Manager of Contracts, Technology Development

WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
With over 75 years of excellence in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, UT Southwestern is committed to excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion. As a world-renowned medical and research center, we strive to provide the best possible care, resources, and benefits for our valued employees. Ranked as the number 1 hospital in Dallas-Fort Worth according to U.S. News & World Report, we invest in you with opportunities for career growth and development to align with your future goals. Our highly competitive benefits package offers healthcare, PTO and paid holidays, on-site childcare, wage, merit increases and so much more. We invite you to be a part of the UT Southwestern team where you'll discover a culture of teamwork, professionalism, and a rewarding career! 

JOB SUMMARY
The Manager Contracts - Technology Development provides strategic leadership for all contracts flowing through the Office of Technology Development (OTD), serving as the offices guide on best practices in contract structure & policy. This role develops and maintains contract templates, clause libraries, playbooks, and workflows, and advises commercialization and research teams by clearly articulating institutional positions, approved fallback options, and escalation thresholds. Leveraging a deep understanding of university policy, state regulations, and federal requirements, the Manager Contracts - Technology Development ensures agreements are consistent, compliant, and risk appropriate while enabling timely deal execution. The position partners closely with General Counsel, Sponsored Programs, Compliance, Business Development, and OTD leadership to triage issues, resolve ambiguities, and support effective decision making. Operating with high emotional intelligence and strong judgment, the Manager Contracts - Technology Development balances stewardship with pragmatic deal enablement, improving throughput, reducing friction, and safeguarding the institution's interests. 

 

BENEFITS
UT Southwestern is proud to offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees. Our benefits are designed to support your overall wellbeing, and include:

• PPO medical plan, available day one at no cost for full-time employee-only coverage
• 100% coverage for preventive healthcare-no copay
• Paid Time Off, available day one
• Retirement Programs through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)
• Paid Parental Leave Benefit
• Wellness programs
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Qualified Employer
• Learn more about these and other UTSW employee benefits!

EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION

Required

• Education
  Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school 
   

• Experience
  8 years of experience in a legal environment or in general business with primary responsibility for reviewing, drafting, analyzing, and negotiating complex contracts. 
   

Preferred

• Experience
  Life Science contracting or Venture Capital contracting. 
   

JOB DUTIES

• Leads drafting and reviewing complex, high risk, and high-profile contracts with various companies, stakeholders and agencies while coordinating with staff.
• Provides guidance, assistance, and training to staff and team members within OTD as necessary for implementation and negotiation of contracts for:
  • Confidentiality / Non-Disclosure Agreements (CDAs/NDAs)
  • Material & Data Transfer Agreements (MTAs/DTAs/DURCs, DUAs/NDAs for data)
  • Inter-Institutional Agreements (IIAs) and Consortium/Participation Agreements
  • Intellectual Property (IP) Agreements: options, evaluation agreements, license agreements (exclusive/non-exclusive, field`limited), software licenses, end-user licenses, background IP/access rights
  • Sponsored Research / Collaboration Agreements and unfunded research/collaboration MOUs
  • SBIR/STTR subawards and related research commercialization agreements
  • Clinical/Translational research support agreements (where TTO touchpoints exist)
  • Industry-university master agreements and template side letters
  • Revenue distribution, assignment, and royalty administration addenda (in coordination with Finance/OTL Ops)
• Leads the development of processes and procedures, including process improvement, for the area of expertise related to overall contract drafting and management activities.
• Monitors status of contracts for completion; ensures contracts move through the process from negotiated intake to execution in a timely manner.
• Drafts internal and external correspondence related to contracting activities.
• Accurately spots issues, interprets complex contract terms and conditions, and engages attorneys in the Office of Legal Affairs and UT System OGC as the offices point of contact, as needed.
• Applies extensive knowledge of the entire contracting lifecycle to meet business needs.
• Creates and implements KPIs on contracts team performance.
• Drafts, negotiates and completes revenue generating contracts
• Acts as the Point of Contact for COI, Legal Affairs, and UT System OGC offices
• Partner closely with General Counsel (for legal interpretation and negotiation strategy) and Sponsored Programs (for research agreements interfacing with IP/industry).
• Model proactive ownership and high emotional intelligence; especially when mediating between faculty urgency, industry timelines, and public-institution constraints.
• Crisp, respectful communication that defuses conflict and builds trust across faculty, counsel, and industry counterparts.
• High situational awareness; knowing when to escalate, when to offer a fallback, and how to maintain momentum without negotiating
• Performs other duties as needed.

SECURITY AND EEO STATEMENT

Security
This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

EEO
UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community. As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.