"Industry Contracts Partner"

Role Summary

The Industry Contracts Partner will lead the negotiation and costing of research contracts with industry partners, ensuring alignment with University policy and sector best practice. Operating within a collaborative team environment, the post holder will provide expert advice on contractual risk, conduct due diligence checks, and contribute to regulatory compliance activities.

This is a pivotal role for a contracts specialist who thrives on complexity, innovation, and collaboration. It requires a deep understanding of university-industry engagement, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to manage complex and sensitive contractual issues. The post holder will be a key contact for internal and external stakeholders and will play an active role in developing resources and training to strengthen contract management across the wider research support community.

Main Duties

• Lead on the negotiation and drafting of a portfolio of industry-funded research contracts, ensuring alignment with institutional policy and relevant legislation.
• Provide expert guidance on the costing and pricing of industry contracts, ensuring full economic costing and strategic pricing policies are appropriately applied.
• Conduct and/or review due diligence and export control checks for industry partners, liaising with senior academics and external stakeholders to ensure effective risk mitigation.
• Work closely with the Business Engagement & Research Impact (BERI) team to provide a seamless commercial interface with industry partners.
• Collaborate with Research Support Managers and other colleagues within the College Hubs to ensure contracts are developed in alignment with wider research activity and operational procedures.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of regulatory frameworks (e.g. Export Control, National Security & Investment Act, FIRS) and support the implementation of relevant compliance activities.
• Support the Assistant Director (Contracts Policy & Compliance) in the delivery of workshops, training materials, and written guidance for research contracting to build capacity across RSSD.
• Provide authoritative advice to academic staff and senior leadership on complex contractual issues and associated risks.
• Contribute to cross-team working, resource sharing, and peer review of contract activity across the Hubs to ensure consistent standards and avoid siloed working.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

Education and Experience

• Educated to degree level or with equivalent professional experience gained in a research-intensive or regulatory environment.
• Substantial experience of drafting, reviewing, and negotiating research-related contracts, preferably in a higher education, commercial research, or technology transfer setting.
• Proven experience of working with academic researchers and external partners (especially industry) to support collaborative research.

Specialist Knowledge

• Strong working knowledge of contract law, intellectual property rights, and terms relevant to industry-facing research agreements.
• Demonstrable experience of applying full economic costing (FEC) principles and pricing models in a research or commercial setting.