Proposals and Contract Manager

About the Role

We are seeking a Proposal and Contract Manager specifically with Early Phase Clinical experience to join our team in a remote capacity in the United States. In this role, you will lead proposal and contract activities that help Parexel respond to client opportunities and establish the commercial foundations for Early Phase clinical research programs. You will manage requests for proposals from receipt through delivery, coordinate subject matter experts and cross-functional partners, develop and revise proposals and budgets, and support contract preparation, negotiation, and signature. You will work across Operations, Project Management, Legal, Business Development, Finance, and other specialist teams to deliver accurate, compelling, and commercially sound client materials.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the end-to-end Request for Proposal process, from receipt and analysis of RFP documentation through final delivery.
• Analyze study protocols or synopses, assign and engage the appropriate subject matter experts, and coordinate strategic, operational, proposal, and budget inputs.
• Prepare and revise proposals and budgets in response to RFPs and client revisions, incorporating subject matter expert feedback and following the Decisions Right policy.
• Identify barriers and risks that could affect RFP completion and implement effective mitigation strategies to meet client deadlines.
• Obtain third-party quotations as needed and ensure proposals and budgets align with the RFP, client specifications, communications, and internal assumptions.
• Manage contract activities for assigned accounts by coordinating Operations, Project Management, Legal, Business Development, Finance, and other stakeholders.
• Develop account-specific contracting standards, contract strategies, delivery plans, budgets, payment terms, and contract language, and discuss or negotiate these with clients as appropriate.
• Create, negotiate, and finalize contracts in accordance with departmental standard operating procedures, guidance, and work instructions.
• Amend project and client budgets using internal tools and reports, ensuring complete input from project and functional teams and clear rationale for cost changes.
• Lead relevant internal and client meetings, negotiate costs and terms with minimal support, and work toward targeted client signature dates.
• Prepare contract documents from Parexel templates and manage contractual matters requiring Finance, Tax, Legal, or other stakeholder input.
• Maintain complete, accurate documentation and current system data for metrics and key performance indicators; independently map client bid grids and support process and tool improvement initiatives.

Candidate Profile

You'll thrive in this role if you bring:

• Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and prioritization skills, with the ability to manage multiple varied tasks and strict deadlines.
• Excellent attention to detail and consistently high-quality work, including under pressure or when client timelines require irregular or extended hours.
• Clear written and verbal communication, highly developed interpersonal skills, and confidence working with colleagues and clients at all levels.
• The ability to lead internal and client meetings proactively, negotiate client discussions with minimal support, and escalate difficult issues appropriately.
• A collaborative, team-oriented approach and the ability to work independently in a global matrix environment.
• A sense of urgency, a positive attitude, and a willingness to support colleagues, mentor less experienced team members, and contribute to improvement initiatives.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Life Science, Business, Languages, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 4-6 years of experience in project support, finance, contracting, or proposals within a contract research organization or similar life sciences environment.
• Strong experience in proposals and/or contracts in a contract research organization or other life sciences environment.
• Finance experience may be suitable when paired with proposal or contracting experience.
• Broad experience with proposal and contract management principles, contractual terms, pricing structures, pricing tools, and data systems such as Salesforce.
• Strong understanding of the operational aspects of clinical study conduct across different regions of the world.
• Knowledge of client contract processes, account management, reporting, cash flow, and revenue recognition.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Windows, Word, Excel, Outlook, and databases.
• Fluency in written and spoken English, including the ability to communicate and negotiate effectively with clients.
• Ability to work from home and to work irregular or extended hours when needed to meet client proposal deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA
• Early Phase clinical research experience.
• Previous proposal development experience.
• Experience working in multinational and multicultural companies.