Contracts Partner

Job Info

• Job Category Commercial and Procurement
• Apply Before 11/23/2025, 11:55 PM
• Job Identification 1579
• Posting Date 10/28/2025, 03:19 PM
• Job Shift Day
• Hours Full Time

Job Description

British Geological Survey
Contract Partner
Grade: UKRI - Band E
Salary: £46,743 per annum
Contract Type: Permanent
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours a week (a small amount of remote working is possible, but this role does require regular onsite attendance)
Location: BGS headquarters in Keyworth in Nottingham
Closing date: 23rd November 2025

A great benefits package is offered, including an outstanding pension scheme (with a generous employer contribution - on average 27% of your pay), 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays.

About the role

BGS is an innovative and world renowned geoscientific research centre engaged in many exciting and forward thinking research collaborations both nationally and internationally. This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced contracts manager to be involved in contractual negotiations in support of BGS's research activities.

• Provide expert legal knowledge to support an increase in our commercial research activity by negotiating and leading on all contracts being undertaken as part of BGS's commissioned income and collaborative research work.
• Provide legal support to facilitate major national and international geoscientific research and collaboration projects.
• Draft tailored agreements to meet specific requirements for non standard research work.

About you

Are you a highly skilled and experienced contracts negotiator and an expert in providing pragmatic legal advice in relation to the undertaking of commercial and collaborative work?

To succeed in this exciting role, you will need to be:

• An experienced commercial contracts resource for BGS.
• Experienced in leading the provision of legal support in all aspects of contractual work.
• Comfortable with managing your own responsibilities and workload in a high pressure, time critical environment, while being an integral part of the Legal & IPR Team.
• Adaptable, flexible, and pragmatic with regards to getting sophisticated, sensitive, or non standard situations in contracts 'over the line.'
• Able to effectively build links with legal counterparts at partner organisations and with colleagues across operational and scientific functions, ensuring research is covered within the contract.
• Able to demonstrate experience of the aims and objectives of research/public sector organisations as well as commercial operations.

There may be a requirement for occasional travel within the UK as required.

Essential and desirable skills criteria

• Law degree or other degree with relevant legal/commercial contracts experience and qualifications (S).
• Substantial experience of dealing with complex legal and contractual processes associated with commercial tender, contract, and research agreement work, including negotiations with clients (S&I).
• Expert knowledge of business/contract law, including all relevant legislation/regulations (S&I).
• Ability to manage your own contractual casework within a high pressure, time critical legal environment (S&I).
• Solid understanding of NEC Contracts and licensing agreements (S&I).
• Commitment to a diverse and inclusive approach to work in the geosciences (S&I).
• Further relevant legal master's degree or other qualifications, e.g. commercial law, contract law, intellectual property rights law (S).
• Experience of working within a UK research institute and/or public sector body (S&I).
• In depth understanding of specific legislation/regulations relevant to scientific research, e.g. Freedom of Information Act, Environmental Information Regulations, Data Protection, Intellectual Property Rights (S&I).

About the British Geological Survey (BGS)

The British Geological Survey (BGS) is an applied geoscience research centre that is part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and affiliated to the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). It is a world leading geological survey that provides a core science mission to inform government of science related to the subsurface and its interfaces and also undertakes applied research for solutions to earth and environmental processes, both in the UK and globally. It is funded directly by UKRI as well as through research grants and via private sector contracts.

BGS has an annual budget of approximately £60 million and employs 650 people. It has two main sites, a head office in Keyworth near Nottingham and the Lyell Centre, which is a joint collaboration with Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh. BGS works with more than 150 private sector organisations as well as having close links with 40 universities and sponsors approximately 100 PhD students each year.

How to Apply

Online applications only are preferred. Please submit your CV and a covering letter which clearly outlines how you fulfil the criteria specified along with your motivation for BGS and the role you're applying for. Ensure that the job reference number is included in the filename description of each document uploaded. Note that failure to address the above criteria or submit your application without a covering letter may result in your application not being considered. Your application will be assessed only on the content of your CV and covering letter.

How we support EDI in the workforce

We believe that everyone has a right to be treated with dignity and respect, and to be provided with equal opportunities to thrive and succeed in an environment that enables them to do so. We also value diversity of thought and experience within inclusive groups, organisations and the wider community.

Disability Confident Employer

As a Disability Confident Employer we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy and will provide reasonable accommodation to facilitate the application or interview process and the performance of essential job functions.