The University of Sheffield
Contracts Support Assistant
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The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities, and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.
Overview
RPI supports agreed University, Faculty, and School priorities for research and innovation: income generation, research excellence, PGR experience, partnership development, and knowledge exchange leading to income and/or impact and commercialisation of IP and student enterprise. Our focus is on delivering professional, value-add advice and support to our community of researchers and innovators. We are a well-connected team which understands the priorities of the organisation and our external stakeholders and customers and the external environment in which we operate. Team members collaborate, reflect, develop their skills, and have a risk-appropriate mindset of continuous improvement to our processes, policy, and approach.
The Research Contracts Team provides a specialised and comprehensive research contracting service. The team review, advise on, draft, and negotiate all research related contracts for and on behalf of the University of Sheffield.
The Primary Focus of This Role Is To:
- Work collaboratively in a small team to provide effective administrative support to the wider Contracts team.
- Act as the first point of contact for enquiries from all Schools in the University, working proactively to respond in a timely and appropriate manner.
- Set up agreements using our in-house system and to triage/respond to new enquiries in a timely manner, whilst maintaining effective and efficient systems and processes.
- Work cooperatively as part of the broader administrative team, offering support across Research Operations when needed.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- Set up standard and non-standard contract requests, create and maintain database records. Collate information for inclusion in agreements, update file notes to monitor the progress of agreements, and provide detailed information and guidance to colleagues.
- Keep administrative systems, processes, and procedures under continuous review, ensuring a pragmatic approach and efficient service is delivered.
- Maintain a wide network of contacts and broad knowledge of the university to provide a signposting service.
- Amend standard agreements and administer variations to agreements, escalating where appropriate, and liaising with colleagues across the university to resolve issues such as tax and insurance queries.
- Liaise with third parties and academic departments to ensure agreements are progressed in a timely manner.
- Prioritise and plan workload according to operational demands and to manage priorities whilst ensuring high levels of customer care are delivered. Work flexibly and share work with colleagues in a small team to ensure seamless handover to cover part-time working and leave.
- Oversee the approval and signature process, liaising with colleagues and signatories in Research Services, including the application of electronic signatures and dissemination of documents.
- Coordinate multi-partner contracts, collating comments and signatures.
- Undertake training and development, where necessary, in areas relevant to main activities and responsibilities.
- As a member of our Professional staff, you will be expected to demonstrate a commitment to the professional behaviours set out in the Technical and Professional Shared Skills Framework.
- Carry out other duties, commensurate with the grade and remit of the post.
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Person Specification
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.
Criteria
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Essential
- 5 GCSEs at Grade C or above including Maths and English (or equivalent experience).
- Evidence of professional, effective, and appropriate communication skills, both written and verbal, working with internal and external stakeholders.
- Excellent customer service skills, with experience of responding efficiently and effectively to enquiries in different formats.
- Evidence that you are a proactive, collaborative, and supportive team member, but also able to work independently within an agreed framework.
- Ability to work systematically with databases, spreadsheets, and other IT systems.
- Ability to work with budgets in contracts, make and check basic calculations.
- Ability to develop and maintain professional and collaborative networks and working relationships.
- Evidence of excellent organisation and time management skills, with the ability to work under supervision to prioritise your workload and work accurately to tight deadlines.
- Ability to consider and propose solutions to problems, working with line manager to agree course of action.
- Experience of working with sensitive and confidential information in line with policies and procedures.
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Desirable
- Practical experience of working with legal agreements in any working environment.
Further Information
- Grade: 4
- Salary: Not specified
- Work arrangement: Not specified
- Duration: Open ended
- Line manager: Contracts Support Officer
- Direct reports: N/A
- Our website: www.sheffield.ac.uk/rpi
For informal enquiries about this job, contact Verity Clarke, Contracts Team Manager, on v.e.clarke@sheffield.ac.uk.
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Next steps in the recruitment process
It is anticipated that the selection process will take place week commencing 21 September 2026.
Our vision and strategic plan
We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).
What We Offer
- A minimum of 38 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
- Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
- Generous pension scheme.
- A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out, and travel.
- A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support, and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s, and Parent’s networks).
- Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
- A range of generous family-friendly policies.
- Paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies.
- Support for those going through the menopause.
- Paid time off and support for fertility treatment.
- And more.
More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).
We are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job, you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
DBS check will be needed for this role. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role (opens in a new window).
Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates (opens in a new window).
Baseline personnel security standard: This role requires the postholder to undertake a Government baseline personnel security standard (BPSS) check as a condition of employment.
Closing Date: 23/08/2026
We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches, and insights, it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs, and ways of living for everyone.
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