"Senior Contracts Manager"

Senior Contracts Manager

University of Cambridge - Cambridge Research Office

Location:	Cambridge
Salary:	£47,389 to £59,966 per annum
Hours:	Full Time
Contract Type:	Permanent

Placed On:	15th January 2026
Closes:	8th February 2026
Job Ref:	EW48486

We are looking for an enthusiastic and motivated self-starter for the post of Senior Contract Manager within the Research Operations Office.

The post holder will lead the contracts function within one of our Clinical School-facing teams at the Research Operations Office, managing a team of Contracts Managers as well as administrative staff. As a senior manager, the post-holder will take the lead on complex contract negotiations - providing support to a range of departments within the school, and will oversee and support the Contracts Managers with their portfolio of matters. As a member of the Senior Contracts Managers team the post-holder will work with colleagues to ensure an effective and coherent contracting function across the office. This will include matters such as providing contracts training, ensuring effective probation and appraisal processes are undertaken, and that administration of contracts is consistent and efficient.

The post holder will act on behalf of the researchers and the University to negotiate agreements ranging from material transfers to multi-party research collaborations, funded by a range of sponsors including Research Councils, charities, the European Commission and a wide range of industrial sponsors.

As a Senior Contract Manager, you will ensure both the researchers' and the University's interests are protected by agreeing terms that safeguard both the researchers' need to publish results and pursue further research and the University's charitable and academic position. You will also consider protection of results for potential commercialisation, and appropriate access to intellectual property rights for sponsor and collaborators.

You will ideally have gained extensive experience of drafting and negotiating agreements through working in either a university or a research-intensive organisation, including industry. Project management experience and a legal and/or scientific background would be an advantage. An understanding of the scientific research environment would also be desirable.

Your application should clearly set out how you meet the criteria listed in the person specification (the skills and experience required for the role) along with relevant examples. Candidates will be shortlisted based on these criteria.

Once an offer of employment has been accepted, the successful candidate will be required to undergo a basic disclosure (criminal records check) check and a security check.

We welcome applications from individuals who wish to be considered for part-time working (minimum 80%) or other flexible working arrangements. The University is supportive of hybrid working, where some work is undertaken on University premises and some in a remote working environment. This role requires onsite attendance at Greenwich House for a minimum of 2 days per week with additional onsite working according to business need.