Assistant Director of Contracts

General Description

The City University of New York (CUNY) is seeking an Assistant Director of Contracts for the Office of Research (OR). 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 (TCO), the Assistant Director of Contracts will facilitate and expedite the execution of legal documents associated with intellectual property and sponsored research in higher education.

In a single integrated system of 26 colleges and schools, the Office of Research is responsible for the leadership of University initiatives that build research capacity for CUNY. Research, scholarly, and creative pursuits are supported through three OR divisions: Research Development and Programs; Innovation and Entrepreneurship; and Research Integrity and Compliance. Jointly, these divisions 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.

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 and Research Integrity and Compliance (RIC) division—to provide subject matter expertise and project partnership
• Coordinate with CUNY OGC and/or RFCUNY 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
• 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

Preferred Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree with three or more years of relevant experience or Ph.D. degree in STEM fields with three or more years of relevant experience
• 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.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

The Research Foundation of the City University of New York is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Americans with Disabilities Act/E-Verify Employer. It is the policy of the Research Foundation of CUNY to provide equal employment opportunities free of discrimination based on race, color, age, religion, sex, pregnancy, childbirth, national origin, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, domestic violence victim status, arrest record, criminal conviction history, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

RFCUNY Benefits

RFCUNY Employee Benefits and Accruals

About the Research Foundation

The Research Foundation of The City University of New York (RFCUNY) is a nonprofit educational corporation founded in 1963 to provide post-award fiscal and administrative support for CUNY’s research and sponsored programs. RFCUNY’s services allow CUNY researchers, faculty, and staff to focus on their intellectual curiosity and scientific discoveries, on projects and programs that serve our local and global communities, proposing concrete solutions to society’s most pressing challenges.

RFCUNY serves as a fiscal agent and works closely with all the CUNY campus Grants Offices to perform the core functions of post-award financial management for CUNY research projects and sponsored programs. These functions include legal assessment and signing of agreements where RFCUNY is named as a fiscal agent; setting up award accounts; preparing sub-awards and assisting PIs in monitoring the work of the recipients of sub-awards; supporting project directors with hiring and managing research project and sponsored program staff; supporting the purchasing and paying for goods and services with grant and program funds; managing financial aspects of projects including accounts receivable, financial reporting, invoicing, budget monitoring, and cost compliance with uniform guidance; ensuring that sponsor financial requirements are met; monitoring compliance with applicable project and financial management rules and laws; supporting the management of independent and external audits and financial reviews; and providing data, information, management expertise, and other supports to CUNY’s research and sponsored programs.