Associate Director, Contracts
Beam Therapeutics Inc.Company Overview:
Beam Therapeutics is a biotechnology company committed to establishing the leading, fully integrated platform for precision genetic medicines. To achieve this vision, Beam has assembled a platform with integrated gene editing, delivery and internal manufacturing capabilities. Beam’s suite of gene editing technologies is anchored by base editing, a proprietary technology that is designed to enable precise, predictable and efficient single base changes, at targeted genomic sequences, without making double-stranded breaks in the DNA. This has the potential to enable a wide range of therapeutic editing strategies that Beam is using to advance a diversified portfolio of base editing programs. Beam is a values-driven organization committed to its people, cutting-edge science, and a vision of providing life-long cures to patients suffering from serious diseases.
Position Overview:
Beam Therapeutics is looking for a business-focused Associate Director, Contracts to join our growing Legal team. The Associate Director, Contracts will be responsible for managing a high volume of agreements across clinical, research, manufacturing, quality, commercial, and corporate functions. Reporting to the Director of Contracts & Compliance, this role provides pragmatic, risk-balanced legal support, partners closely with cross-functional stakeholders, and helps strengthen contracting infrastructure as the company advances toward commercial-stage operations.
Responsibilities:
- Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of agreements, including Clinical Trial Agreements, Master Services Agreements, Consulting, Confidentiality, Research & Collaboration, and Commercial Supply/Manufacturing Agreements.
- Review and advise on clinical informed consent forms and related documentation.
- Identify and escalate contractual risks, documentation gaps, and compliance issues with risk-based recommendations.
- Support compliance contracting processes, including healthcare professional engagement documentation and fair market value validation.
- Partner with Compliance and cross-functional teams to implement and administer approval workflows supporting Commercial, Legal, and Medical Affairs activities.
- Provide timely legal support to Commercial and Medical Affairs initiatives (Advisory Boards, Sponsorships, Grants), ensuring alignment with corporate strategy, policy, and regulatory requirements.
- Advance the company's contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems through workflow refinement, template standardization, automation, and governance improvements.
- Develop and deliver internal training on contracting processes, templates, and policies.
- Maintain current and working knowledge of applicable legal and regulatory developments to ensure contracting practices remain aligned with evolving frameworks and industry standards.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree required; J.D. strongly preferred, with 3–7 years of contracts experience in biotech, pharma, or a life sciences or legal department.
- Demonstrated ability to independently manage the full contract lifecycle, drafting, negotiating, and executing a high-volume, diverse portfolio of agreements including CTAs, MSAs, Research & Collaboration, and Commercial Supply/Manufacturing contracts.
- Experience supporting Commercial and Medical Affairs functions, with familiarity advising on Advisory Boards, Sponsorships, Grants, and other healthcare-facing engagements.
- Working knowledge of healthcare compliance frameworks, including HCP engagement practices, fair market value standards, and applicable regulatory requirements.
- Familiarity with global clinical trial site contracting processes and experience reviewing informed consent forms and related clinical documentation.
- Hands-on experience with contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms, with an interest in or track record of contributing to workflow automation, template development, and process improvement initiatives.
- Ability and enthusiasm for translating complex legal and contracting concepts into accessible training materials and educational sessions for non-legal audiences.
- Candidates are expected to come onsite 1-3 days per week.
The salary range below reflects the full-time base salary range we expect to pay for this role at the time of posting. Base pay will be determined based on several factors including, but not limited to, relevant experience, education, scope of job, internal comparisons, and market data.