Assistant Director of Contracts

Assistant Director of Contracts

In a single integrated system of 26 colleges and schools, the City University of New York (CUNY) Office of Research is responsible for the leadership of University initiatives that build research capacity. Research, scholarly, and creative pursuits are supported through three OR divisions that jointly encourage collaborative and transdisciplinary research innovations; foster startups and commercialization both within and beyond the CUNY community; and ensure adherence to the standards that govern research ethics and sponsored program administration. As part of the Office of Academic Affairs, and with an operating budget over $10 million, we serve over 7,000 full-time and 11,000 part-time faculty, including renowned scholars in nearly every academic field. With over $700 million in research and sponsored projects expenditures in FY24, and substantial growth across the past decade, our mission is to design a research and innovation ecosystem that strengthens CUNY's renown as the leading, diverse public impact university. Several CUNY campuses are already recognized by the Carnegie Foundation as top-tier research colleges.

The City University of New York is seeking an Assistant Director of Contracts for the Office of Research. This skilled professional will help foster, strengthen, and sustain the CUNY innovation ecosystem by enabling technology commercialization activity across the University's 26 colleges and schools. The Assistant Director of Contracts will help grow CUNY's capacity for faculty entrepreneurship and technology transfer to industry or other external entities by preparing, reviewing, and / or supporting the negotiation of complex legal agreements. Reporting to the Director of the CUNY Technology Commercialization Office, the Assistant Director of Contracts will facilitate and expedite the execution of legal documents associated with intellectual property and sponsored research in higher education.

Other Duties

In addition to the position overview, other key duties include, but will not be limited to the following :

• Support CUNY attorneys in contract and agreement negotiations as necessary.
• Ensure all terms, conditions, and clauses of legal agreements executed by the University are fully compliant with CUNY, governmental, and / or sponsor policies and procedures.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for relevant IP legal agreement processes-inclusive of both internal stakeholders (e.g. CUNY faculty, attorneys, research administrators) and external stakeholders (e.g. licensees, sponsors, collaborators)-regarding the status of contract negotiations.
• Collaborate with OR colleagues, such as those in the Technology Commercialization Office (TCO) and Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC) division, to provide subject matter expertise and project partnership.
• Coordinate with CUNY Office of General Counsel (OGC) and / or Research Foundation of CUNY Legal Affairs to draft or revise agreement terms and conditions associated with research agreements, MOUs, MTAs, NDAs, and IP licensing agreements.
• Conduct effective communication of potential contract risks to internal CUNY stakeholders at all levels.
• Maintain, and update activity databases and task trackers to ensure all documents are processed in an expedited and complete manner.
• Deliver educational content and training to faculty regarding legal agreements and technology commercialization process.
• Travel to CUNY colleges and schools in the five boroughs as necessary to perform position duties.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's degree with at least 6 years of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Juris Doctor (J.D.) or Ph.D. degree in STEM fields is strongly preferred, can substitute two years of relevant experience

Significant experience with reviewing, structuring, drafting, and / or negotiating a variety of commercial agreements, including but not limited to confidential disclosure agreements, material transfer agreements, software licensing, professional services, intellectual property licensing, and other complex commercial agreements.

Demonstrated ability for advanced critical thinking, independent work process, and initiative.

Demonstrated ability to exercise superb judgement in a fast-paced, high-pressured environment with strict deadlines and multiple projects.

Strong verbal and written communication skills in English.

Excellent interpersonal and presentation skills.

Substantial experience with institutions of higher education, and knowledge of federal guidelines, regulations, and policies for research and technology transfer in a university setting.

Substantial experience with sponsored projects and / or research administration and compliance practices.

Substantial experience with project management principles and best practices.

NOTES : Until further notice, this is a hybrid position, eligible to work a combination of remote AND on-site in the office.