Clinical Vendor Acquisition Manager

How This Role Makes a Difference

Reporting to the Director of Study Feasibility & Clinical Partnerships, the Clinical Vendor Acquisition Manager plays a critical role in identification, sourcing, qualification, onboarding, negotiation, and management of vendor relationships to support Care Access objectives. This role, in collaboration with Feasibility, SSU, Finance, and Operations ensures cost-effective procurement, strong contractual protection, compliance, and high-performing clinical vendor partnerships.

How You'll Make An Impact

• Clinical protocol review and vendor requirements identification
  • Review clinical protocols and other study documents to determine vendor scope and compatibility; translate protocol elements into vendor qualifications and study requirements
• Clinical vendor acquisition
  • Identify potential vendors based on the requirements of the protocol and other sponsor-provided study documents
  • Conduct market research to assess vendor capabilities, pricing models, and risk factors
  • Develop and maintain a preferred vendor network
  • Lead RFPs, RFQs, and vendor selection processes
• Contracting & negotiation
  • Draft, review, negotiate, and finalize vendor contracts in collaboration with direct report, legal and finance teams.
  • Track contract renewals, expirations, amendments, and compliance requirements.
• Vendor Management
  • Identify and troubleshoot vendor-related issues impacting clinical execution or study timelines; act as clinical escalation point for vendor readiness concerns
  • Establish performance metrics and monitor vendor performance against SLAs and KPIs.
  • Resolve service, performance, and billing issues in a timely manner.
  • Drive continuous improvement and cost optimization initiatives
  • Maintain vendor documentation and compliance records
• Serve as the clinical point-of-contact for vendors, ensuring timely responses when study manuals are unavailable.
• Standardize and improve communication pathways between vendors, SSU teams, and internal stakeholders.
• Develop and refine vendor management processes to optimize efficiency and quality.
• Guide internal and external stakeholders on vendor requirements, protocol expectations, training, and procedures.
• Participate in governance calls and internal meetings to provide updates on vendor performance and risk status.
• Develop tools, templates, and training materials to strengthen vendor onboarding and oversight processes.
• Maintain internal database in SharePoint as well as SalesForce
• Review study information and use internal databases, trackers, and dashboards as resources. Other duties as assigned

The Expertise Required

• Strong understanding of clinical protocols, trial execution, and start-up workflows.
• Prior vendor experience with the ability to discuss protocol clinical aspects with vendors.
• Skilled at guiding vendor partners and internal teams on protocol expectations, training, and procedures.
• Effective communicator of vendor requirements both internally and externally.
• Experience working with site networks; direct site-based experience strongly valued.
• Ability to negotiate and 'sell' Care Access’s value to vendor partners
• Experience interacting with investigators, clinical staff, and site teams to support operational decision-making.
• Strong cross-functional communication skills in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
• Creative, outside-the-box problem solving with openness to brainstorming solutions.
• Proactive mindset with ownership, accountability, and focus on clinical quality.
• Ability to foresee risks based on historical knowledge, manage escalations efficiently, and follow up across governance structures.
• Data management skills for tracking KPIs, vendor performance, and escalation logs.
• Ability to hold vendors accountable to agreed timelines and deliverables.
• Capacity to effectively document historical vendor performance and leverage it for future pipeline planning.
• Experience creating and implementing new processes based on role and company needs.
• Experience reviewing, interpreting, and providing feedback on vendor contracts, including identifying risks, obligations, and compliance requirements.
• Proven ability to manage the full lifecycle of vendor contracts, from negotiation through execution, renewal, and termination.

Certifications/Licenses, Education, and Experience

• Minimum Education:
  • Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, healthcare, nursing, or related field (advanced degree preferred).
• Minimum Experience:
  • 3–5 years of experience in clinical operations, vendor management, or clinical trial start-up.
  • Prior vendor-facing experience within clinical trials required.
  • Familiarity with vendor acquisition and management, and contracting workflows.
  • Experience in Clinical Project Management is strongly preferred.
  • Proficiency with CTMS, clinical portals, and project tracking tools.

How We Work Together

• Travel: This is a remote position with up to 50% travel requirements.
• Physical demands associated with this position include: The ability to use keyboards and other computer equipment.