Job Description

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Governance and Legal Services (GALS) delivers progressive and comprehensive expertise, helping unlock potential to achieve operational excellence and impact. The Legal Services team is cross-functional, sitting within the wider Assurance Services team, supporting the activities of all teams in GALS and across the University.

The purpose of the role is to draft and negotiate contracts, and provide a pragmatic, business driven service, balancing and assessing risk, to effectively facilitate operational delivery, assurance, policy development and compliance with the laws of Malaysia and Ordinances of the University.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

Legal & Contractual Advice * Review, draft and negotiate a range of research and commercial contracts covering the full spectrum of commercial related activities, including complex commercial and non-commercial collaborations, agreements relating to industry sponsored collaborations, Malaysia contracts and consortium agreements, along with studentships, NDAs, consultancy and material transfer agreements, and other agreements as directed.

• Provide clear, pragmatic advice on the implications of contractual terms, using a comprehensive working knowledge of contract issues, such as confidentiality, publication requirements, intellectual property, VAT (Sales and Service Tax) and other related issues.
• Ensure that contractual terms meet the University\'s approved contractual position, or that variations to such requirements are highlighted and appropriately managed, in liaison with relevant individuals.
• Ensure that institutional risk is identified and appropriately assessed within each contract.
• Ensure that contractual terms are clear and appropriate.
• Interact with external clients to negotiate agreements as appropriate.

Assurance * Co-ordinate risk management activities for the Malaysia Campus, liaising with senior stakeholders to ensure that risk registers are accurately maintained and input to global risk reporting processes.

• Develop an understanding of the Malaysia Campus insurance requirements and arrangements and act as a co-ordinator for local insurance queries, annual renewal processes and claims.
• Liaise and co-ordinate with Internal Audit for audits being undertaken at the Malaysia Campus.
• Act as local co-ordinator and lead for Malaysia Campus business continuity planning and contingency arrangements.
• Provide support to the global team in respect of travel assurance processes for students and staff travelling on University business. Provide cover for the Group Assurance Services team on all related assurance activities.
• Lead training on assurance subjects for colleagues at the Malaysia campus with the support of the global team.

Customer Liaison and Management * Work closely with the business development lead, to ensure that the contractual terms address the needs of the Campus, whilst ensuring that the University is not exposed to unnecessary legal risk, and that the contractual terms cover all aspects of the activity to be carried out.

• Ensure that internal customers (Board, Senior Executive Group, PS Heads and Associate Heads of School) and the project leads are kept regularly informed of the status of contract development / negotiation and are appropriately involved with the process.
• Ensure that contractual terms are appropriately explained to internal customers, and that they understand any implications.
• Interact with external customers, as appropriate, to communicate clearly and concisely the points of negotiation.
• Ensure a good working relationship with both internal and external customers.

Policies * Develop and maintain a good understanding of the University\'s policies.

• Develop and maintain a good understanding of post-award processes to inform pre-contractual negotiations and arrangements.
• Develop and maintain an understanding of relevant regulatory requirements and/or policy issues.
• Contribute to the development of the policy environment including those around intellectual property, consultancy and knowledge exchange.
• Assess the nature and level of risk associated with agreements and use professional judgement to deploy appropriate measures to manage such risk.

Training & Development * Contribute to the development and delivery (as required) of training for internal stakeholders.

• Participate in centralised training co-ordinated by GALS.

Team Working & Collaboration * Build, develop and maintain effective working relationships with all levels of staff.

Other * Manage own time and priorities workload in a complex multitask, high throughput environment frequently handling conflicting aspirations of the parties involved

• Work effectively within procedures and management systems.
• Keep electronic file management systems up to date.
• Contribute to the regular review and development of internal procedures and systems.
• Provide cover for the other members of the Group Legal/Assurance Services Team during times of holidays, absence and others, as required.
• Such other duties or changes to the above duties as may be required from time to time to support the achievement of objectives in service delivery.

All HWUM staff endeavours will embody our shared values of: Inspire, Collaborate, Belong, and Celebrate.

Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post and its general responsibilities. Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve.

Person Specification

Education & Qualifications

Essential:

• LL.B (degree of bachelor of laws)

Desirable:

• Professional Qualification or membership of Professional body

Experience

Essential:

• A minimum of 2 years working experience in similar role
• Demonstrable substantial professional expertise in legal, contractual, or intellectual property fields particularly in the context of Malaysia
• Well-developed understanding of the relevant legal, statutory and governance applications in these fields and turning them into good practice

Desirable:

• Experience of working in Higher Education

Competencies, Skills & Knowledge

Essential: * Excellent interpersonal, influencing and presentation skills, able to understand and communicate complex issues effectively

• Competent in the use of relevant IT systems
• Ability to persuade, motivate and lead
• Demonstrable excellent customer service
• Demonstrable ability to work quickly, flexibly and accurately in a dynamic, changing and pressured environment
• Experience of working closely with stakeholders across all levels of the organisation
• High level planning and organisational skills with the ability to prioritise major developments and to function effectively in a pressured environment
• Demonstrable professional and proactive approach
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team

Desirable:

• Experience in 4 risks system

Special Factors (if applicable)

• Demonstrate the University Values at all times through performance and behaviour

Essential Criteria - these are attributes without which a candidate would not be able to undertake the full remit of the role. Applicants who do not clearly demonstrate in their application that they possess the essential requirements will normally be eliminated at the short listing stage.

Desirable Criteria - these are attributes which would be useful for the candidate to hold. When shortlisting, these criteria will be considered when more than one applicant meets the essential criteria.

Application Process

Due to Malaysian Immigration restrictions, we regret that this position is only open to citizens or permanent residents of Malaysia.

Applications should be submitted to Career Website.

Applications must be submitted by 3 October 2023. If you are not contacted by the selection committee by 31 October 2023 then please assume that on this occasion your application has been unsuccessful.

The University is committed to equality of opportunity.

Heriot-Watt University