Major Contracts Manager

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHAMPTON; Southampton; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking institution as a Major Contracts Manager, where you will play a pivotal role in negotiating and managing high-value research contracts and collaborations. This position requires expertise in contract negotiation and intellectual property, as well as the ability to communicate effectively with senior managers across various sectors. You will be part of a dynamic team that supports academic and research staff in achieving their enterprise objectives, ensuring timely processing of contracts while fostering collaborative relationships. If you are passionate about research and innovation and possess the skills to navigate complex agreements, this opportunity is perfect for you.

Qualifications

• Experience in complex contract review and negotiation is essential.
• Degree in law or sciences required with further contract training.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate and provide advice on high-value research contracts.
• Oversee research and finance staff on contracts and guide faculties.

Skills

Contract negotiation

Intellectual property understanding

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Presentation skills

Education

Degree in Law or Sciences

Further contract training

Job description

Research and Innovation Services (R&IS) delivers a range of services which support academic and research staff to fulfil their research and enterprise objectives. In particular, R&IS support the development of collaborations with industry or other partners, consultancy services, and commercialisation of intellectual property.

You will be part of a specialist team within R&IS providing advice on research contracts and collaborations whether with other universities or industry. Being one of five Major Contracts Managers, you will be expected to negotiate and provide professional yet pragmatic advice on a wide range of agreements. The focus of support will be on high value, strategic or complex matters which could involve multiple partners, international collaborations, or longer-term relationships.

The Major Contracts Manager will also play a significant role in providing guidance and advice to their allocated faculties who will be handling the greater volume of contracts and more routine matters. You will oversee research and finance staff on research contracts as well as more junior team members. The Major Contracts Manager will have overall responsibility for contracts allocated to their faculties to ensure that matters are processed and concluded in a timely manner.

You must have recent experience of complex contract review, negotiation, and be able to draft amendments appropriately and have an excellent understanding of intellectual property. Ideally, this experience will have been gained in an industry-university setting, on research and development activities. Experience coordinating and negotiating agreements for multiparty projects, high value strategic relationships, and international collaborations is highly desirable, as is commercial experience gained in or working with at least one of the following industry sectors: aerospace, defence, engineering, ICT, health, and pharmaceutical.

You will need to have excellent written, presentation, and verbal skills, with the ability to communicate at a variety of levels including senior managers in large multinationals. You must be a team player with the ability to work collaboratively with others to disseminate and share knowledge and information. You will have a degree (or equivalent) in either law or one of the sciences and have had further contract training.

For an informal discussion about this post, please contact Peta Durrant, Head of Contracts (Interim), Research and Innovation Services: [e-mail] or call 023 8059 8567.