Commercial and Legal Manager

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.; City Of London; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading scientific company in the UK is seeking a professional for a role focused on commercial contracts and intellectual property management. The ideal candidate will have at least 3 years of experience in a commercial or legal role within the hi-tech production sector. Responsibilities include evaluating, drafting, and negotiating various commercial agreements, as well as overseeing patents and trademarks. Applicants must be able to attend the Lincoln site at least three times a week to meet the dynamic demands of this critical position.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years experience in a similar commercial/legal role within hi-tech production or manufacturing.
• Strong experience in contract management and negotiation.
• Desirable: Experience in hi-tech manufacturing or production environments.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate, draft, negotiate, and implement a range of commercial and legal documents.
• Engage specialist legal advice as needed and manage external legal advisors.
• Oversee patents and trademarks, manage IP assignments, and handle infringement cases.
• Maintain contracts database and support litigation processes.
• Contribute to formulation of commercial procedures and policies.

Skills

Contract management

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., Epicor)

Ability to analyse and assess contractual risks

Experience managing external advisors

Education

Degree-level business or legal qualification

Job description

Commercial Contracts & Agreements

• Evaluate, draft, negotiate, and implement a range of commercial and legal documents, including:
• International and national multi-party agreements
• R&D collaboration and consortium agreements
• Standard terms & conditions, sales contracts, frame agreements
• Representative, distributor, consultancy, confidentiality agreements
• External funding agreements (EU & Innovate UK)
• Complex quotations, tenders, licence agreements, settlements, assignment agreements
• Ancillary commercial documents (performance guarantees, bank guarantees)
• Supply agreements and software licences

1. Engage specialist legal advice as needed and manage external legal advisors.

Intellectual Property (IP) Management

• Oversee patents and trademarks (applications, renewals, maintenance)
• Manage IP assignments, trade secrets, and confidentiality issues
• Handle counterfeiting and infringement cases
• Engage and manage external IP advisors

Commercial Procedures & Policies

• Contribute to formulation and implementation of commercial procedures and company policies

Finance, Legal & Commercial Support

• Maintain contracts database
• Play a key role in major transactions (e.g., sale/leaseback, sale of businesses, due diligence)
• Support litigation and dispute resolution processes
• Manage product liability claims

Qualifications & Skills

• Minimum of 3 years experience in a similar commercial/legal role within hi-tech production or manufacturing
• Strong experience in contract management and negotiation
• Excellent analytical skills with attention to contractual detail
• Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g., Epicor)
• Degree-level business or legal qualification
• Key Skills & Competencies:
  • Ability to analyse and assess contractual risks
  • Skilled in drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial documents
  • Ability to execute agreements and manage multiple priorities under tight deadlines
  • Strong business judgement and trusted advisor capability across all levels
  • Experience managing external advisors and confidential information
• Desirable: Experience in hi-tech manufacturing or production environments
• MUST BE ABLE TO ATTEND SITE IN LINCOLN, UK AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK