Contracts Team Lead – INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

Job id: 067887. Salary: Grade 8 – £60,048 – £70,890 per annum, including London Weighting Allowance.

Posted: 25 May 2023. Closing date: 30 May 2023.

Business unit: Research Management & Innovation. Department: Contracts.

Contact details:Laura Weiss. [email protected]

Location: . Category: Professional & Support Services.

Job description

THIS VACANCY IS OPEN TO INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY

We are looking for an experienced contracts professional 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 Industry Research Contracts Team Lead will be responsible for supporting the College’s strategy to increase research income funded by industry. The Industry Research Contracts Team Lead will help support such growth through policy development and promotion of the Contract’s Team contractual and costing support, in particular for larger and more strategic research projects.

The post will have line management responsibility for a team of Senior Contracts Associates but will also have oversight of Industry Funded Research across the whole team. They will be the key point of escalation within the team for Industry Funded Research issues, as well as responsibility for tracking and monitoring this work.

Candidates should have experience of negotiating legal agreements, preferably in a university environment, policy development expertise and be confident and persuasive negotiators with a track record of successful negotiation with different stakeholders. Experience of costing and pricing project budgets is desirable.

Applicants also require excellent organisational and communication and literacy skills, proven decision-making ability and be able to work well under pressure, both individually and as part of a team.

Key responsibilities 

The primary responsibility is to support growth in the College’s industry research funding portfolio through promotion of industry research partnerships within the College’s Faculties, and leading on the negotiation of associated contractual agreements with external organisations and institutions. The role holder will also have direct line management of a small team within a defined campus area.  

The Industry Research Contracts Team Lead will be required to negotiate the following agreement types:- 

Research and framework Agreements 

Other agreements, including: consultancy, material transfer, confidentiality and data transfer within a remit of Schools/Faculties 

• To support Industry Funded Research growth activities, associated policy and process change within RMID, in conjunction with the Director of Research & Consultancy Contracts and other relevant RMID colleagues 
• To line manage the Senior Contracts and Contracts Associates within one of three campus-based areas as directed by the Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts    
• To be the first point of contact and representative of the Contracts team for Faculties and other College colleagues for the relevant assigned Campus Area, including escalations
• Provide and lead on contract support and legal expertise for Industry Funded Research agreements within the Contracts Team and to establish good practice and procedures for his/her area of work
• To work with Faculties and other teams in RMID to promote industry funded research activities, to develop external relationships and support the management of existing partnerships, in particular with the College’s KHP Partners.
• Disseminate information on Industry Funded Research and other College policy and procedures and explain them as appropriate to academic and research support staff, including participating in seminars/workshops/training as necessary.
• In conjunction with the Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts, review College policy and processes in relation to Industry Funded Research and implement any required change, whilst engaging Faculty academic and other professional support staff in developing any new policies or processes through a One Team approach
• To cost and price projects using the College’s 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 Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts where appropriate.
• 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 recommend the acceptability of contracts in his/her area for signature in conjunction with the Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts.
• To give academic staff accurate, clear advice on legal / contractual and policy matters – working in conjunction the 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.
•  Provide training for academic and administrative staff, in conjunction with the Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts with a particular focus on training activity for Industry Funded Research promotion, costings and contract negotiation.
• 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 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 Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts complex matters of policy and/or legal matters.
• 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, in particular in relation to Industry Funded Research
• To ensure that proper records of his/her activity are maintained and contribute to the preparation of reports and analyses of activity and in particular to lead on reporting for Industry Funded Research, in conjunction with the Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts as necessary. To input, validate and monitor database material as required.
• To undertake such other duties as are consistent with the role of a Industry Funded Research and Contracts Team Lead as required by the Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts and to work on such campuses as may be required.
• To deputise for the Director of Research and Consultancy Contracts as required

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

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.

Experience of line management

Understanding of Industry Funded Research provision and strategic frameworks, 

Proven track record of engaging with internal and external partners and promotion of activity or policy within an organisation

Ability to manage a large and diverse turnover of bids and contracts

Excellent organisation skills  (managing team workload and remit, multiple competing priorities)

Ability to explain complex ideas with clarity to a wide range of stakeholders with varying degrees of seniority and excellent written and oral communication skills

Proven negotiation/influencing skills in relation to external funders and partners

Demonstrably high levels of accuracy and attention to detail

Good analytical skills and problem-solving skills related to contract negotiation

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

Desirable criteria

Understanding of full economic costing methodology

Track record of promoting growth in a particular delivery area through promotional activities and implementing process change where necessary

Working knowledge of the university research funding environment, including experience and familiarity with key funders’ terms and conditions Knowledge of data protection legislation