Contracts Manager

University of Greater Manchester; Bolton; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Greater Manchester is seeking a dynamic Contracts Manager for its Off-Campus Division, based on campus in Bolton. You will review, draft and negotiate partnership agreements, ensuring they reflect university policy, regulatory requirements and sector practice while supporting strategic growth.

You will lead contract lifecycle management, advise on IP, liability, VAT and full economic costing, perform due diligence and risk assessments, and oversee digital contract registers to

Responsibilities

• Drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and finalising partnership agreements, including variations and renewals.
• Providing high-quality advisory on complex contractual issues such as intellectual property, liability, VAT, and full economic costing.
• Undertaking due diligence and risk management to ensure compliance with university policies and external regulatory requirements (e.g., OfS).
• Collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to achieve favorable contractual terms.
• Leading the management of digital contract registers to ensure accuracy, traceability and compliance.

Job description

The University of Greater Manchester is committed to delivering high-quality, well-governed higher education across an expanding network of UK and international academic partners. Our Off-Campus Division operates in a regulated and fast-evolving environment where academic standards, financial oversight, and legal compliance are critical.

We are seeking a dynamic and legally-astute Contracts Manager to enable effective, compliant, and strategically aligned academic partnerships across the division by reviewing, drafting, negotiating, and advising on a broad spectrum of partnership-related contracts.

The Role

You will play a critical role in the Off-Campus Division, representing the University in contractual discussions with academic partners. You will ensure that all agreements reflect the division’s objectives, University policy, regulatory requirements, and sector practice. Beyond drafting, you will manage and maintain digital contract and legal compliance systems to ensure robust financial management and oversight of our global partnerships.

NB: This is a campus-based role located in Bolton.

Key Responsibilities

• Contract Lifecycle Management: Drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and finalising partnership agreements, including variations and renewals.
• Expert Advisory: Providing high-quality advice on complex contractual issues such as intellectual property, liability, VAT, and full economic costing.
• Risk & Due Diligence: Undertaking due diligence and risk management activities to ensure compliance with University policies and external regulatory requirements, such as the Office for Students (OfS).
• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborating closely with internal and external stakeholders to achieve the best possible contractual terms.
• System Oversight: Leading the management of digital contract registers to ensure high levels of accuracy, traceability, and compliance.
• Regulatory Awareness: Maintaining a full awareness of policies regarding GDPR, Freedom of Information, and the Bribery Act within the HE sector.

About You

You are an organised "completer-finisher" with the drive to achieve continual improvement and the diplomacy required to negotiate complex terms with diverse stakeholders. You will be comfortable managing multiple contract cycles simultaneously and possess the analytical skills needed to develop robust compliance systems. Most importantly, you will take ownership of ensuring our partnership network remains legally sound, financially compliant, and strategically robust.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact the Head of the Off-Campus Division (Yusuf Giga – [e-mail]).