Division Counsel - Research

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center :  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research. Organization: OLA (Legal Affairs) 10 Job Summary: The Vanderbilt Health Executive Search Team is conducting a national search for a Division Counsel – Research. The Division Counsel, Research provides a broad range of legal support to Vanderbilt University Medical Center’s research enterprise, with a strong emphasis on research regulatory compliance and research-related contracting. This role is responsible for delivering timely legal guidance, reviewing, and negotiating a wide variety of research agreements, and advising on compliance matters that impact sponsored research activities. The successful candidate will be a strategic thinker, an approachable adviser, and a collaborative relationship-builder who thrives in an intellectually challenging environment and demonstrates alignment with VUMC’s values. . Shift: First Shift; Remote General Responsibilities: Legal & Compliance Advisory Provide legal analysis and counsel on federal and institutional research compliance rules and regulations. Advise on compliance with terms and conditions of federal awards, including the Common Rule, PHS Policies on Research Misconduct, and federal financial conflict-of-interest regulations. Support development, implementation, and review of internal policies related to Other Support, foreign components, research misconduct, conflict-of-interest management, and research security. Advise the Office of Sponsored Programs on grant-related matters. Counsel the Research Security Office, Research Compliance Office, and committees on regulatory interpretation and policy monitoring. Provide legal support for institutional review committees including IRB, IBC, and IACUC. Contracting & Transactions Draft, review, analyze, and negotiate a broad range of research-related agreements, including clinical trial agreements, basic research agreements, IP and technology agreements, DUAs, MTAs, NDAs, federal subawards, international research agreements, and large consortium agreements. Conduct due diligence and provide strategic guidance on ongoing research relationships and proposed collaborations. Coordinate with and oversee outside counsel as appropriate. Collaborate with Vanderbilt University’s Office of the General Counsel and the Center for Technology Transfer and Commercialization. Skills & Competencies Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, including negotiation and ability to educate non‑legal stakeholders. Demonstrated ability to build trust and credibility with researchers, administrators, and senior leadership. Proven commitment to confidentiality, discretion, and high ethical standards. Ability to stay current with evolving laws, regulations, and enforcement trends. Experience facilitating policy review, development, and institutional adoption. Ability to effectively represent institutional interests internally and externally.   Qualifications: JD degree from an ABA accredited law school. Employment contingent upon State of Tennessee licensure or registration and receipt of In-House Counsel Practice Certificate. The successful candidate must also apply for and become licensed in the State of Tennessee within 12 months of employment or, if earlier, the date required under applicable rules of the Tennessee Supreme Court. Preferred Qualifications: Five (5) to seven (7) years of progressively responsible legal experience related to clinical research compliance or supporting complex healthcare/life sciences clients. Demonstrated ability to advise leadership on sophisticated, time‑sensitive research matters. Strong experience with research-related agreements and research services agreements.  Experience with federal awards and industry-sponsored agreements. Strong ability to identify, assess, and mitigate legal risks associated with biomedical research. Experience within an academic medical center or research foundation. #LI-JC1 Our professional administrative functions include critical supporting roles in information technology and informatics, finance, administration, legal and community affairs, human resources, communications and marketing, development, facilities, and many more. At our growing health system, we support each other and encourage excellence among all who are part of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth, appreciation of benefits, and a sense of community and purpose. Core Accountabilities: * Organizational Impact: Implements strategies for a sub function with direct impact to the function results.* Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Resolves highly complex business issues that are often unprecedented that have immediate impact on own sub-function or entity and wider implications to the organization. * Breadth of Knowledge: Applies expertise within professional/technical area and uses advanced business knowledge to develop objectives.* Team Interaction: Leads a sub-function serving the organization at large or across one or more entity(s). Core Capabilities : Supporting Colleagues: - Develops Self and Others: Acts upon constructive feedback from all levels of the