protected under applicable law. We consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements. 

We’re focused on attracting, retaining, developing, and advancing our employees. By cultivating a workplace that values diverse experiences, backgrounds, and ideas, we create an environment where every employee can contribute their best. 

Moderna is committed to offering reasonable accommodation or adjustments to qualified job applicants with disabilities. Any applicant requiring an accommodation or adjustment in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should contact the Accommodations and Adjustments team at [email protected]. 

-