Manager, R&D Contracts and Sourcing

If you’re interested in this role, please apply in English and include an English version of your Resume/CV.  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 strengthening its international business services hub in Warsaw, supporting our growing global operations. We welcome professionals ready to help advance our mission and shape the future of mRNA medicines. Moderna's Global Procurement team is seeking an experienced, commercially astute professional to take ownership of complex R&D contracting activities supporting our global Research and Development organization. Reporting to the Director, Clinical Contracting and Outsource Management, you will independently manage the end-to-end contracting lifecycle, with particular emphasis on contract drafting, commercial negotiations, approvals, and execution, while supporting vendor selection and sourcing initiatives. Working at the intersection of scientific innovation, commercial strategy, and procurement excellence, you will collaborate with R&D, Legal, Finance, and Global Procurement stakeholders worldwide to negotiate robust contractual agreements that protect Moderna's interests, enable drug development programs, and deliver measurable business value. Based in our Warsaw office, you will also help advance digital contracting capabilities and explore opportunities to leverage emerging technologies, including Generative AI, to improve contracting efficiency and operational performance. Here's What You'll Do: Your key responsibilities will be: • Independently manage the drafting, review, negotiation, approval, and execution of a diverse portfolio of contracts supporting Moderna's global Research and Development organization, including agreements prepared internally or by external vendors and consultants. • Review contractual documentation to ensure the appropriate use of approved templates, alignment with Global Procurement category strategies, and adherence to existing Master Service Agreement (MSA) terms and conditions, where applicable. • Lead commercial negotiations covering contract terms, service requirements, and budgets, applying benchmarking tools, market intelligence, and established negotiation parameters to secure competitive agreements aligned with Moderna's Global Procurement strategy. • Partner closely with Legal and Global Procurement Category Managers to ensure final agreements accurately reflect the required scope of services, meet company requirements, comply with applicable regulations, and follow sound commercial and business practices. • Take ownership of the contract execution process, coordinating stakeholder reviews, required approvals, and final execution in accordance with Moderna's contracting procedures and governance requirements. • Serve as a trusted contracting advisor to internal R&D stakeholders, recommending appropriate agreement types and contractual approaches to address specific scientific, operational, and business requirements. • Support vendor selection and sourcing initiatives, contributing commercial contracting expertise, benchmarking insights, and supplier market knowledge to procurement decision-making. Your responsibilities will also include: • Ensure contracts executed by Moderna are appropriately requested, recorded, and tracked within the company's contract management systems, maintaining accurate visibility of contractual status and documentation. • Maintain organized contract archives and prepare contracting reports to support effective contract administration, transparency, and business oversight. • Monitor and analyze contract processing metrics, identifying bottlenecks and implementing improvements to increase efficiency, reduce cycle times, and support the timely execution of agreements. • Contribute to the development, updating, and standardization of Moderna's contracting processes, templates, tools, and procedures to strengthen operational consistency and compliance. • Collaborate with internal R&D customers, Global Procurement, Legal, Finance, and other cross-functional partners to manage high volumes of contract requests, balance competing priorities, and meet critical project timelines. • Participate in broader Moderna corporate initiatives, contributing contracting expertise and supporting continuous improvement across procurement operations. • Apply project management principles to coordinate complex contracting activities, manage deadlines, address emerging issues, and maintain alignment between contractual deliverables and R&D program requirements. • Leverage digital contracting platforms, reporting tools, and enterprise solutions to improve contract visibility, data accuracy, document accessibility, and workflow efficiency. • Explore opportunities to engage with emerging digital technologies, including Generative AI tools, to support contract analysis, document preparation, information retrieval, and process optimization, while maintaining appropriate confidentiality, legal, and compliance safeguards. • Exercise independent judgment in resolving commercial and contractual challenges, balancing scientific requirements, financial considerations, stakeholder expectations, and company policies within a global matrix environment. The key Moderna Mindsets you’ll need to succeed in the role: • We behave like owners. The solutions we’re building go beyond any job description. • We digitize everywhere possible using the power of code to maximize our impact on patients. Here's What You'll Need (Basic Qualifications): • Bachelor's degree in Science, Business, a Legal discipline, or a related field; a Paralegal degree or professional certification is preferred. • At least 5 years of experience in contract negotiation and contract management within the pharmaceutical, life sciences, or a related industry. • Sound understanding of drug development processes and the contracting requirements associated with Research and Development activities. • Demonstrated knowledge of commercial contract terms and conditions, contract negotiation practices, benchmarking techniques, and market analysis. • Strong understanding of project management principles, with the ability to coordinate complex contracting activities and deliver against multiple project timelines. • Excellent organizational and facilitation skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage a high volume of contractual activities. • Ability to work independently and successfully within a global matrix organization, effectively prioritizing and managing multiple responsibilities simultaneously. • Proficiency in English (verbal and/or written) required due to global collaboration needs. Here's What You'll Bring to the Table (Preferred Qualifications): • Experience working with a broad range of commercial contract types and service categories, ideally supporting pharmaceutical research, clinical development, or related scientific activities. • Ability to collaborate effectively within multicultural teams and engage with a diverse range of internal customers and stakeholders across different functions, geographies, and organizational levels. • Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to establish and maintain productive professional relationships with internal colleagues, external vendors, and business partners. • An innovative approach to problem-solving, combining commercial judgment with an integrated understanding of business and scientific considerations. • High levels of professionalism, composure, and confidence, together with a proactive, solutions-oriented attitude. • Ability to navigate cross-functional challenges, reconcile competing stakeholder priorities, and maintain progress on contractual deliverables in a complex global environment. • Flexibility, resourcefulness, and eff