Senior Manager, Contracts & Intellectual Assets

Please send CV & cover letter to recruitment@galvmed.org by 21^st December 2022

Reporting line

Senior Director, Enabling Environment & Partner Engagement

Main purpose and scope of the job

GALVmed’s projects are implemented through partnerships with a wide range of organisations and expert consultants. This role will lead and provide guidance in legal negotiation on behalf of GALVmed in order to establish partnerships and collaborations in support of business need. The position holder will manage the process of contractual engagement in compliance with applicable local and international legislation and policies and work with external legal counsel where necessary.

Most of GALVmed’s work is related to technical product and market development activities in a pharmaceutical/animal health environment. In a typical year, there are about 150 contracts to negotiate and about 400 active contracts to manage; some of these are highly technical agreements with most being regular agreements such as Non-Disclosure Agreements, Memorandum of Understanding, licensing agreements, Material Transfer Agreements, collaboration/consortium research agreements, technology transfer agreements, contract services agreements and consultancy agreements. The incumbent will develop, review and oversee the implementation of legal related policies including Intellectual Asset Management and Access and Benefit Sharing. They will work closely with GALVmed’s CEO, the Leadership Team, Project Leads, senior managers, legal advisers and manage the

Contracts and Intellectual Assets (CIAM) unit.

Key activities

Contracts management:

This function involves the routine management of the contracting process including developing and reviewing legal related SOPs and policies and oversight of CIAM unit in order to contract GALVmed project partners in a timely and effective manner, ensuring that applicable legislation is considered. It entails:

• In close relation with internal clients, and in collaboration with legal counsel where necessary, negotiate agreements with GALVmed partners to completion for timely delivery of GALVmed projects and objectives.
• Serve as primary point of contact in partner contractual negotiations in line with GALVmed needs and policies. Ensure that copies of signed contracts are provided to all relevant parties to ensure contract visibility. Ensure proper recording of contracts.
• Contract external legal counsel as required to meet corporate objectives and project needs.
• Ensure contract close-out, extension or renewal and ensure contractual obligations are met.
• Ensure GALVmed and its contractual partners are compliant with the Nagoya Protocol / Access & Benefit legislation, including developing tools and processes used to identify projects affected by the Protocol.
• Prepare and provide reports to the Directors, Board and Funders on contracts & intellectual assets as needed.

Intellectual asset management:

• Coordinate asset landscaping and technology transfer and participate in due diligence activities for technologies of interest to GALVmed.
• Liaise and act as contact point for GALVmed with project partners, providing support to all staff on all IP related matters.
• Review and oversee the implementation of GALVmed’s IP Policy.

Qualifications and experience

Essential:

• Bachelor of Science degree
• Training in Intellectual Property law/Intellectual Asset Management or commercialization
• MBA or MSc in Intellectual Asset Management or commercialization will be advantageous
• Ideally at least 7 years’ experience in drafting & negotiations of contracts; experience in IP management and access and benefit sharing is an advantage

Desirable:

• Experience in project management
• Experience/exposure to litigation
• Experience working in an international development context
• Experience working in the NGO/charity sector

Success in this role will require the following general characteristics and behaviours

• Ability to work with a wide range of personalities, adaptable
• Agility and flexibility in looking for practical solutions
• Conciliatory, good negotiation skills and ability to navigate and guide differing views to a solution
• Strong analytical skills and ability to distil complex arguments and communicate options and advice to wide range of actors
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Highly organised and able to work independently and manage tight deadlines
• Good management and people skills