Job title:
Department/School:
Grade:
Location:
Head of Research and Commercialisation Team
Research & Innovation Services
Grade 9
University of Bath
Purpose of the role:
The role has two elements:
1. Managing the Research & Commercialisation Contracts Team; and
2. Managing a substantial research & commercialisation contracts workload,
representing the University of Bath internally and externally.
The goal of the Team is “to deliver contracts with an understood and acceptable level of
risk in a reasonable timescale”.
Main duties and responsibilities
1
Leadership and Management
 Take a lead on negotiating high value and/or high risk research and
commercialisation contracts with an understood and acceptable level of risk
in a reasonable timescale;
 Implement precedent documents and clauses;
 Manage and motivate the team to implement a common approach to
contracting to deliver on the goal above;
 As part of the RIS Management Team, arrange Team activities to meet
agreed performance targets; controlling appropriate budgets; maintaining
accurate Team performance records and staff appraisals;
 Ensuring good working relationships with all relevant University
departments, Associate Deans of Research and Deans;
 Managing relationships, as appropriate, with funders, trade associations
and other universities.
2
Financial Management
 To be responsible for the effective financial management of the Team and
related projects in accordance with the financial procedures.
 To liaise with the appropriate internal functions to ensure contracts comply
with good financial practice.
3
Strategic Planning
 To develop a strategic plan for the Team, reflecting the University’s priorities;
 To provide advice and guidance to departments in the preparation of annual
plans;
 To work to provide an integrated service offer across the teams within RIS;
 Liaison with Research Information & Intelligence as necessary over the
maintenance of accurate and timely management information, e.g. our
electronic Contracts Management System.
4
People Management
 To be responsible for performance management, staff development,
performance review and induction;
 To communicate the University's strategic goals and new policy
developments to members of the department and explain the drivers for
change.
 To ensure effective communication between all staff involved in the


academic and administrative work associated with the Team’s provision
across the University.
To encourage the sharing of good practice and the effective use of
resources.
To promote cross-department/faculty/subject working.
5
Governance
 To be a member of the RIS Management Team and contribute to the
development of its strategies and services;
 To represent RIS at committees, working parties and groups of the
University as required;
 Advise the PVC Research and the Director of Research and Innovation
Services on the development of the University’s IP Policy and maintain
oversight of its application in research and commercialisation contracts;
 Delegated authority to accept research contracts on behalf of the
University.
6
Marketing and Communications
 To take responsibility for the development and promotion of the internal and
external profile of the Team’s activities.
7
Research and Commercialisation contracts
 To draft, interpret and advise on agreements relating to research and the
commercialization of Intellectual Property Rights as required to support the
workload of the Research & Commercialisation Contracts Team.
You will from time to time be required to undertake other duties of a similar nature as
reasonably required by your line manager. The post is Department based and there
may be occasions when the postholder’s role and skill set may be required elsewhere
within the Department, so flexibility will be essential.
You are required to follow all University policies and procedures at all times and take
account of University guidance.
Criteria
Person Specification template
Essential
Desirable
Qualifications
Graduate with relevant professional
training in the field of contract law
Law graduate
Experience/Knowledge
Substantial experience of contract
negotiation in a field relevant to higher
education research.
Well networked with other Contracts
teams/offices in other HEIs.
Proven record in complex contract
negotiations with bearing on research
funding, including Strategic Partnerships.
Familiarity with the relationship between
research funders and HEIs
X
Assessed by
A/F
I/T
R
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Experience of contract drafting for
strategic partnerships, working with
X
businesses, other HEIs, charities and
government departments.
Proven record in complex contract
negotiations in relation to intellectual
X
property exploitation.
Experience of negotiating high value
and/or high risk contracts with a range of
public and private sector partners
X
including major industrial or commercial
organisations.
Experienced in financial, resource and
X
line management
Experience of working with researchers
in a higher education environment or a
X
relevant public or private sector
organisation
Experience of working to tight deadlines
in a high pressure environment and
X
balancing conflicting priorities.
Skills
Highly developed negotiation skills
X
A thorough understanding of UK,
European and international contract law
X
as it relates to research funding and
exploitation.
A detailed understanding of contract
X
structure, terminology and practice.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to
interpret complex information and
X
provide clear recommendations.
Strong organisational skills including the
ability to prioritise tasks and work to
X
deadlines and targets.
Ability to motivate and manage
professional staff to prioritise tasks and
X
achieve targets.
Excellent communication skills including
X
a clear and precise writing style.
Attributes
The ability to build good working
relationships with, and to gain the
X
respect and confidence of, academic
staff and other research professionals.
Code: A/F – Application form, I/T – Interview/Test, R - References
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Effective Behaviours Framework
The University has identified a set of effective behaviours which we value and have found
to be consistent with high performance across the organisation. Part of the selection
process for this post will be to assess whether candidates have demonstrably exhibited
these behaviours previously.
Managing self and personal skills:
Willing and able to assess and apply own skills, abilities and experience. Being aware of
own behaviour and how it impacts on others.
Delivering excellent service:
Providing the best quality service to all students and staff and to external customers e.g.
clients, suppliers. Building genuine and open long-term relationships in order to drive up
service standards.
Finding innovative solutions:
Taking a holistic view and working enthusiastically and with creativity to analyse problems
and develop innovative and workable solutions. Identifying opportunities for innovation.
Embracing change:
Adjusting to unfamiliar situations, demands and changing roles. Seeing change as an
opportunity and being receptive to new ideas.
Using resources:
Making effective use of available resources including people, information, networks and
budgets. Being aware of the financial and commercial aspects of the University.
Engaging with the big picture:
Seeing the work that you do in the context of the bigger picture e.g. in the context of what
the University/other departments are striving to achieve and taking a long-term view.
Communicating vision clearly and enthusiastically to inspire and motivate others.
Developing self and others:
Showing commitment to own development and supporting and encouraging others to
develop their knowledge, skills and behaviours to enable them to reach their full potential
for the wider benefit of the University.
Working with people:
Working co-operatively with others in order to achieve objectives. Demonstrating a
commitment to diversity and applying a wider range of interpersonal skills.
Achieving results:
Planning and organising workloads to ensure that deadlines are met within resource
constraints. Consistently meeting objectives and success criteria.