We are looking for a fixed term Senior Contracts Associate to be an integral member of the Contracts Team, which provides a professional, effective and efficient service for College researchers by drafting, reviewing, negotiating and advising on contracts from private and public sector organisations for College research and consultancy activity.
The Senior Contracts Associate will be responsible for providing contractual and costing support for industry and government ministry funded research and consultancy projects as well as supporting enabling agreements such as confidentiality, material transfer and data transfer agreements. Senior Contracts Associates are responsible for a particular area of the College within a small campus sub-team within the overall Contracts team led by a Team Lead.
Candidates should have experience of negotiating legal and research-related agreements, preferably in a university environment, and be confident and persuasive negotiators with a track record of successful negotiation with different stakeholders. Experience of advising on project budgets is desirable but not essential.
Applicants also require excellent organisational, communication, negotiation and literacy skills, proven decision-making ability and be able to work well under pressure, both individually and as part of a team.
This post will be offered on a fixed term contract until 30th September 2024.
This is a full-time post – 100% full time equivalent.
Key responsibilities
The primary responsibility is to draft, review and negotiate agreements on behalf of the College with external organisations and institutions and to provide an efficient and effective service to the College academic community.
The Senior Contracts Associate will be required to negotiate the following agreement types:
i. Research funding agreements
ii. Agreements for Service and Consultancy projects
iii. Confidentiality Agreements / Data sharing Agreements
iv. Material Transfer Agreements (MTAs)
v. Other associated agreements, including non-funded research collaborations
To be the primary point of contact for contract support and legal expertise in his/her area and to establish good practice and procedures for his/her area of work.
To advise on costings for projects using the College’s Worktribe costing tool. To negotiate effectively the price to maximum advantage to the College with particular attention to the recovery of full costs and favourable payment terms.
To review and secure optimum terms in agreements (including publication and intellectual property rights, institutional risk and liability exposure, strategic value general provisions, apportionment of risk and reward, reputational management), referring to the campus Team Leads and/or Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts where appropriate. This will involve collaboration with partner organisations as well as service providers.
To draft legal agreements for projects and provide a level of expertise in contractual negotiation.
To deploy an expertise in external funders’ terms and relevant costing/pricing methods in the context of College policy.
The post holder will have the delegated authority and responsibility within certain limitations to negotiate contractual conditions, draft agreements and submit official costs related to his/her area of activity.
To give academic staff accurate, clear advice on legal / contractual and policy matters – working in conjunction with the Senior Contracts Team Leads and Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts and senior King’s managers.
To hold meetings with academic staff, departmental administrators, senior King’s managers and/or external organisations as necessary to develop relationships and negotiate terms for activity.
To disseminate information on relevant College policy and procedures and explain them as appropriate to academic and research support staff, including participating in seminars as necessary.
Provide training for academic and administrative staff, in conjunction with the Senior Contracts Associate Team Leads and Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts.
To ensure that contracts they negotiate comply with College regulations and policies and, where relevant, those of external funding organisations, regulatory bodies and NHS collaborators.
To recommend the acceptability of contracts in his/her area for signature in conjunction with the Team Leaders and Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts.
To prepare detailed information and instructions as may be necessary for the financial administration of contracts they negotiate so they can be administered and managed properly and efficiently.
To be personally responsible for his/her own work but to refer to the Team Leads or Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts on complex matters of policy and/or legal matters.
To support the work of and advise the Contracts Associates in his/her area
To contribute to forming the College’s view on legal policy and practice in his/her area and in related areas
To work closely with College staff on all campuses, including other colleagues in the Research Management & Innovation Directorate to ensure a consistent and integrated approach and response in policy and practice.
To ensure that proper records of his/her activity are maintained and contribute to the preparation of Divisional and Directorate reports and analyses of activity. To input, validate and monitor database material as required.
To undertake such other duties as are consistent with the role of a Senior Contracts Associate as required by the Team Leads and Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts and to work on such campuses as may be required.
Skills, knowledge, and experience
Essential criteria
- Degree or equivalent professional qualification
- Proven track record of negotiation of contracts and agreements, including negotiation of intellectual property, liability/indemnity and price.
- Ability to manage a large and diverse turnover of bids and contracts
- Excellent organisation skills
- Ability to explain complex ideas with clarity – excellent written and oral communication skills
- Proven negotiation/influencing skills
- Demonstrably high levels of accuracy and attention to detail
- Good analytical skills
- Practical, sound numeracy skills
- IT literacy and experience of word processing, spreadsheets and databases
- Self-starting, a completer/finisher and able to work largely unsupervised
- Knowledge of data protection legislation
Desirable criteria
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Understanding of full economic costing methodology
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Working knowledge of the university research funding environment, including experience and familiarity with key funders’ terms and conditions
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Broad research funding administration experience in the university sector, or other relevant institutions (e.g. the public sector)
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Knowledge of data protection legislation
Further information
For any questions please contact laura.weiss@kcl.ac.uk.
