Associate Director/Director, Contract and Legal Manager

Location: Hybrid (New York, New Jersey, or Pennsylvania areas preferred)

About Altimmune: Altimmune is a late-clinical stage public biotechnology company advancing transformative therapies for metabolic and liver diseases. We are entering an exciting period of growth as we prepare for global Phase 3 pivotal trials, potential regulatory submissions, and commercialization of the Company's first product.

This is a unique opportunity to join a mission-driven company at a pivotal moment, contributing directly to the legal and operational infrastructure supporting clinical, operations, and commercial initiatives.

Summary of Position: We are seeking a driven and passionate Contracts Manager with 5–10 years of relevant experience to support the drafting, negotiation, and lifecycle management of a wide range of contracts across our research, clinical, and business functions. The ideal candidate brings a strong curiosity and eagerness to learn, combined with a solid legal foundation, biotech industry experience, and hands-on proficiency with contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms, which are essential for ensuring process visibility and agreement compliance across the organization.

The responsibilities will also include providing legal and business risk advice to internal stakeholders; building and managing effective cross-functional relationships; advising on contract-related legal and compliance issues; and ensuring that contract management processes and systems are appropriate, consistent with best practices, and compliant with all applicable regulatory and other requirements. This position is in a high-growth environment, with opportunities to expand legal, compliance, and operational responsibilities as the company scales.

Essential Functions:

• Contract Management:
  • Draft, review, and manage all agreements including Clinical Trial Agreements (CTAs), Master Service Agreements (MSAs), Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs), Non-Disclosure Agreements (NDAs), research collaborations and licensing agreements, manufacturing and supply chain agreements, vendor agreements consulting and partnership agreements from initiation to fully executed
  • Support multiple departments (Clinical Development, Regulatory, BD, CMC, R&D, Finance, QA) to ensure contracts align with company goals, timelines, and risk tolerance
  • Manage and optimize workflows within the Company's contract management platform, including repository oversight, approval routing, renewal tracking, and document version control
  • Develop, refine, and enforce templates and playbooks
  • Collaborate with outside counsel and internal stakeholders on escalations and redlines
  • Identify and recommend improvements to contract policies, processes, and reporting tools
• Corporate Governance and Compliance:
• Assist in maintaining corporate records, preparing board and shareholder documents, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements
• Support compliance efforts related to FDA and other industry-specific regulations
• Legal Research and Operations:
  • Conduct legal research on industry regulations, company policies, and relevant case law
  • Improve legal department workflows, recommend and implement legal technology solutions, and develop standard operating procedures
  • Help support documents required for potential transactions and coordinate diligence during any processes
  • Assist in managing disputes, responding to subpoenas, and coordinating with Chief Legal Officer and external counsel when necessary
  • Liaise with internal teams, including Clinical Development, CMC, Finance, and Commercial, to ensure legal compliance in business operations
• Other Strategic Initiatives:
  • Provide training to new staff on contract management processes and procedures
  • Other duties as assigned by the Chief Legal Officer

Job Requirements (Essential knowledge, skills, and attributes):

• J.D. or paralegal certification required
• 5-10 years of experience as a senior, independent paralegal or lawyer having served in legal position(s) with a biotech, pharmaceutical, or life sciences company
• Able to work independently and manage all agreement work at a busy public biotech company
• Direct experience with late-stage clinical trial contracting is strongly preferred
• Hands-on expertise with contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms is essential
• Extensive knowledge of confidentiality, IP, and regulatory clauses
• Clear communicator and skilled negotiator
• Detail-oriented, process-driven, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Strong understanding of public company corporate governance
• Familiarity with regulatory and compliance issues in the biotech industry
• Experience working with IP, employment law, or litigation support is a plus
• Proficiency in legal technology and contract management systems
• Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced startup environment, handle multiple projects at one time, and change priorities based on business needs
• Experience using document management software such as Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Access), Adobe Acrobat, and Visio
• Familiar with FDA regulations, including Good Clinical Practices (GCP), Good Laboratory Practices (GLP), and current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) regulations, FDA Guidance, and ICH Guidance.