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Contract Development Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Manager Contract Development

Deerfield, IL · On-site

$90K - $121K/yr

Job Summary Responsible for assisting with the development of the "deal story" and individual proposals and contracts for product and service offerings for the segment and customers that are assigned.

Contracts Manager

Chicago, IL

$91K - $122K/yr

In this role, you will own contract development, review, negotiation, and administration across commercial agreements, vendor relationships, service agreements, and government contracts, serving as ...

Business Development Executive

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

$110K - $150K/yr

Responsible for contract development and negotiation. Essential Requirements: * Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or Business Administration. * At least 5 years of ...

Business Development Executive

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

$110K - $150K/yr

Responsible for contract development and negotiation. Essential Requirements: * Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or Business Administration. * At least 5 years of ...

Business Development Executive

Chicago, IL · On-site +1

$110K - $150K/yr

Responsible for contract development and negotiation. Essential Requirements: * Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Information Technology or Business Administration. * At least 5 years of ...

In this pivotal role, you will leverage your 4+ years of experience in provider relations and contract development to support our provider network strategy, maintain strong relationships, and ...

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Showing results 1-20

Contract Development information

See Chicago, IL salary details

$34K

$79.8K

$137K

How much do contract development jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 31, 2026, the average yearly pay for contract development in Chicago, IL is $79,773.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $60,300.00 and $93,200.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is contract development?

Contract development refers to the process of creating, negotiating, and finalizing legal agreements between two or more parties. Professionals in contract development ensure that all terms, conditions, and obligations are clearly defined and legally enforceable. This role often involves collaborating with legal, procurement, and business teams to protect organizational interests and minimize risks. Effective contract development is crucial for successful partnerships and compliance with laws and regulations.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in contract development, and why are they important?

To excel in Contract Development, you need expertise in contract law, negotiation, and drafting, often supported by a degree in law, business, or a related field. Familiarity with contract management systems, legal research tools, and compliance software is typically required. Strong attention to detail, analytical thinking, and effective communication help professionals craft clear agreements and manage stakeholder relationships. These skills and qualities are crucial for minimizing risk, ensuring legal compliance, and supporting successful business outcomes.

What are some common challenges faced in a contract development role, and how can they be managed effectively?

Professionals in Contract Development often encounter challenges such as negotiating complex terms, ensuring compliance with changing regulations, and balancing the needs of multiple stakeholders. Successfully managing these issues requires strong communication skills, attention to detail, and the ability to stay organized under tight deadlines. Building collaborative relationships with legal, procurement, and business teams is also essential for resolving ambiguities and achieving mutually beneficial agreements.

What is the difference between Contract Development vs Contract Manufacturing?

AspectContract DevelopmentContract Manufacturing
Primary FocusDesigning and developing new products or formulationsProducing and manufacturing products based on existing designs
Required SkillsResearch, formulation, regulatory knowledgeProduction processes, quality control, equipment operation
Work EnvironmentLaboratories, R&D facilitiesManufacturing plants, production lines
Industry UsagePharmaceuticals, biotech, consumer goodsPharmaceuticals, chemicals, food industries

Contract Development involves creating new products and formulations, focusing on research and design. In contrast, Contract Manufacturing centers on producing these products at scale, emphasizing manufacturing processes and quality control. Both roles are essential in bringing products from concept to market, but they differ in scope and daily activities.

What does a contract development do?

A contract development professional is responsible for creating, negotiating, and managing contracts between organizations and clients or vendors. They ensure that contractual terms comply with legal standards and organizational policies, often working closely with legal teams and using contract management tools. Their work helps mitigate risks and ensures clear agreements are in place for business operations.

What are the most commonly searched types of Development jobs in Chicago, IL?

The most popular types of Development jobs in Chicago, IL are:

What cities near Chicago, IL are hiring for Contract Development jobs?

Cities near Chicago, IL with the most Contract Development job openings:

Infographic showing various Contract Development job openings in Chicago, IL as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 1% As Needed, 83% Full Time, 14% Part Time, and 2% Contract. Highlights an 90% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 7% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $79,773 per year, or $38.4 per hour.

Director, Contract Development

Pfizer, Inc.

Lake Forest, IL • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Retirement, PTO

This job post has expired today. Applications are no longer accepted.


Pfizer rating

8.2

Company rating: 8.2 out of 10

Based on 126 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz

33rd of 86 rated pharmaceutical


Job description

Use Your Power for Purpose
At Pfizer, our focus is on patients and understanding the critical role our medicines play to produce better health outcomes. As a cross-functional team of experts, we create and execute comprehensive market access strategies through the integration of pricing and reimbursement, health technology assessment, evidence-based medicine review, and health economic modeling activities. Your expertise and innovative approach will enhance the value of our medicines and the impact on patient outcomes.
What You Will Achieve
The Director, Contract Development is a senior individual contributor within the Global Hospital & Biosimilars (GH&B) U.S. Commercial Contracting & Rebate Operations organization. This role leads the drafting, negotiation, and enterprise-wide governance of contract language, templates, and terms and conditions supporting institutional customer segments, including Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs), Integrated Delivery Networks (IDNs), hospitals, alternate sites of care, trade, and retail customers. This is a senior individual contributor role with no direct people management responsibilities.
The Director, Contract Development partners closely with the Director, Contract Strategy to translate approved contracting strategies into executable contract language, and works closely with Contract Management, Rebate Operations, Account Management, Portfolio, Pricing & Commercial Operations, Government Pricing, Legal, Digital, and other cross-functional stakeholders to deliver market-responsive, compliant, and risk-managed contract language that balances commercial objectives, customer value, operational feasibility, and compliance requirements. The role serves as the senior technical expert and mentor for Contract Development, operating at the highest levels of autonomy in drafting, negotiating, and shaping contract language, including for the organization's most complex and highest-value customer relationships. This role uses discretion to determine appropriate escalation of final contract language, positions, and risk decisions to the Director/Team Lead, Contract Strategy and Development. This position plays a critical role in enabling access to essential hospital and biosimilar therapies through effective, compliant, and well-crafted contracting.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Contract Development
  • Partner with the Director, Contract Strategy to translate approved contracting strategies into executable, negotiated contract language for assigned institutional customers.
  • Lead the drafting, negotiation, and execution of high-value, highly complex agreements in support of GH&B U.S. Commercial strategies.
  • Serve as the senior contract language expert for the organization's most complex, highest-value customer relationships, partnering with the Director, Contract Strategy on account strategy.
  • Lead the ongoing development, governance, and maintenance of contract templates, standard clauses, and agreement language, ensuring consistency and compliance across customer segments, partnering with Legal to enable scalable execution.
  • Drive innovation in contract language and constructs that create competitive advantage, assessing and managing legal and business risk.
  • Lead critical initiatives, including new template development and risk assessment, for new customer segments and contracting channels, setting direction for how Contract Development scales into new areas.
Data, Analytics & Risk Assessment
  • Lead the early-risk identification framework, converting cross-functional input from Contract Strategy, Contract Management, Rebate Operations, Account Management, Portfolio, Pricing & Commercial Operations, Government Pricing, and Legal into executive-level risk recommendations.
  • Lead risk evaluation of contract language and terms, including legal, financial, and operational components across the full range of contracting scenarios, recommending risk tolerance and mitigation approach.
  • Drive development of analytical tools and frameworks that strengthen contract risk assessment and drafting decisions across the function.
  • Lead assessment of the impact of evolving healthcare laws and regulations on contract terms, recommending enterprise-wide template and policy updates.
Strategic Thinking & Business Partnership
  • Lead the translation of product, pricing, and customer strategy into executable contract language, partnering with Portfolio, Pricing & Commercial Operations (PCO), and Account Management as the senior Contract Development authority.
  • Advise and influence GH&B U.S. Commercial Leadership, Account Management, Contract Strategy, and Contract Management oncontractual positions, shaping decisions on their business implications.
  • Lead evaluation and adoption of innovative Contract Development platforms, tools, and enhanced AI capabilities, partnering with the Team Lead to drive implementation across the contracting workflow.
  • Serve as the senior technical expert and mentor for Contract Development colleagues, setting the standard for and elevating drafting capability and consistency across the function.
Cross-Functional & Customer Engagement
  • Lead the Contract Development process end-to-end across Contract Strategy, Contract Management, and Rebate Operations, directing the contract lifecycle from a Contract Development perspective.
  • Lead contract-language strategy and risk positioning within complex institutional negotiations, partnering with Contract Strategy and Account Management to drive successful outcomes.
  • Build and maintain strong, productive relationships with Account Management, Legal, Compliance, and key external customers, directly influencing negotiation outcomes.
Governance, Compliance & Process Support
  • Lead efforts to ensure all contract language, templates, and agreements comply with legal, regulatory, and company policy requirements, partnering with Legal as needed.
  • Partner with the Director, Contract Strategy to ensure strategic intent is accurately reflected in contract language.
  • Coordinate with Contract Management and Rebate Operations to ensure operational feasibility and execution of contract language.
  • Lead Contract Development process reimaginations, driving continuous improvement of drafting standards, documentation, and governance practices.

Here Is What You Need (Minimum Requirements)
  • Applicant must have a bachelor's degree with at least 8 years of experience; OR a master's degree with at least 7 years of experience; OR a PhD with 5+ years of experience
  • Experience in: pharmaceutical, institutional contracting, contract development/agreement drafting, or market access experience.
  • Experience working with GPOs, IDNs, hospitals, alternate sites of care, trade, and retail customers.
  • Expert-level knowledge of contract drafting, agreement language, and industry-standard contracting terms.
  • Experience leading complex negotiations for high-value, strategically significant accounts.
  • Demonstrated track record of leading governance frameworks, driving cross-functional initiatives, and influencing senior stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated strengths in risk assessment, analytical thinking, problem solving, and cross-functional collaboration.

Bonus Points If You Have (Preferred Requirements)
  • Paralegal degree or certification preferred but not required.
  • Experience with biosimilars, generics, or injectables inhospital/institutional settings.

PHYSICAL/MENTAL REQUIREMENTS
Ability to perform complex data analysis and risk assessment using large, complex datasets and analytical tools; ability to synthesize legal, financial, and operational risk considerations across multiple concurrent, highly complex contract negotiations, often under time-sensitive conditions.
NON-STANDARD WORK SCHEDULE, TRAVEL OR ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS
Periodic travel to support in-person customer negotiations, cross-functional meetings, or industry conferences.
Work Location Assignment: Hybrid
The annual base salary for this position ranges from $162,900.00 to $271,500.00.* In addition, this position is eligible for participation in Pfizer's Global Performance Plan with a bonus target of 20.0% of the base salary and eligibility to participate in our share based long term incentive program. We offer comprehensive and generous benefits and programs to help our colleagues lead healthy lives and to support each of life's moments. Benefits offered include a 401(k) plan with Pfizer Matching Contributions and an additional Pfizer Retirement Savings Contribution, paid vacation, holiday and personal days, paid caregiver/parental and medical leave, and health benefits to include medical, prescription drug, dental and vision coverage. Learn more at Pfizer Candidate Site - U.S. Benefits | (uscandidates.mypfizerbenefits.com). Pfizer compensation structures and benefit packages are aligned based on the location of hire. The United States salary range provided does not apply to Tampa, FL or any location outside of the United States.* The annual base salary for this position in Tampa, FL ranges from $146,600.00 to $244,400.00.This role is posted in multiple locations. If you are applying for the role in an secondary job posting location where pay transparency regulations apply, your Talent Advisor will share the local pay information with you during the first interview.
Relocation assistance may be available based on business needs and/or eligibility.
Candidates must be authorized to be employed in the U.S. by any employer.
U.S. work visa sponsorship (such as TN, O-1, H-1B, etc.) is not available for this role now or in the future.
Sunshine Act
Pfizer reports payments and other transfers of value to health care providers as required by federal and state transparency laws and implementing regulations. These laws and regulations require Pfizer to provide government agencies with information such as a health care provider's name, address and the type of payments or other value received, generally for public disclosure. Subject to further legal review and statutory or regulatory clarification, which Pfizer intends to pursue, reimbursement of recruiting expenses for licensed physicians may constitute a reportable transfer of value under the federal transparency law commonly known as the Sunshine Act. Therefore, if you are a licensed physician who incurs recruiting expenses as a result of interviewing with Pfizer that we pay or reimburse, your name, address and the amount of payments made currently will be reported to the government. If you have questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to contact your Talent Acquisition representative.
EEO & Employment Eligibility
Pfizer is committed to equal opportunity in the terms and conditions of employment for all employees and job applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, gender identity or gender expression, national origin, disability or veteran status. Pfizer also complies with all applicable national, state and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment as well as work authorization and employment eligibility verification requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act and IRCA. Pfizer is an E-Verify employer. This position requires permanent work authorization in the United States.
Pfizer endeavors to make www.pfizer.com/careers accessible to all users. If you would like to contact us regarding the accessibility of our website or need assistance completing the application process and/or interviewing, please email disabilityrecruitment@pfizer.com. This is to be used solely for accommodation requests with respect to the accessibility of our website, online application process and/or interviewing. Requests for any other reason will not be returned.
To learn more about acceptable and prohibited uses of AI during the recruitment process, please review our candidate AI-use guidelines available on Pfizer Careers.
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About Pfizer

Sourced by ZipRecruiter

All over the world, Pfizer colleagues work together to positively impact health for everyone, everywhere. Our colleagues have the opportunity to grow and develop a career that offers both individual and company success; be part of an ownership culture that values diversity and where all colleagues are energized and engaged; and the ability to impact the health and lives of millions of people. Pfizer, a global leader in the biopharmaceutical industry, is continuously seeking top talent who are inspired by our purpose to innovate to bring therapies to patients that significantly improve their lives. Our Health and Science System Specialists Team provides leadership across patient care settings in the complex Hospital, Health System, and Key Medical Group environment to bring value to our customers and patients in this dynamic ecosystem.

Industry

Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing

Company size

10,000+ Employees

Headquarters location

New York, NY, US

Year founded

1849