Contracts Specialist - Legal services, Office of General Counsel

Description

The Legal Services within the Office of General Counsel invites applications for a Contracts Specialist. This Full-time Fixed Term position is for approximately 12 months (based on length of grant funding), with the possibility of extension.

The University of Calgary is Canada's leading next-generation university a living, growing and youthful institution that embraces change and opportunity with a can-do attitude. As a comprehensive academic and research institution, the University of Calgary inspires and supports discovery, creativity and innovation across all disciplines.

As a Contract Specialist, reporting to the Director, Research Agreements, you will play a central role in Research Legal - managing a portfolio of files, drafting agreements, negotiating changes and communicating with faculty members, internal units, external sponsors, and external counsel, as part of a high-energy team that is expected to produce top-quality results. Contract Specialists will be required to develop a strong understanding of the University's mission/goals and how this role supports the mission and goals.

Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):

Agreements and Negotiations

• Manage all steps in the research agreement process, from information gathering, strategy development, drafting agreements, revising, negotiation, communication with external counsel and obtaining signatures with minimal supervision
• Accountable for the content in agreement, and will interpret content, propose alternate language, and determine when necessary to engage Director, Research Agreements or internal Legal Counsel
• Review agreements from external partners and determine if content is appropriate, escalating to Director, Research Agreements or internal Legal Counsel as necessary

Identify and work to minimize legal and reputational risks to the University and its staff/faculty members

Conflict Management

• Independently manage conflict and balance the competing interests of faculty members, external partners and the University under constant time pressure

Direct faculty members on the most suitable strategy and persuading external partners to follow such strategy for completing transactions

Communication

• Develop and maintain long-term, trustworthy and productive working relationships with all stakeholders, including University faculty members, University departments, and external sponsors. This may require leading one-on-one meetings with faculty members or making group presentations to other departments
• Actively share details and acquired knowledge with other team members to strengthen the team and advance the progression of legal files.This will involve active participation in team meetings, providing clear and concise file briefings and leading group discussions on contentious issues
• Mentorship and guidance of students and new members of the team will be expected
• Exchange information with the Director, Research Agreements on the status of files and expected time lines for completion

Participate in long-range planning for the the Research Legal team, taking an active role in improvement of workflow and internal procedures

Workflow Management

• Manage and finalize a diverse portfolio of active legal files to ensure both individual and unit through-put goals are achieved
• Ensure agreements are completed in a timely fashion within unit standards
• Maintain highly-organized records in both electronic and paper format
• Independently establish priorities for completion of work
• Perform all necessary steps required to manage legal files

Policy and Program Interpretation

• Develop a strong understanding and ability to interpret and apply University policies governing research and commercialization
• Act as information resource on University policies to both internal and external stakeholders
• Understand, interpret, and help faculty members comply with operating procedures for a wide array of government grant programs

Qualifications / Requirements:

• An undergraduate degree will be preferred, but will consider a combination of extensive work experience demonstrating the core abilities above and education
• Specialized training in contract management or negotiation will be considered an asset
• 4 to 7 years of specialized work experience in a professional environment supporting legal transactions or in a contract management role, but a combination of education and work experience drawing upon negotiation and problem-solving skills will be considered
• Experience working in a major University will be an asset
• Exhibits a professional, client-oriented attitude combined with proven ability to work as part of a team will be considered extremely valuable
• A strong working knowledge of MSOffice Suite and comfort with database use is required
• The following Knowledge, Skills and Abilities are required to be successful in this position:
  • Negotiation - Ability to manage and resolve conflicting points of view regarding terms of agreement under constant time pressure and with minimal supervision. Objective is to finalize agreements, maximizing the success of the research initiative while minimizing legal and reputational risk for the University.
  • Diplomacy - Ability to independently assert and defend a position on behalf of the University to faculty members and external partners without compromising relationships or undermining the long-term interests.
  • Initiative - Self starter, with an ability to formulate the key elements of a problem or a challenge in a transaction, independently gather the necessary information, develop a position/strategy on the proposed transaction and then implement the strategy with minimal direction or supervision.
  • Resilience - Ability to maintain personal composure in a role which is exposed to continuing conflict, uncertainty and ambiguity.
  • Legal Basics - General understanding of the purpose of legal agreements and interpretation of legal language.
  • Communication - Professional, energetic and highly polished communication skills, including the ability to confidently explain complex matters and persuade others to accept an interpretation or point of view either in person, over the telephone or by email.
  • Discretion - Being a trusted recipient of sensitive personal, financial, technical, and business information from third party collaborators as well as University administrators and faculty members.
  • Organization - Ability to independently prioritize workload and maintain concise, accurate records of workflow with minimal supervision
  • Team Engagement - Ability to mentor and coach other members of a team facing similar similar challenges, fostering a cohesive team environment

Application Deadline: August 05, 2026

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 part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Specialist / Advisor Job Family, Phase 3.

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 ii' taa'poh'to'p 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.

The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.

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 Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People \& Culture ([email protected]).

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.