Commercial Manager

EQUANS; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global professional institution is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel specializing in IP and Licensing. This remote/hybrid role involves drafting, negotiating, and managing a variety of commercial contracts and IP assets. With a minimum of 3 years’ experience required, the ideal candidate will have strong contract management skills and a degree-level legal qualification. This position offers the flexibility of remote work but necessitates occasional site visits in Lincoln, UK and is a 12-month maternity cover.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years experience in a commercial/legal role.
• Strong experience in contract management and negotiation.
• Skilled in drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial documents.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate, draft, negotiate, and implement commercial and legal documents.
• Engage and manage external legal advisors.
• Oversee patents and trademarks, manage IP assignments.

Skills

Contract management

Negotiation

Analytical skills

Familiarity with ERP systems

Drafting commercial documents

Business judgement

Education

Degree-level business or legal qualification

Tools

Epicor

Job description

Position

Senior Legal Counsel – IP & Licensing (Remote/Hybrid).

About the Role

A leading global professional institution seeks a high‑calibre Legal Counsel to support the Head of Legal on a broad range of commercial matters. The role involves drafting, negotiating, and managing commercial contracts and IP assets.

Responsibilities

• 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 and conditions, sales contracts, frame agreements, representative, distributor, consultancy and confidentiality agreements, external funding agreements (EU & Innovate UK), complex quotations, tenders, licence agreements, settlements, assignment agreements, and ancillary commercial documents such as performance guarantees and bank guarantees.
• Engage specialist legal advice as needed and manage external legal advisors.
• Oversee patents and trademarks (applications, renewals, maintenance), manage IP assignments, trade secrets, confidentiality issues, and counterfeiting and infringement cases.
• Contribute to the formulation and implementation of commercial procedures and company policies.
• Maintain contracts database and play a key role in major transactions (e.g., sale/leaseback, sale of businesses, due diligence).
• Support litigation and dispute resolution processes and 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.
• 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 adviser capability across all levels.
• Experience managing external advisors and confidential information.
• Experience in hi‑tech manufacturing or production environments (desirable).

Location & Working Arrangements

Hybrid/Remote (occasionally travel to Leeds office). Must be able to attend site in Lincoln, UK at least 3 times a week.

Additional Details

This is a 12‑month maternity cover position, fully remote in the UK.