What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Director, Head of Contracts position at Flagship Pioneering?
Flagship Pioneering is a bioplatform innovation company that invents and builds platform companies that change the world. We bring together the greatest scientific minds with entrepreneurial company builders and assemble the capital to allow them to take courageous leaps. Those big leaps in human health and sustainability exponentially accelerate scientific progress in areas ranging from cancer detection and treatment to nature-positive agriculture.
What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance biotechnology by uniting life science innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our scientific founders, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and transform for the benefit of people and planet.
Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.
Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies, and has been twice named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.
Position Overview:
Flagship Pioneering is seeking a highly experienced and strategic attorney to serve as Head of Contracts. This critical leadership role will oversee the contracts function within our growing in-house legal department. The successful candidate will possess exceptional legal and business acumen, proven leadership skills, and a passion for innovation, particularly in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance contract management processes. We are seeking a calm, pragmatic leader who can effectively manage multiple priorities and internal clientele in a fast-paced environment. This role emphasizes people management, operational efficiency, and legal innovation to support Flagship’s pioneering work in life sciences and biotech.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & AI-Driven Contracting Innovation
At Flagship, you will have the opportunity to be at the forefront of legal innovation, transforming how contracts are managed through AI and digital tools. This is a unique opportunity to lead a forward-thinking team, drive strategic initiatives, and contribute to the success of groundbreaking ventures in biotech and life sciences.
Flagship Pioneering and our ecosystem companies are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.
Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, “FSP”) do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto
What sets Flagship apart is our ability to advance biotechnology by uniting life science innovation, company creation, and capital investment under one roof in a way that is largely without precedent. Our scientific founders, entrepreneurial leaders, and professional capital managers are each aligned around an institutionalized process that enables us to innovate and transform for the benefit of people and planet.
Many of the companies Flagship has founded have addressed humanity’s most urgent challenges: vaccinating billions of people against COVID-19, curing intractable diseases, improving human health, preempting illness, and feeding the world by improving the resiliency and sustainability of agriculture.
Flagship has been recognized twice on FORTUNE’s “Change the World” list, an annual ranking of companies that have made a positive social and environmental impact through activities that are part of their core business strategies, and has been twice named to Fast Company’s annual list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies.
Position Overview:
Flagship Pioneering is seeking a highly experienced and strategic attorney to serve as Head of Contracts. This critical leadership role will oversee the contracts function within our growing in-house legal department. The successful candidate will possess exceptional legal and business acumen, proven leadership skills, and a passion for innovation, particularly in leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance contract management processes. We are seeking a calm, pragmatic leader who can effectively manage multiple priorities and internal clientele in a fast-paced environment. This role emphasizes people management, operational efficiency, and legal innovation to support Flagship’s pioneering work in life sciences and biotech.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership & AI-Driven Contracting Innovation
- Develop and execute a strategic roadmap for the Contracts team, aligning with the company’s growth and innovation objectives.
- Identify opportunities to integrate AI and machine learning into contract drafting, negotiation, and management to improve efficiency, reduce risk, and enhance decision-making.
- Evaluate and implement AI-driven solutions to streamline workflows and enhance compliance.
- Partner with IT, legal operations, and external vendors to optimize technology adoption and process automation.
- Lead, mentor, and develop a diverse contracts team, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Drive professional growth opportunities for team members through training, mentorship, and AI literacy programs.
- Implement best-in-class contract management practices to enhance productivity and legal support across the organization.
- Oversee the full lifecycle of contracts, including R&D collaborations, licensing agreements, commercial transactions, and strategic partnerships.
- Ensure contracts are structured, negotiated, and executed efficiently, balancing risk mitigation with business agility.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams—including legal, finance and procurement—to support business objectives while maintaining compliance.
- Monitor evolving legal and regulatory trends, adapting contract strategies accordingly.
- Establish scalable contract workflows, leveraging automation and data analytics to drive insights and operational excellence.
- Develop metrics to measure contract efficiency, risk exposure, and AI adoption effectiveness.
- Act as a strategic partner to business leaders, ensuring contracts align with company goals, risk tolerance, and innovation initiatives.
- J.D. required with a license held in at least one jurisdiction.
- 10 years of experience in contract management, with a proven track record of people leadership and process transformation.
- Strong expertise in contract negotiation and legal risk management.
- Demonstrated experience leveraging AI-driven contract management tools, automation, or digital transformation initiatives.
- Exceptional interpersonal, communication, and relationship-building skills with demonstrated ability to work effectively cross-functionally.
- Proven ability to calmly navigate and provide leadership and clarity in complex, rapidly evolving environments.
- Prior experience in the life sciences and/or technology fields is preferred.
At Flagship, you will have the opportunity to be at the forefront of legal innovation, transforming how contracts are managed through AI and digital tools. This is a unique opportunity to lead a forward-thinking team, drive strategic initiatives, and contribute to the success of groundbreaking ventures in biotech and life sciences.
Flagship Pioneering and our ecosystem companies are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, or Veteran status.
Recruitment & Staffing Agencies: Flagship Pioneering and its affiliated Flagship Lab companies (collectively, “FSP”) do not accept unsolicited resumes from any source other than candidates. The submission of unsolicited resumes by recruitment or staffing agencies to FSP or its employees is strictly prohibited unless contacted directly by Flagship Pioneering’s internal Talent Acquisition team. Any resume submitted by an agency in the absence of a signed agreement will automatically become the property of FSP, and FSP will not owe any referral or other fees with respect thereto
