Contracts Officer

University of Sheffield; Sheffield; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading university in Sheffield seeks a Contracts Officer to draft and manage research contracts, ensuring compliance and protecting intellectual property. The role involves providing legal advice to researchers and stakeholders, managing multiple contracts, and fostering collaboration within the faculty. Ideal candidates are proactive, self-motivated, and have strong communication skills. This position offers flexible working and various benefits.

Benefits

Competitive annual leave

Generous pensions scheme

Flexible working opportunities

Development and wellbeing support

Retail discounts

Qualifications

• Ability to anticipate legal challenges and propose practical risk mitigations.
• Strong communication skills to provide clear advice and foster relationships.
• Proactive and able to prioritize workload effectively.
• Passion for safeguarding intellectual property and legal compliance.

Responsibilities

• Draft and review research contracts to protect intellectual property.
• Provide legal advice to researchers and stakeholders.
• Manage multiple contracts and support contract management processes.
• Develop solutions to ensure legal compliance across research activities.

Skills

Pragmatism

Strong written and verbal communication

Self-motivated

Understanding of legal compliance

Job description

Overview

University of Sheffield

Job Advert

Job Reference Number: 1240

Working Pattern: 35 hours per week with 50% hybrid working

Faculty: Professional Services

Department: Research, Partnerships and Innovation

Closing Date: 06 October 2025

Role title

Contracts Officer

Overview

Become a Research Contracts Officer at a world-leading university. Join Our Team as a Contracts Officer. We are seeking a skilled and dedicated Contracts Officer to safeguard the University\'s groundbreaking research by providing the legal framework our researchers need to explore and innovate with confidence.

Responsibilities

• Draft and review research contracts to protect the University\'s intellectual property and to mitigate legal risks.
• Provide clear, concise, and practical legal advice to researchers and internal stakeholders to support collaborative outcomes.
• Anticipate potential legal challenges and develop solutions to ensure contracts align with the broader context of each project.
• Manage multiple contracts concurrently, working autonomously and prioritising tasks to support contract management processes.
• Contribute to safeguarding intellectual property and ensuring legal compliance across research activities.
• Stay informed on relevant legislation, regulations, and standard processes; participate in training and professional development opportunities.
• Foster collaboration and build positive relationships within the allocated faculty to ensure researchers have access to contract support.
• Work as part of a dynamic team of 18, contributing to drafting and reviewing over 3,000 research contracts annually.

Person specification / Qualifications

• Demonstrates pragmatism and the ability to anticipate legal challenges and propose practical risk mitigations.
• Strong written and verbal communication to provide clear advice and foster collaborative relationships.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work autonomously while effectively prioritising workload.
• A genuine passion for safeguarding intellectual property and ensuring legal compliance, with a commitment to ethical standards and regulatory requirements.
• Commitment to continuous learning and professional development in relevant legislation and processes.
• Collaborative mindset with the ability to work with researchers and internal teams to access contract support.

Benefits

We offer a range of benefits including a competitive annual leave entitlement (with the option to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, development and wellbeing support, retail discounts, and more. We are committed to exploring flexible working opportunities that benefit both the individual and the University.

Find out more at www.sheffield.ac.uk/benefits and join us to become part of something special.

Diversity

We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.