The University of Calgary

Job Posting: Contract Specialist Description: Legal Services – Research in the Office of General Counsel, People & Culture is seeking a Full-Time Regular Contract Specialist to join the team. The University of Calgary is a dynamic, innovative institution and a leader among Canada’s next-generation universities. Known for embracing opportunity, creativity, and change, UCalgary supports research, discovery, and learning across all disciplines. Serving over 31,000 students in more than 200 programs, the university fosters talent that drives innovation, improves lives, and contributes to society. The Legal & Intellectual Property (IP) Division is essential to the university’s research enterprise, facilitating agreements between faculty and external partners such as industry, government, and funding agencies. With nearly 300 active files at any time, the division delivers high-quality, timely support to advance the university’s mission. As a Contract Specialist , you will play a pivotal role in managing research agreements and fostering collaboration. Reporting to the Director of Research Agreements, you will handle all aspects of contract negotiation and management, ensuring agreements align with the university's strategic goals. Key Responsibilities: Manage the full lifecycle of research agreements, including drafting, revising, negotiating terms, and obtaining signatures with minimal supervision. Review agreements from external entities, propose alternative language, and escalate issues to the Director or legal counsel as necessary. Resolve conflicts while balancing the interests of faculty members, external partners, and the university under tight deadlines. Guide faculty on optimal strategies and collaborate with external partners to secure agreements. Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders, including faculty, university departments, and sponsors. Share knowledge and collaborate with team members to improve processes and outcomes. Ensure timely completion of a diverse portfolio of legal files to meet individual and departmental objectives. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree preferred; equivalent experience in contract management or negotiation will be considered. Specialized training in contracts or negotiation is an asset. 4–7 years of professional experience in legal transactions, contract management, or a related field; university experience is an advantage. Proficiency in MS Office and familiarity with database tools is required. Skills & Abilities: Exceptional conflict resolution and negotiation skills under time constraints. Ability to assert and defend university interests while fostering positive relationships. Strong independent problem-solving and decision-making capabilities. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to explain complex concepts clearly. Composure and professionalism when dealing with ambiguity or conflict. Effective prioritization and organizational skills to manage multiple files concurrently. Why Join Us? At UCalgary, you’ll be part of an entrepreneurial university committed to creating a supportive, inclusive, and culturally rich environment. The university is actively advancing its Indigenous Strategy and encourages diverse applicants to contribute to its mission of excellence in research and education. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and provide accommodations to ensure an equitable hiring process. If you have the skills and passion for this role, we encourage you to apply—even if you don’t meet every qualification. Application Deadline: January 9, 2025 How to Apply: Visit the University of Calgary Careers website for more information and to submit your application. About the University of Calgary: UCalgary is recognized as one of Canada's top research universities and a hub for entrepreneurial thinking. Its focus on innovation and experiential learning prepares students for success in a rapidly changing world. With a commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion, the university fosters an environment where all individuals can thrive. We value diverse perspectives and encourage applications from women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, racialized minorities, and individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents.

The Department of CSM Legal in the Cumming School of Medicine is currently seeking a Full-time/Part-time Regular Junior Legal Counsel . The legal services group at the Cumming School of Medicine (¿CSM Legal¿) plays a key role in supporting researchers by ensuring research is conducted with the required legal agreements in place. Junior legal Counsel reviews and revises contracts under the direction of the Senior Legal Counsel and in collaboration with other lawyers and contracts specialists . Please see our website for more information about what we do https://cumming.ucalgary.ca/research/csm-legal/home Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to): Contract / Agreement Review Responsible for review of research contracts including data transfer agreements, material transfer agreements, non-disclosure agreements, clinical trial agreements, partnership agreements, grant agreements, amendments, and sub-site agreements Accountable for the contract content including interpreting content, proposing alternate language, and determining when Senior Legal Counsel need to be consulted Negotiate contract clauses with external parties (such as academic institutions, government agencies and industry) Draft contract clauses based on legacy agreements Independently manage conflict / competing interests of faculty members / external parties Interpret, revise, and finalize clinical research contracts ensuring all terms are compliant with University and AHS policies Complete final review for completion ensuring all required forms, attachments, and supporting documents are include before the contract is finalized Contract / Agreement Process Independently manage and prioritize own workflow Meet unit performance targets Track contract progression and provide feedback to other University departments, government agencies and external parties regarding the status of a contract Ensure proper certifications are in place Maintain contract library and revise contract templates as required Lead the drafting internal guidelines and processes for the management of agreements, as requested by the Senior Legal Counsel Independently implement guidelines and processes for the management of agreements Develop and provide onboarding and training to CSM legal staff Utilize and update the unit contract management system and other legal databases/spreadsheets to track contract progression Meet with sponsors and researchers in advance of the submission of the research contract documentation if required Respond to requests from Researchers and provide information and advice on University policies and administrative processes governing research contracts Identify and recommend process improvements for contract administration to the or the Senior Legal Counsel Draft, lead and implement process improvements as required by Senior Legal Counsel Qualifications / Requirements: Law degree is required Must be a member of the Law Society of Alberta ( if you are not called to the bar your application will NOT be considered) Must have at least 2 years of experience working in areas related to contracts Experience in interpreting legal contracts and relevant policies is required Demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to create well-constructed documents that effectively communicate to the intended audience Demonstrated strong drafting skills is required Ability to work in a fast-paced environment while producing on-time and high-quality deliverables is required Proven ability to work independently is required Proven ability to work as a member of a team is required Must be able to successfully and efficiently manage a project team completing high volume tasks and files is required Excellent attention to detail is required Strong time management skills are required Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills are required Strong and proven ability to lead and participate in process change initiatives is required Advanced working knowledge of MS Office and SharePoint is an asset Application Deadline: September 23, 2024 We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted. This position is classified in the Professional/Administrative Career Band, Level P3L of the Management and Professional Staff Career Framework. For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website . About the University of Calgary UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca. The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do. As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion ( equity@ucalgary.ca ) and requests for accommodations can be sent to Human Resources ( hrhire@ucalgary.ca ). Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.