Contract Specialist – Consulting & Speaker Agreements

Contract Specialist – Consulting & Speaker Agreements
Location: North Chicago, IL  
Schedule: Hybrid | Tuesday–Thursday Onsite, Monday & Friday Remote
Contract Duration: Initial 6-month contract, with potential extension based on performance and business needs
Pay Rate: up to $36/hr – benefits available for an additional cost

About the Opportunity

Orion Group is seeking an experienced Contract Specialist to support our global pharmaceutical client's consulting and promotional speaker contracting operations.
This role is responsible for managing the contracting lifecycle, including contract creation, review, negotiation, and execution, while ensuring compliance with company policies and applicable industry regulations.
The ideal candidate has experience managing high volumes of contracts in a regulated environment, understands contractual language, and can confidently collaborate with Legal, Compliance, Procurement, Finance, and business stakeholders.
This is an excellent opportunity for a contracts professional, legal operations specialist, or paralegal who enjoys managing complex agreements, building stakeholder relationships, and delivering exceptional customer service in a fast-paced environment.

What You'll Do

Contract Management & Negotiation

• Create, review, negotiate, and execute consulting and promotional speaker agreements.
• Review and interpret contractual language, identify potential issues, and escalate complex matters when appropriate.
• Manage multiple agreements simultaneously while meeting strict deadlines and maintaining accuracy.
• Maintain complete and accurate contract records and supporting documentation throughout the contracting lifecycle.
• Support agreements involving healthcare professionals, key opinion leaders, patients, institutions, and advocacy organizations.

Compliance & Process Improvement

• Ensure contracting activities comply with internal policies and applicable industry guidelines, including FDA and PhRMA requirements.
• Partner with Legal and Compliance teams to address contractual questions and resolve issues.
• Identify opportunities to streamline contracting workflows and implement standardized processes.
• Support the development of contracting guidelines and educate stakeholders on established procedures.

Stakeholder Management

• Serve as a key point of contact for internal business partners and external consultants and speakers.
• Collaborate with Commercial Operations, Medical Affairs, R&D, Legal, Procurement, Finance, and other cross-functional teams.
• Proactively communicate contract status, resolve issues, and ensure a positive contracting experience.
• Manage competing priorities while maintaining professionalism, accountability, and excellent customer service.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications:

• 3–5 years of experience managing high volumes of contracts, complex contract portfolios, or related legal operations in a highly regulated industry.
• Hands-on experience reviewing, processing, and negotiating contractual agreements.
• Ability to interpret contractual language, identify issues, and exercise independent judgment regarding escalation.
• Experience collaborating with Legal, Compliance, Procurement, Finance, Marketing, or other cross-functional business teams.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple stakeholders and competing deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, problem-solving, and customer service skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and familiarity with contract management systems.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Pharmaceutical, biotechnology, healthcare, or other regulated-industry contracting experience.
• Experience with healthcare professional (HCP) consulting agreements, speaker contracts, or similar service agreements.
• Paralegal, legal operations, procurement, or contract negotiation background.
• Experience with SAP, contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems, Smartsheet, Adobe Sign, or Adobe Acrobat.
• Associate degree, bachelor's degree, or paralegal certification. Equivalent relevant professional experience will also be considered.
• Familiarity with FDA and PhRMA guidelines.

What Makes Someone Successful in This Role?
We're looking for someone who can take ownership of the contracting process, communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders, and balance speed with accuracy and compliance.
The successful candidate will be comfortable working independently, navigating complex contractual language, and delivering timely, customer-focused solutions while maintaining high ethical standards.

Interested?
If you have a background in contract management, legal operations, or regulated-industry contracting and enjoy working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment, we'd love to connect with you!
Apply today or reach out to Orion Group to learn more about this opportunity.


People are our business worldwide
 
Orion Group was founded in 1987 and is now one of the largest, independent, international recruitment companies. We have a network of 200 employees working from 24 offices, delivering a range of services – Talent Acquisition, Recruitment Outsourcing Services, Retained Search, Global Workforce Solutions, Completions & Commissioning and Materials Management – across 68 countries. As a global leader in workforce solutions, we recruit personnel across the Engineering & Technical, Office & Commercial, Scientific and Skilled Trades disciplines, for sectors including Oil & Gas, Life Science, Power & Utilities, Constructions & Infrastructure, Manufacturing and Renewables.