Job Description

LUHFT are in the privileged position to be in receipt of NIHR funding to be one of twenty new Commercial Research Delivery Centres (CRDC). One of the key objectives of the Liverpool CRDC is to improve efficiency and speed of commercial research set up. The Contracts Officer post is key to the success in achieving this objective.
You will work alongside a close team of highly motivated individuals, sharing knowledge and expertise to deliver an efficient contract service between secondary, primary care and commercial partners.
Alongside UHLG, the centre will bring together Cheshire and Mersey organisations including primary and social care; voluntary organisations and 10 secondary care organisations from the region, including:
o Liverpool Women's Hospitalo Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospitalo Clatterbridge Cancer Centreo The Walton Centre Foundation Trusto Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trusto Alder Hey Children`s Hospitalo Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trusto The Countess of Chester Hospitalo Mersey and West Lancashire NHS Foundation Trusto Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The successful candidate must have the ability to be pro-active and take the leading role in negotiations with Partner organisations, stakeholders and external clients. They must have excellent communication and interpersonal skills and demonstrable experience of working to strict deadlines and managing competing priorities
Main duties of the job
The Research Contracts Officer will be responsible, for leading and finalising contract negotiations and arrangements for research activity conducted.
About us
Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust comprises Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital & Royal Liverpool University Hospital.
We are part of NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group, formed on 1 Nov 2024 from the coming together of LUHFT and Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust. The Group was born from a shared aim to improve the care we provide our patients.
UHLG is one of the largest employers in the region, with over 16,800 colleagues dedicated to caring for our communities - from birth and beyond.
For the 630,000 people across Merseyside, we are their local NHS. We provide general and emergency hospital care, alongside highly specialised regional services for more than two million people in the North West.
Aintree University Hospital is the single receiving site for adult major trauma patients in Cheshire and Merseyside and hosts a number of regional services including an award-winning stroke facility. Broadgreen Hospital is home to elective surgical, diagnostic and treatment services, together with specialist patient rehabilitation. Liverpool Women's Hospital specialises in the health of women and babies, delivering over 7,200 babies in the UK's largest single site maternity hospital each year. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is the largest hospital in the country to provide inpatients with 100% single bedrooms and focuses on complex planned care and specialist services.
For roles at Liverpool Women's, visit their careers page.
Details
Date posted
25 July 2025
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 7
Salary
47,810 to 54,710 a year per annum
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
287-CEF-157-25
Job locations
Royal Liverpool Hospital
Mount Vernon Street
Liverpool
L7 8YE
Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide centralised legal and contractual advice and support to clinical, academic and professional service colleagues, including drafting and/oramending template agreements and contracts.
Lead negotiations with internal and external stakeholders to resolvecontractual issues.
Drafting contracts to a high professional standard to support the provision of research, research funding, research delivery and provision of research services.
Support colleagues in drafting, reviewing and amending legal documentation to identify and protect intellectual property.
Work closely as a team member with other staff including but not limited toclinical and support service staff, research and innovation departments across any Partner Organisations.
Work collaboratively across all stakeholders in line with any Memorandum of Understanding. Job description
Job responsibilities
Provide centralised legal and contractual advice and support to clinical, academic and professional service colleagues, including drafting and/oramending template agreements and contracts.
Lead negotiations with internal and external stakeholders to resolvecontractual issues.
Drafting contracts to a high professional standard to support the provision of research, research funding, research delivery and provision of research services.
Support colleagues in drafting, reviewing and amending legal documentation to identify and protect intellectual property.
Work closely as a team member with other staff including but not limited toclinical and support service staff, research and innovation departments across any Partner Organisations.
Work collaboratively across all stakeholders in line with any Memorandum of Understanding.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Legal qualification and/or degree in a relevant subject or equivalent
• Post graduate qualification or equivalent in relevant subject

• Demonstrable experience of the negotiation of commercial or business contracts
• Drafting of commercial or business contracts
• Negotiation of research contracts and/or agreements
• Drafting of research contracts and/or agreements

• Experience of working in a large and complex organisation
• Negotiating and drafting licence agreements to exploit intellectual property
• Experience of working with clinical trials units

• Knowledge and understanding of company formation agreements
• Knowledge and understanding of the patent process
• Knowledge and understanding of intellectual property issues arising in a research context

• Knowledge and understanding of clinical research in the NHS including the role of commercial and public sector organisations, regulatory and governance requirements, NHS R&D strategy, ICH-GCP

• Legal qualification and/or degree in a relevant subject or equivalent
• Post graduate qualification or equivalent in relevant subject

• Demonstrable experience of the negotiation of commercial or business contracts
• Drafting of commercial or business contracts
• Negotiation of research contracts and/or agreements
• Drafting of research contracts and/or agreements

• Experience of working in a large and complex organisation
• Negotiating and drafting licence agreements to exploit intellectual property
• Experience of working with clinical trials units

• Knowledge and understanding of company formation agreements
• Knowledge and understanding of the patent process
• Knowledge and understanding of intellectual property issues arising in a research context

• Knowledge and understanding of clinical research in the NHS including the role of commercial and public sector organisations, regulatory and governance requirements, NHS R&D strategy, ICH-GCP