Contract Specialist

Contract Specialist – Consulting & Speaker Agreements
Location: Lake County, IL (Hybrid – Onsite Tue/Wed/Thu Required)
Contract Length: 12-months (high possibility of extension based on performance)
Max Bill Rate: $36/hr

Orion Group is seeking a detail-oriented Contract Specialist to support consulting and promotional speaker contracting activities within a leading global biopharmaceutical organization.
 In this role, you will work cross-functionally with internal stakeholders as well as external consultants, institutions, and thought leaders to create, negotiate, and execute contracts that meet business needs while upholding compliance and integrity standards. This role requires strong organization, communication, and customer service skills, as well as the ability to work in a fast-paced environment under tight timelines.

Key Responsibilities

• Create, review, negotiate, and execute consulting and promotional speaker contracts in accordance with company policies, legal standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Interpret compliance regulations and operate within FDA, PhRMA, OEC, and internal contracting guidelines.
• Partner cross-functionally with Legal, Commercial Operations, Procurement, Medical Affairs, R&D, and business stakeholders to ensure seamless contract execution.
• Leverage SAP and contract lifecycle management systems to process agreements and maintain accurate documentation.
• Proactively monitor contract status, address issues, and communicate progress to stakeholders.
• Provide guidance to internal teams regarding contracting processes and best practices.
• Support continuous process improvement initiatives to streamline contracting workflows.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with external healthcare professionals, patient organizations, advocacy groups, and key opinion leaders (KOLs).
• Maintain meticulous contracting records and documentation in line with audit and compliance standards.
• Collaborate globally across therapeutic areas to support consistent contracting practices.

Top Skills Needed

• Outstanding written and verbal communication skills
• Strong customer service mindset with professionalism and emotional intelligence
• Ability to interpret and apply compliance and contractual guidance
• Exceptional attention to detail and organization
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• 3–5 years of experience processing contracts (legal, procurement, speaker programs, HCP contracting, or vendor agreements)
• Experience with contract negotiation and contract review
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills
• Demonstrated ability to work with all levels of internal and external stakeholders
• Proficiency with corporate business systems: SAP, contract management tools, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint
• Experience in pharmaceutical/biotech or healthcare compliance environments is a plus
• Ability to work independently with accountability and discretion

Nice to Have

• Prior experience in pharmaceutical contracting
• Knowledge of speaker bureau contracting or HCP agreements
• Familiarity with Sunshine Act/Open Payments reporting

 


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.