Contracts Administration Coordinator

COG Research Foundation, LLC is a California 501(c)(3) entity that was founded in 2024 and designed to become the federal grantee organization for the Children's Oncology Group (COG). The COG, a member of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) National Clinical Trials Network (NCTN), is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research.

COG unites over 12,000 experts in childhood cancer at more than 220 leading children’s hospitals, universities, and cancer centers across the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Saudi Arabia in the fight against childhood cancer.

COG conducts more than 100 active clinical trials, with approximately 12,000 patients registered on COG trials each year. These trials include front-line treatment for many types of childhood cancers, studies aimed at determining the underlying biology of these diseases, and trials involving new and emerging treatments, supportive care, and survivorship.

Position Summary  

The Contracts Administration Coordinator functions as an operational integrator within a high-volume, rapidly growing department and serves as a central infrastructure resource supporting negotiators and leadership through disciplined coordination of daily contracting operations and enterprise-level initiatives.

The Contracts Administration Coordinator is primarily responsible for optimizing departmental operations to maximize contracting efficiency, scalability, and data integrity. This position plays a critical collaborative role in the development, implementation, configuration, adoption, and continuous improvement of business systems — including contract lifecycle management (CLM) platforms — that are designed to automate workflows, standardize intake and review processes, improve communication cadence, and ensure high-quality data output and governance across the contracting lifecycle.

In addition, the Contracts Administration Coordinator supports the intake, preliminary review of corporate, foundation, and donor-related agreements.  

The Contracts Administration Coordinator reports to the Associate Director of Contracts Management and provides actionable operational insights to improve contract cycle times, workflow efficiency, and performance metrics. They also partner closely with other members of the team to support key performance indicator reporting and process enhancement initiatives.

The COG Research Foundation, LLC is a 100% remote employer, though some travel may be required. Employee must reside within the United States.

Full salary range for this position: $64,542 to $92,421per year. The typical hiring range for this position is from $64,542 (minimum) to $78,482 (midpoint), based on 100% FTE. The starting salary is determined based on the candidate’s knowledge, skills, experience, as well as budget availability.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Systems Setup, Monitoring, and Reporting

• Assist with system configuration, integration, and workflow mapping across platforms.
• Support routine monitoring, maintenance, and continuous optimization of contract management systems.
• Provide operational support to ensure data accuracy, system reliability, and compliance with internal controls.
• Generate recurring and ad hoc reports related to contract lifecycle metrics, turnaround time analysis, workflow efficiency, data governance, and business process improvement initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for automation, standardization, and performance enhancement based on system analytics and stakeholder feedback.

Contracts Management Operations

• CMD email inbox and intake oversight.
• Own and manage CMD shared inboxes to ensure disciplined intake management.
• Following outlined guidelines, triage and prioritize urgent matters based on contractual risk, timing sensitivity, and stakeholder impact.
• Distinguish between fully executed and partially executed agreements and route accordingly.
• Confirm completeness of finalized documentation packages.
• Validate signature readiness in coordination with Manager(s) or Analyst(s).
• Agreement Contract Request (ACR) Intake Management.
• Conduct daily structured review of ACR submissions in partnership with Manager(s), Analyst, or other team members.
• Ensure submissions are complete, accurate, and compliant with internal requirements; return incomplete submissions with clear corrective guidance.
• Collaborate with requestors, external vendors/partners, Manager(s), Analysts, or other team members to secure required documentation for complete processing.
• Designate submissions as complete within ACR system and notify appropriate Manager.
• Update Agreement/Work Order Reports accordingly.
• For new vendors, coordinate with requestor, vendor contact, and accounting to ensure timely vendor onboarding within financial systems.

Agreement Signature Administration

• Identify and categorize returned agreements (partially executed vs. fully executed).
• Obtain confirmation from Manager or Analyst as required prior to final routing.
• Coordinate signature workflows, including purchase order capture for invoiceable agreements.
• Distribute fully executed copies to all relevant stakeholders.
• Ensure proper document retention and records management.
• Update internal trackers and reporting systems in real time to reflect execution status.

Ongoing Operational Support

• Follow-up with research sites regarding pending responses and signatures.
• Distribute agreements and related documentation to sites as directed.
• Track receipt of agreements and reconcile discrepancies.
• Assist with drafting agreement and work order templates following established guidelines.
• Support development and refinement of contract administration workflows.
• Facilitate the efficient execution of subcontracts, agreements, amendments, work orders, and related instruments.
• Develop and document SOPs to support operational consistency.

Other Responsibilities and Duties

• Travel overnight to COG Group Meetings and any other business-related meetings as requested.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive experience in business administration, contracts management, systems, or operations management, with a focus on contracting processes or similar functions.
• Associate's degree or substitute with two (2) additional years of equivalent work experience in a combination of sponsored research and philanthropic / donor contracting.

Other Qualifications

• Experience supporting contracts management activities.
• Familiarity with contract lifecycle management systems.
• Intermediate experience with project management platforms for process optimization and workflow management (e.g. Smartsheet, Monday.com)
• Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills, with experience supporting operational processes, identifying opportunities for efficiency, and assisting with system improvements
• Demonstrated project management skills with the ability to collaborate with multi-functional teams on process improvement initiatives and change management processes.
• Experience with Microsoft 365 applications suite.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to clearly convey operational information to diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Exceptional attention to detail, accuracy, time management, and ability to prioritize multiple tasks while maintaining confidentiality and working collegially in cross-functional environments.
• Highly organized and detail-oriented with the ability to work under pressure, manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to interact at all levels of the organization.
• Ability to work independently as well as part of a team.
• Ability to travel overnight to COG Group Meetings and any other business-related meetings as requested.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in business administration or related field.
• Experience with clinical trial agreements and subcontract agreements.
• Familiarity with data governance and reporting.
• Experience in a nonprofit or academic research organization setting, particularly related to clinical trial research.
• Prior experience in a newly established contracts management function or startup type environment.
• Experience in organizational transition or change management initiatives.

Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Status

This position is classified as exempt based on the job duties. However, based on the FTE, salary level of the employee, or federal/state/local laws, the employee may be classified as nonexempt.

Why Join Us

This is a unique opportunity to be on the ground floor of a critical role within a mission-driven organization. This position will play a vital part in shaping the function of the Children’s Oncology Group, contributing to lasting change and making a difference in the lives of children and families impacted by cancer.

Benefits

Comprehensive benefit options include medical, dental, vision, 401(k), accrued Paid Time Off (PTO), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), Flexible Spending Account (FSA), cell phone and internet stipends, wellness stipend, paid holidays, and more. Employees who work 20 hours or more per week are eligible for these benefit options. These benefits are provided for informational purposes only and are subject to change in accordance with applicable policies and plan documents.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

COG Research Foundation, LLC is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability or medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

COG Research Foundation, LLC seeks to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool. Employment at COG Research Foundation, LLC is based on merit, competence, and qualifications, and we are committed to providing equal opportunities for training and advancement for all employees. COG Research Foundation, LLC is also committed to making our application process accessible to individuals with disabilities and will provide reasonable accommodation upon request. For further information regarding Equal Employment Opportunity, please feel free to access it here. 

ADA/Application Accommodation Statement 

COG Research Foundation, LLC is committed to providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities in the application and employment process, consistent with applicable law. Applicants who require accommodation are encouraged to make their request at the earliest opportunity to allow COG Research Foundation, LLC sufficient time to evaluate and respond to the request. Accommodation requests may be directed to the Recruitment Team at career@evolvehr.com.

This position falls under a contract with the Federal Government and is subject to the provisions in OMB Circular A-76 which prohibit contractors from performing inherently governmental functions. Specifically, employees placed in agency positions will not perform inherently governmental functions, nor supervise any personnel other than the contractor’s own staff, nor make final decisions or sign documents that commit the U.S. Government.