Purpose of the Post

As Senior Contracts Manager, the successful candidate will play a central role across the organisation, supporting a portfolio of high‑profile public health initiatives that strengthen the UK’s health data infrastructure and enable cutting‑edge research nationally and internationally.

They will work closely with teams across HDR UK and collaborate regularly with external partners – including universities, research organisations, funders, government bodies and industry – to deliver complex data infrastructure and research programmes. The role requires someone who is confident operating at pace, navigating diverse stakeholder environments, and taking a pragmatic, solutions‑focused approach to contractual challenges.

The ideal candidate will share our values, demonstrate strong influencing and collaboration skills, and bring sound judgement to resolving complex issues. They will be comfortable working in a fast‑moving environment and committed to enabling impactful, trustworthy use of health data for public benefit.

Main Responsibilities

Reporting to the Associate Director of Contracts, Procurement and Policy, this fast-paced role will provide key support for HDR UK’s strategic priorities in the categories below:

1. Contracting

· Manage a large and varied contract portfolio. HDR UK’s Contracts Team handles a wide variety of agreements including but not limited to incoming and outgoing grant awards, services agreements, research collaboration/consortium agreements, studentships, external secondments, data agreements, IP licences/assignments, heads of terms, and revenue sharing arrangements.

· Draft a variety of agreements, using internal templates as well as bespoke drafting as appropriate, and critically review external contract drafts, ensuring terms are in line with HDR UK’s approved positions.

· Draft and lead negotiations on complex agreements such as high-value, complex multi-stage services, research and research data infrastructure programmes, multi-tiered funding structures,

and data agreements with support from the Associate Director of Contracts, Procurement and Policy and external counsel as needed.

· Work closely with senior internal stakeholders to advise on contractual models for the development and provision of existing and new research, research infrastructure, and data focused services programmes.

· Advise HDR UK staff and stakeholders on contract terms, contracting approach, risk management, and contract processes.

· Ensure that contracts and grants comply with HDR UK’s policies, funder, legislative, and regulatory requirements, and sector best practice.

· Work closely with HDR UK’s procurement team to draft appropriate agreements in relation to the procurement of high value and complex goods and services.

· Work closely with the HDR UK Information Governance team to draft and advise on data access agreements.

· Support the Associate Director of Contracts Procurement and Policy in advising HDR UK senior leadership on contractual considerations of strategic programme development, including but not limited to industry partnerships.

· Stay current regarding relevant legal and regulatory developments, particularly in the areas of data privacy, charity regulations, and relevant contract case law.

· Ensure accurate records are kept regarding the contracting process and contract documentation, including maintaining the contracts register.

2. Relationship Management

· Build and maintain excellent relationships with key internal and external stakeholders to deliver HDR UK’s priorities in a timely and efficient manner. Work in partnership with stakeholders to resolve contractual challenges taking an enabling and solutions focused approach.

· Communicate deadlines, contract terms, and commercial/funding positions to internal and external stakeholders.

· Interact with and assist external legal counsel at the direction of the Associate Director of Contracts, Procurement and Policy, and the Director of Legal, Trust and Ethics.

· Work closely with and mentor the HDR UK Contracts Officer. Line management responsibility may be within future scope of the role.

3. Process Development and Training

· Work with the Associate Director of Contracts, Procurement and Policy and Contracts Officer to maintain and improve HDR UK’s existing contracting processes, policies, and templates.

· Assist with the development of policies adjacent to HDR UK’s contracting policies as needed (e.g. IP, finance, procurement, due diligence).

· Assist with establishing best practices for contracting and communicating those best practices to internal stakeholders, including developing and presenting training materials.

4. Risk Management

· Undertake due diligence and risk management activities in relation to third parties and projects in order to identify risk, advise on appropriate mitigations, and use judgement to escalate as necessary in accordance with HDR UK’s policies and processes.

· Assist the Associate Director of Contracts, Procurement and Policy to advise and report to the HDR UK Senior Leadership and Board of Trustees on key contracting and risk management issues.

5. Other

· Work across all teams at HDR UK to contribute to projects or activities as the need arises.

· Deputise for the Associate Director of Contracts, Procurement and Policy on contracting matters as needed.

Experience

Required

· A minimum of five years’ experience in drafting, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of contractual agreements with a variety of counterparties including industry, academia, charity and public sector.

· Demonstrable significant experience in industry sponsored, life sciences and health data focused research agreements.

· Proven leadership experience, with a strong track record of providing strategic direction and shaping policy or process development.

Desirable

· Experience working within the UK Higher Education sector or the NHS.

· Experience in mentoring and/or line management of contracts professionals.

· Some knowledge of UK public procurement regulations

Please note, as we are a UK-based organisation, applicants must be living in, and eligible to work in, the UK. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time. 

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible. 

We politely request no contact from recruitment agencies or media sales. We do not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.