Contracts Officer

The University of Sheffield; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 31,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious educational institution in Sheffield is seeking a Contracts Officer to draft and negotiate contracts across various projects. The ideal candidate will have legal experience, excellent communication skills, and a collaborative approach. Offering a salary range of £31,637 - £36,130 and a supportive working culture with flexible working opportunities, this role is perfect for someone looking to make a significant impact in academia.

Benefits

38 days annual leave

Flexible working opportunities

Generous pension scheme

Discounts and rewards on shopping

Recognition Awards

Development opportunities

Family-friendly policies

Qualifications

• Experience in knowledge transfer or research agreements preferred.
• Assertiveness and pragmatic decision-making skills preferred.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate contracts.
• Provide guidance on risk, IP protection and contractual obligations.
• Collaborate with teams to streamline agreements.

Skills

Experience drafting and negotiating legal agreements

Ability to communicate complex legal issues in plain English

Collaborative, people-focused approach

Ability to balance risks and requirements

Experience managing workloads and shifting priorities

Supportive and collegial team-working style

Good working knowledge of IT systems

Tools

Google Drive

MS Office

Job description

Overview

Are you looking for an opportunity to play a key role in negotiating contracts in a world-class university setting? We’re seeking someone with some legal experience to join our supportive team. This is an ideal role for someone who is pragmatic, collaborative, and detail-focused, with excellent communication skills and a strong grasp of risk management.

You’ll draft and review a diverse portfolio of contracts across a range of research and innovation projects with commercial, charity and government partners. We provide ongoing training and professional development and actively promote an inclusive and supportive working culture.

Main Duties And Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate contracts (e.g. collaboration, funding, data/material transfer, IP licenses, consultancy).
• Offer guidance and recommendations to researchers on risk, IP protection and contractual obligations.
• Serve as a key contact for a faculty or schools and external parties.
• Collaborate with research support and professional service teams, both internally and externally, to streamline agreements and promote good practice.
• Stay up to date with relevant legal knowledge and contribute to the development of effective team processes.
• Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.

Person Specification

We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.

Criteria

Essential/Desirable

• Experience drafting and negotiating legal agreements — Essential
• Ability to communicate complex legal issues in plain English — Essential
• Collaborative, people-focused approach to service delivery — Essential
• Ability to balance risks and requirements with sound judgement — Essential
• Experience of managing workloads and shifting priorities — Essential
• Supportive and collegial team-working style — Essential
• Good working knowledge of IT systems (e.g. Google Drive, MS Office) — Essential
• Experience in knowledge transfer or research agreements — Desirable
• Assertiveness and pragmatic decision-making skills — Desirable

Further Information

Grade: 6

Salary: £31,637 - £36,130 per annum (pro-rata), with potential to progress to £39,355 through outstanding contribution

Work arrangement: Full-time / hybrid

Line manager: Contracts Manager

Direct reports: N/A

Contact And Recruitment

For informal enquiries about this job contact:
Verity Clarke, Contracts Team Manager ([e-mail]) | 0114 222 1439

Next steps: The selection process is anticipated to take place on 16 July 2025, with candidates informed of progression during the week of 21 July 2025. For adjustments to participate in the recruitment process, contact Tom Bland ([e-mail]).

Our Vision And Benefits

We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in a new window).

What We Offer

• A minimum of 38 days annual leave (including bank holidays and closure days, pro-rata) with the ability to purchase more.
• Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
• Generous pension scheme.
• A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
• A variety of staff networks for social interaction, peer support and development (e.g., Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
• Recognition Awards for staff who go above and beyond.
• Development opportunities via learning and mentoring schemes; integrated with our Professional Services Shared Skills Framework.
• A range of family-friendly policies such as paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies, menopause support, and paid time off for fertility treatment.

More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).

We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria, you will be invited to participate in the next stage of the selection process.

Criminal Record

A BPSS check will be needed for this role, which includes a DBS check. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/BPSS (opens in a new window). Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment. We assess each case on its own merits. More information is available on our Information for candidates page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates (opens in a new window).

Closing Date: 06/10/2025