Contracts Advisor

Heriot-Watt University; Kilmarnock; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious university in Scotland is seeking a Contracts Advisor to prepare, negotiate, and conclude commercial contracts. The successful candidate will provide legal advice for research and knowledge exchange while protecting intellectual property. Key responsibilities include drafting agreements and offering contractual support across various university departments. Excellent qualifications in law or business and experience in commercial contracts are essential. This role offers a hybrid working pattern.

Benefits

33 days holiday plus additional closed days

Flexible working patterns

Qualifications

• Educated to first degree level in law or business with legal content.
• Proven experience in commercial contracts.
• Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Draft, negotiate, and advise on contracts and agreements.
• Provide commercially focused advice on contracts.
• Assist with various contractual matters as required.

Skills

Excellent interpersonal skills

Knowledge of intellectual property rights

Ability to work flexibly in pressured environments

Strong ethical standards

Stakeholder engagement

Education

First degree in law (LLB) or business

Tools

Worktribe

Job description

Description

Job Posting Title: Contracts Advisor

Grade and Salary: Grade 7 (£37,694 - £47,389)

FTE and working pattern: 1 FTE – 35 hours weekly based in Edinburgh campus. Hybrid working is possible.

Holiday Entitlement: 33 days, plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday).

Organisation Name: Research Engagement

Purpose of Role: To prepare, negotiate and conclude commercial contracts, including confidentiality agreements, studentships, research collaborations with other universities and with industry & consultancy agreements. The role will support the University’s Strategy 2035 with contractual advice for both research and knowledge exchange to protect the University’s intellectual property and fulfil its charitable purpose.

Summary Of Key Duties And Responsibilities

• To draft, negotiate and advise on research and related contracts, subcontracts, confidentiality agreements, studentships, collaboration agreements, etc.
• To provide commercially focussed advice on industrial sponsorship deals and contracts.
• To draft and review software licences, patent and knowhow licences and associated documentation.
• To provide general intellectual property advice to academic and professional services colleagues.
• To provide general contractual advice to support other directorates within the university, eg Enterprise, Finance, Estates & Facilities, Governance & Legal Services, etc.
• To assist the Head of Legal and Senior Contracts Adviser on a variety of contractual matters as required.
• To undertake any other duties required from time to time by the Head of Legal or the Director of Research Engagement.

Education, Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• Educated to first degree level in law (LLB) or business with relevant legal content.
• Experience of working within Higher Education or a similar environment.
• Proven relevant experience in commercial contracts which will have been acquired over a number of years, with a basic understanding of the relevant theory.
• Good knowledge and understanding of intellectual property rights.
• Excellent interpersonal, influencing and presentation skills, able to understand and communicate complex issues effectively.
• Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment.
• Experience of working closely with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation.
• High level organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment.
• Demonstrable strong ethical standards with a commitment to being present and engaged in the workplace.
• Ability to work professionally and effectively both independently and as part of a team.

Desirable

• Professional Qualification or membership of Professional body (Law Society).
• Understanding of the different aspects of commercialisation in a university context.
• Experience of using Worktribe.

About our School/Directorate and Team

The Research Engagement Directorate consists of three linked divisions – Research Development, Legal and Policy Strategy & Impact - spanning the breadth of research engagement from supporting researchers with the development of research proposals and bids, to collaborating with industry on research & development, as well as knowledge exchange projects, and public engagement.

The Legal division’s mission is to protect the interests of the University in its research and knowledge exchange activities, and support its Excelling in Research & Enterprise strategy.

How To Apply

Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Tuesday, 11th November 2025.

Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system your Full CV and cover letter.

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team. Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-WattUniversity is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-WattUniversity values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htmand also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/.

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part‑time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htmto see the value of benefits provided by Heriot‑Watt University.