Contract Management Specialist

Job Description At AbbVie, we are committed to advancing innovative medicines and improving patients' lives around the world. We are currently looking for a Contract Management Specialist to join our Clinical Operations team in Portugal. In this role, you will support clinical research activities and contract management processes for studies conducted in Portugal, while collaborating with local, regional, and global stakeholders. You will be responsible for managing and negotiating clinical trial agreements, budgets, and related legal documentation to support the successful and timely start-up and conduct of clinical studies. Working closely with Legal, Finance, Clinical Operations, and external research sites, you will play a key role in ensuring contracts and budgets do not become a barrier to study delivery while maintaining compliance with applicable regulations and company policies. This position offers the opportunity to collaborate with both local and global stakeholders while contributing directly to the success of AbbVie's clinical research programs. Responsibilities • Serve as the primary contract management contact for Portugal, partnering with Legal, Finance, Clinical Operations, Site Management & Monitoring, and Study Teams. • Manage the preparation, negotiation, and execution of clinical trial agreements, confidentiality agreements, study budgets, and related vendor contracts. • Lead contract and budget negotiations with investigator sites and research institutions to support timely study start-up and execution. • Review and support contract-related and legal documentation associated with clinical studies, working closely with Legal and other key stakeholders. • Liaising with Legal where playbook doesn’t already address an issue and seeking Legal approval for deviations. • Setting, managing and communicating priorities to local affiliate stakeholders, Legal, and Finance in alignment with study plans and priority for start-up. • Ensure accurate tracking of contracts, budgets, and study-related documentation, while maintaining relevant metrics and records. • Collecting and tracking site intelligence and communicating such to appropriate stakeholders in the Study Team, Legal, Finance, etc. • Ensure contracts and budgets are finalized within agreed timelines to support the timely start-up and ongoing execution of clinical studies. Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Life Sciences, Health Sciences, Nursing, Pharmacy, Business Administration, Law, or a related field. • Experience in clinical research experience, including experience in contract and budget negotiation is required. • Strong negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills. • Understanding of clinical research processes, as well as medical, legal, and financial concepts relevant to clinical trials. • Good knowledge of ICH-GCP guidelines and applicable local regulations. • Ability to interpret and apply legal, compliance, and regulatory requirements within a clinical research environment. • Strong planning and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment. • Excellent written and verbal communication skills. • Fluency in Portuguese and English, both written and spoken. • Strong sense of ownership, urgency, and decision-making ability. • Analytical mindset with strong problem-solving skills. • Ability to adapt to changing priorities and work effectively in a dynamic environment. …