Senior Legal Counsel

Competition: 037824 Closing Date: 12 noon Irish Standard Time, 27 November 2024 Contract Type:1 Year Fixed Term Contract The Purpose of the Role: Applications are invited for the post of Senior Legal Counsel within Research Contracts (KnEx), Trinity Innovation & Enterprise (TrI&E). The successful candidate will report to the Deputy Head of Research Contracts. They will have, inter alia, full responsibility for the management and coordination of their teams (SFI/Research Ireland and Irish & International) contracts portfolio which shall incorporate a variety of contractual engagements of strategic importance to College. They will manage this dedicated team in all aspects including training, performance monitoring, delegation of workload, etc. They will be required to apply their specialised knowledge of all areas of contract law for the purposes of drafting bespoke agreements, negotiating, as well as concluding and bringing to finalisation contracts with key stakeholders in particular external strategic industry funders, multinational companies and other institutions etc. Context: This role will augment the support the RC provides to College by identifying scalable ways to deliver services and drive results by ensuring a professional and efficient process of negotiation with the aforementioned stakeholders, including engagement with internal College Stakeholders, Managers and Principle Investigators. They will advise and support College on miscellaneous and complex research projects and shall be responsible for taking pre-emptive measures to avoid legal risks, conflicts and issues. S/he will be responsible for monitoring and advising on applicable regulations and legislation and at all times ensuring that internal College policies are adhered to and College / Schools / Principal Investigators etc. are in a position to comply with same. They will also work with the Deputy Head of Research Contracts and the Director of KnEx in the implementation of key projects, management of staff and ensure the smooth running of Research Contracts. Standard Duties and Responsibilities of the Post: Managing and having full accountability for the teams contracts portfolio ensuring that all contractual documentation is completed in order to meet sponsors deadlines; Applying their legal expertise and know how when drafting, reviewing, negotiating and finalising complex, high value research contracts; Being the face of the College in respect of contract negotiations with stakeholders; Ability to make decisions and provide advice/explain the rationale for decisions; Effectively manage a high-volume of contracts and prioritization of tasks; Applying their problem-solving skills to deal with issues that arise which require analyses and evaluation of complex scenarios, using sound judgment to arrive at the most appropriate solution; Continuously upskilling their knowledge of law to keep abreast of changes which impact on contractual negotiations i.e. GDPR, Export Controls, State Aid etc.; Managing and supervising their team and other RC staff members when required; Providing legal training and support to the RC team; Driving the management of relationships with internal and external stakeholders; Liaising with relevant College service providers, understanding the Colleges policies and requirements for involvement in research funding schemes and contracts, and ensuring such procedures as detailed by the College are adhered to; Representing College at external networking events; Any other duties which arise from time to time as directed by the Deputy Head of Research Contracts. Person Requirements The role-holder will require the following knowledge, skills and attributes for successful performance in the role Qualifications: Candidates for these posts must have a professional legal qualification with a minimum of 5 years PQE. Experience in a University environment and an Intellectual Property accreditation would be desirable. Knowledge and Experience (Essential and Desirable) Essential: In-house experience in a commercial and/or research contracts environment; Ability to draft, review and negotiate (multi-party) contractual documentation; Experience with running independent negotiation processes; Ability to effectively communicate complex legal concepts to both orally and in writing; An independent and rigorous thinker; Experience in managing a team; Excellent communication skills required e.g. face to face, teleconferencing, email etc.; Energized working in a fast-paced, high-pressured environment; Desirable: Knowledge of State Aid rules and regulations, export controls, GDPR, VAT etc.; Skills and Competencies Communication skills: Excellent written and oral communication skills; Analytical ability: excellent analytical skills (including proofreading skills) are required; Extensive I.T. skills: e.g. MS Office suite. Ability to continuously upgrade IT competence is a requisite. Display evidence of a high level of competency in Microsoft Office, in particular Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Outlook; Team worker: Ability to work effectively as part of a team tolerant, cordial and willing to help others, shares work and information; establishes rapport with others; Financial and Budget skills: Demonstrate proven ability in developing and maintaining budgets, provide summary reports of expenditure as required, using Excel; Organisational Ability: Excellent organisational and task management skills together with the ability to work on a number of tasks simultaneously. Have the ability to prioritize tasks and meet deadlines; be capable of working on own initiative and work under time constraints; Ability to develop creative solutions to multi-faceted problems; Personal attributes: Conscientious: Have a pro-active approach to work, anticipating and resolving problems in advance; Attention to detail - from anticipating and addressing issues in advance to understanding requests and delivering quality work with minimal errors; Flexibility: can operate flexibly within a busy environment; can shift focus when required. Be enthusiastic, flexible and willing to work beyond normal office hours when a need arises; Customer Focus: customer service skills are essential. The Contracts Office seeks to facilitate researchers in the very best way they can; can influence and develop effective networks; demonstrate emotional intelligence and communicate with a high level of initiative, tact, diplomacy and confidentiality. At Trinity, we are committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion. Trinity welcomes applications from all individuals, including those applicants with disabilities, those who may have had non-traditional career paths, those who have taken time out for reasons including family or caring responsibilities. We also welcome international applicants including those whom have been displaced due to war. Trinity College Dublin is Irelands premier University. We are an EU Sustainable Gender Equality Champion and we hold an Athena Swan Silver award, recognising our ongoing work to advance gender equality both within Trinity and in the Higher Education sector. Trinity is committed to supporting work-life balance and to creating a family-friendly working environment. Skills: legal contracts communication Analytical thinker