Contract Officer

Fulltime: 35 hours per week

Open ended (Permanent)

Location: Edinburgh/Hybrid working

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced research contracts specialist to play a key role in the continued evolution of our Research Contracts team, supporting a wonderful variety of world leading research.

The Opportunity

We are seeking colleagues who will embody our values of expertise, community, integrity and collaboration.

The Research Contracts team works closely with the University of Edinburgh research and professional service communities, as well as external stakeholders, to provide an expert research contracts service; to ensure that the University upholds its commitments to the highest standards of research integrity; to ensure the University meets its regulatory and legal obligations (including the Trusted Research agenda); and to provide an information governance service for research data.

Currently reporting to a Senior Contracts Manager, you will join a team of 15 contracts specialists in a busy team which receives approximately 1600 contract requests per year. You will play a key role in the delivery of ERO’s research contracts service. To do this you’ll work on the drafting, negotiation and signature of legal agreements required for University research. Your involvement in the contract ends at signature – please note this is not a procurement role. You will build positive working relationships with colleagues in ERO, the University’s research community and other allied, expert professional services teams.

What skills and experience you will bring?

• Recent, or related, relevant experience or an understanding of drafting, reviewing, and negotiating research contracts. In particular, an understanding of material transfer agreements and confidentiality agreements would be an advantage.
• The ability to work independently, pay close attention to detail and to think pragmatically to develop legal solutions to contractual challenges.
• An ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to successfully conclude contracts in a timely manner.
• An aptitude for customer service.
• Excellent professional and communication skills.

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