The Commercial Legal Lead is responsible for providing proactive commercial legal support to the Grant Management Group (GMG), working closely with its Finance & Commercial, and Business Support Services Directorates, LGC Group legal, and where required external legal counsel. The role will have reporting lines into the central LGC Group legal team and benefit from the wider team's knowledge and expertise
Initially, a key focus will be supporting the Evergreen transition programme implementing the new National Institute for Health and Care Research Coordinating Centre contracts, including the review of existing supplier agreements, development of contractual frameworks, and management of legal and commercial risks.
The role will also provide commercial legal support across GMG's wider activities, including bid and tender submissions, subcontract drafting and collaborator agreements.
The post holder will support the delivery of GMG’s innovation and commercialisation services to customers providing legal advice on aspects of IP management.
Key Responsibilities
Legal Support to GMG's Evergreen Programme
Provide legal support for new supplier contracts, including flow-down obligations, novations, and contract transitions.
Review and advise on existing supplier contracts, including termination rights, assignment provisions, contractual obligations, and associated risks and costs.
Support contract exits, including drafting termination notices and negotiating exit arrangements.
Ensure contractual frameworks appropriately allocate risk, particularly in relation to service delivery and regulatory compliance.
Awareness of TUPE and employment-related matters arising from re-tenders and service transitions, working with external counsel where required.
General Commercial Legal Support
Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts and subcontracts for public sector customers and other business activities.
Provide legal support for supplier and service provider agreements, ensuring appropriate risk management and commercial outcomes.
Legal Support to IP and Commercialisation Teams
Draft and maintain key legal documents, agreements, and template contracts.
Coordinate and support the instruction of external legal counsel and the implementation of specialist legal advice.
Provide legal support to intellectual property management and commercialisation activities.
Coordination & Governance
Align local contract terms with LGC Corporate standards and identify any deviations from corporate policies or strategy.
Maintain a centralised repository for legal documents, advice, and agreements, ensuring all final versions are accurately stored, tracked, and retained.
Implement and monitor appropriate document management processes, including version control, record-keeping, and access controls to ensure security, compliance, and efficient retrieval of information.
Knowledge, Experience & Technical Skills
Commercial lawyer with approximately 7-8 years' post-qualification experience (PQE) or equivalent
Experience drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and advising on commercial contracts and contractual frameworks; experience with public sector contractual approaches would be advantageous
Experience advising on contract transitions, termination provisions, supplier management arrangements, and associated commercial risk.
Knowledge of, or ability to rapidly develop expertise in, UK public procurement approaches and public sector model service contract frameworks, including the application of flow-down obligations.
Understanding of intellectual property and innovation management principles, with the ability to provide practical legal support in these areas.
Experience working with external legal counsel and managing specialist legal advice.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to assess legal risk and provide commercially pragmatic solutions.
Experience using legal technology, contract management systems, and data-driven approaches to legal service delivery, including the application of AI tools to improve efficiency and effectiveness.
Excellent written communication, drafting, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.
Person Specification
Commercially minded, with the ability to balance legal risk management with business objectives.
Proactive and self-motivated, capable of working independently and taking ownership of complex workstreams with minimal supervision.
Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced and evolving environment.
Collaborative and approachable, building effective working relationships across multidisciplinary teams and with external partners.
Continuous learner, demonstrating curiosity and commitment to professional development and keeping abreast of legal and regulatory developments.
Positive, solutions-focused approach, with the resilience and judgement to navigate complex and ambiguous situations.
Strong attention to detail combined with the ability to focus on strategic outcomes.
Enthusiastic advocate for innovation, technology, and continuous improvement, encouraging new ways of working and the adoption of digital tools.
Why work for us?
Join our team and you’ll be working with an exceptional organisation who manage high quality health and care research for the benefit of patients and the public. NIHR is one of the UK’s largest funders of health and care research.
Salary & Benefits
£100,000-120,000 PA
Bonus - subject to company performance
25 days annual leave, plus public holidays (UK) pro rata
Enhanced contributory pension scheme
Life Insurance
Benenden Healthcare
Season Ticket Loan
Laptop, IT equipment and remote IT support
Contract: Permanent position.
NB: This is an office based, hybrid role, with an expectation for all employees to attend our offices a minimum of 4 days a month, usually worked as 1 day per week, and may increase, subject to team requirements.
Application
If you are excited about the prospect of joining our team and believe you possess the relevant skills and background, we invite you to apply. Please submit your CV along with a 'Statement of Suitability' that showcases your key skills and experiences in relation to the 'Required Criteria' outlined in the job description. Additionally, share your enthusiasm for working with NIHR.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
LGC strongly believes that every job applicant and employee should be valued for their individual talents regardless of age, disability, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, religion, or belief. Short listing, interviewing and selection will always be carried out without regard to gender, sexual orientation, marital status, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, age, or trade union membership.
For more information about LGC, please visit our website www.lgcgroup.com