Job Description

The Contract Manager's primary role is to work within a dedicated team to provide a comprehensive research contract negotiation and management service to the research departments. Contracts Managers are responsible for drafting, negotiating and advising on a wide range of research agreements, amendments and associated documents involving an equally broad base of funders and collaborators including those from industry, the Research Councils, government departments, charities, NGOs and higher education institutions.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Reviewing, advising on, drafting and negotiating a wide variety of research and research-related agreements including research collaboration agreements; studentships; non-disclosure and confidentiality agreements; services agreements; memoranda of understanding; data sharing agreements and loan agreements.
• Negotiation with funders and collaborators to promptly and proactively achieve the optimal contractual terms, including with respect to appropriate limitation of liability, retention of publication rights, framing intellectual property rights, sustainable pricing and other key research contract related issues.
• Reviewing draft agreements received from funders and collaborators, drafting and negotiating appropriate changes where needed; ensuring consistency and adherence to internal standards in order to achieve fit for purpose contractual terms with due consideration and mitigation of risk.
• Representing the organisation at meetings with external funders, collaborators and their legal representatives in order to discuss research transactions, agree transactional principles and reach agreement on changes to draft contracts.
• Liaison and interaction with research and academic staff to establish contracting requirements for research transactions; liaising with academic departments and faculties regarding pricing of research contracts in accordance with the organisation's applicable policies on Full Economic Costing, working in consultation with Research Services colleagues in the Pre-Award team and Head(s) of Research Contracts as required.
• Providing specialist advice to staff within Research Services with respect to complex legal/contractual issues both pre- and post-award across a wide range of transaction types, funding sources and collaborators, as well as helping to resolve contractual queries arising from the organisation's research portfolio.
• Liaising with Business Managers within the organisation in order to ensure that its intellectual property is protected and those opportunities for future dissemination and exploitation are maximized, providing a seamless interface between the organisation's research base and external collaborators and funders.
• Maintaining both awareness and understanding of changes to external funders' contractual practices, terms and conditions and in particular their policies concerning matters pertinent within the academic research context.
• Contributing to development and maintenance of operational procedures and policies, including the preparation of new template agreements and guidance etc.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Ideally holds a Law degree Has experience gained in a Contracts Manager role, with time spent working on research contracts Demonstrated experience of drafting, negotiating and concluding a wide range and high volume of research contracts, preferably within or related to the Higher Education sector In-depth knowledge and understanding of key research contract topics (e.g. intellectual property, performance, publication, confidentiality, VAT, warranties and indemnities) An in-depth understanding and working knowledge of the key issues relating to costing and pricing of research in the Higher Education sector Experience of identifying and addressing potential down-side risks in conducting research and with the negotiation and performance of associated research contracts Experience of working for industry, negotiating research contracts with the Higher Education sector Strong interpersonal, verbal and written communication skills Ability to explain complex contractual issues with clarity to individuals internal and external Tact, diplomacy and the ability to influence and persuade a broad range of individuals A clear understanding for the need and practice of customer focus and customer relationship management skills Ability to prioritise and manage a large, complex workload, taking ownership of tasks, managing and responding to shifting priorities, progressing numerous projects at any one time High level of competency in and knowledge of standard software packages including Microsoft Office 2015+ (Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc.) You will have experience of developing close and effective working relationships with colleagues both internally as well as externally.