Contract and budget manager

Budget & Contract Manager

Johannesburg, South Africa

Bring your negotiation skills to clinical trials that change lives. As our Budget & Contract Manager, you'll be at the center of getting innovative treatments into the hands of patients – managing the critical contracts and budgets that make clinical research possible.

Your new role
In this role, you'll own the end-to-end process of developing, negotiating, and executing Clinical Trial Agreements and budgets. You'll be the bridge between clinical teams, legal, finance, and our clinical trial sites ensuring everything runs smoothly while maintaining compliance and quality.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Negotiating and drafting contracts and Master Services Agreements with clinical sites and vendors in coordination with legal and compliance teams.
• Preparing and negotiating investigator and trial budgets directly with clinical sites, ensuring alignment with local Fair Market Value and global requirements.
• Managing commercial and contractual relationships with investigators, clinical sites, and key internal stakeholders to meet clinical trial timelines.
• Identifying cost-saving opportunities and implementing strategies to enhance cost efficiency across trial budgets.
• Overseeing the signing, shipping, and repository management of contractual documents in electronic systems.
• Evaluating protocol changes for budget impact, negotiating amendments, and escalating financial issues when needed.
• Supporting high-quality execution of clinical trial contract and budget activities in compliance with ICH-GCP and regulatory requirements.

Your new department
You will be part of the Clinical Development Centre (CDC), working closely with global and regional clinical operations, medical, and development teams. The CDC plays a critical role in enabling efficient trial start-up, optimising site selection strategies, and ensuring the successful execution of Novo Nordisk's clinical trial portfolio. In this role, you'll bridge the gap between strategic planning and operational execution, ensuring South African sites are positioned for success in delivering innovative treatments to patients.

Your skills & qualifications
We're looking for someone who thrives in dynamic environments and can confidently navigate complex negotiations. To succeed in this role, you'll bring:

• A Bachelor's degree in life sciences, business administration, law, finance, or a related field.
• 2+ years of experience in clinical research contracting or a similar position within the pharmaceutical industry.
• Excellent knowledge of clinical contracting, budgeting, and legal processes, with a good understanding of costing models.
• Strong negotiation skills and the ability to solve complex problems diplomatically while driving common solutions.
• Proficiency in digital tools and excellent written and verbal communication skills to engage stakeholders across all organizational levels.
• Strong critical thinking and analytical skills with high attention to detail, coupled with business acumen to understand financial drivers and market dynamics.
• The ability to work independently and as part of a team, managing multiple tasks and deadlines with confidence.

Working at Novo Nordisk
Every day we seek the solutions that defeat serious chronic diseases. To do this, we approach our work with determination, constant curiosity and a commitment to finding better ways forward. For over 100 years, this dedication has driven us to build a company focused on lasting change for long-term health. One where diverse thinking, shared purpose and mutual respect come together to create extraordinary results. When you join us, you're not just starting a job – you're becoming part of a story that spans generations.

Deadline: March 23rd,2026.

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and preventing diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.