Commercial Legal Advisor

The Department 

We are a proactive, dedicated customer-focused, collegiate team. Legal Services provides pragmatic legal advice and support to the University’s Vice-Chancellor’s Executive, Professional Services and Academic Departments on a range of legal matters. This includes but not limited to legal and regulatory compliance, student issues (includes student complaints, disciplinary and Fitness to Practise), risk management, dispute resolution, commercial contracts, international collaborations, education partnerships, apprenticeships, research funding and collaboration.

The Role 

The role provides an excellent opportunity to gain exposure to a wide range of diverse commercial and educational contracts in a fast-paced dynamic environment. As the Commercial Legal Adviser, you will provide legal and administrative support to the Head of Legal Services, as well as other members of the department. You will be responsible for the management and progression of your own contractual workload, working at times to tight deadlines. Duties will include but not limited to reviewing, negotiating, drafting and advising on contracts relating to the University’s core business areas, working closely with internal and external stakeholders. You will manage and progress a wide range of agreements in the areas of but not limited to: 

• commercial activities,  
• domestic and international research funding and collaboration,  
• academic partnerships (domestic and international),  
• student contracts,  
• apprenticeships,  
• knowledge exchange,  
• software licences,  
• external hire,  
• practice placements,  
• international recruitment agents,  
• supply of goods/services, 
• procurement 

with key considerations of consumer law, data protection, confidentiality, intellectual property, safeguarding, equality law, jurisdictional issues, and legal and regulatory compliance.  

Other duties include managing the University’s contract database and organising meetings. See job description for further details. 

The Person 

This position will be ideally suited to newly qualified solicitors and/or non-qualified individuals with substantial commercial contract experience. 

The successful applicant will be enthusiastic, service focused, with a can-do attitude, and ability and confidence to interact with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders. Applicants will need to demonstrate: 

• Substantial experience in drafting, review and advising on contracts 
• Experience in administration work 
• Excellent analytical skills, with attention to detail 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 
• Ability to prioritise and manage competing deadlines and own workload 
• Ability to work independently under pressure and to tight deadlines 

See job description for further details.  

How to Apply  

To apply click on ‘Apply Online’ and fill out the application form

Please email hr.recruitment@uwl.ac.uk  if you need any assistance with the application process. 

Interviews are expected to be held on Thursday 18^th September and Friday 19^th September 2025.  

We will intermittently review the applications as part of this open advert, therefore if successful, you will be shortlisted and contacted at any time.  If we have sufficient quality applications we may interview earlier than the expected interview dates. The University of West London reserves the right to close the role prior to this date should a suitable applicant be found.

For informal enquiries about the position please contact hr.recruitment@uwl.ac.uk.

Additional Information  

Read more about working at the University of West London at https://www.uwl.ac.uk/about-us/how-university-works/why-work-uwl

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.  

Please be advised that it is expected that appointment within a grade will normally be at the minimum point. 

This post is not available for UWL students. 

This position does not meet the University criteria for Skilled Worker sponsorship.

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