Contracts Officer - Commercial Education and Research
| Posting date: | 01 December 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £43,482 per year, pro rata |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 31 December 2025 |
| Location: | Exeter, Devon |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | University of Exeter |
| Job type: | Contract |
| Job reference: | R66692 |
Summary
This new part-time (0.9 FTE) post is available from 1 February 2026 on a fixed term basis to cover a maternity leave until 1 February 2027.
This position could be an opportunity for an internal secondment, with approval from your current line manager.
This role offers the opportunity for hybrid working – some time on campus and some from home.
We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours.
Summary of the role
This is a role within the Legal Team at the University which will work alongside other members of Professional Services to ensure the provision of an effective contractual negotiation and administrative function to the University, covering a range of activities primarily relating to the University’s commercial education and research activities.
The role will include providing legal advice on commercial contracts relating to education (including degree apprenticeships and continuing professional development) and research (including commercial clinical trials).
We wish to recruit someone who is experienced with contracts and contractual negotiations, organised and enthusiastic with an eye for detail, and a good communicator. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work independently within a supportive team.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.
The University of Exeter
We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.
Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world’s most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).
We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City
We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment
We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.
Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.
With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.
Benefits
We offer some fantastic benefits including:
- 41 days leave per year
- options for flexible working
- numerous discounts at leading retailers
- onsite gyms on all of our campus’ and a cycle to work scheme
- sector leading policies around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to six weeks full pay) and a Fertility Treatment Policy
- stunning campus environments in Exeter and Cornwall, in the beautiful South West of England
Further information
Please contact Chrysten Cole, General Counsel and Director of Legal and Student Cases c.e.cole@exeter.ac.uk.
This position could be an opportunity for an internal secondment, with approval from your current line manager.
This role offers the opportunity for hybrid working – some time on campus and some from home.
We welcome applications from candidates interested in working part-time hours.
Summary of the role
This is a role within the Legal Team at the University which will work alongside other members of Professional Services to ensure the provision of an effective contractual negotiation and administrative function to the University, covering a range of activities primarily relating to the University’s commercial education and research activities.
The role will include providing legal advice on commercial contracts relating to education (including degree apprenticeships and continuing professional development) and research (including commercial clinical trials).
We wish to recruit someone who is experienced with contracts and contractual negotiations, organised and enthusiastic with an eye for detail, and a good communicator. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to work independently within a supportive team.
Please ensure you read the Job Description and Person Specification for full details of this role.
The University of Exeter
We are a member of the prestigious Russell Group of research-intensive universities and in the top 200 universities in the world (Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024 and QS World University Ranking 2024). We combine world-class teaching with world-class research, achieving a Gold rating in the Teaching Excellence Framework Award 2023, underpinned by Gold ratings for Student Experience and Student Outcomes.
Our world-leading research impact has grown more than any other Russell Group university in recent years, and we are home to some of the world’s most influential researchers, seeking to answer some of the most fundamental issues facing humankind today. More than 99 percent of our research is of international quality and 47 percent is world-leading (2021 Research Excellence Framework).
We encourage proactive engagement with industry, business and community partners to enhance the impact of research and education and improve the employability of our students. Read about our world leading research – Green Futures and how we are transforming education for a changing world. We are located in a beautiful part of the country and Exeter (a fast growing tech hub) is one of only a few UK cities to have been designated as a UNESCO Creative City
We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and welcome applications from service people.
Our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Commitment
We are committed to ensuring reasonable adjustments are available for interviews and workplaces.
Whilst all applicants will be judged on merit alone, we particularly welcome applications from groups currently underrepresented within our working community.
With over 30,000 students and 7,000 staff from 150 different countries we offer a diverse and engaging environment where our diversity is celebrated and valued as a major strength. We are committed to creating an inclusive culture where all members of our community are supported to thrive; where diverse voices are heard through our engagement with evidence-based charter frameworks for gender (Athena SWAN and Project Juno for Physics), race equality (Race Equality Charter Mark), LGBTQ+ inclusion (Stonewall Diversity Champion) and as a Disability Confident employer.
Benefits
We offer some fantastic benefits including:
- 41 days leave per year
- options for flexible working
- numerous discounts at leading retailers
- onsite gyms on all of our campus’ and a cycle to work scheme
- sector leading policies around maternity, adoption and shared parental leave (up to 26 weeks full pay), paternity leave (up to six weeks full pay) and a Fertility Treatment Policy
- stunning campus environments in Exeter and Cornwall, in the beautiful South West of England
Further information
Please contact Chrysten Cole, General Counsel and Director of Legal and Student Cases c.e.cole@exeter.ac.uk.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.