Description Role: IP & Commercialisation Manager Grade and Salary: Grade 8, £46,735 - £57,422 per annum FTE and working pattern: 1 FTE, 35hrs per week, Monday - Friday Holiday Entitlement: 33 days annual leave plus 9 buildings closed days (and Christmas Eve when it falls on a weekday) The GRID @ Heriot-Watt The University is embarking on a number of flagship digital and data driven innovation investments– in total we are investing over £50M over the next 5 years in these new global initiatives, and we aim to work with selected partners to leverage this further, transforming lives and creating opportunities for all. The GRID at Heriot-Watt has many dimensions. It’s a place for learning, a way of thinking and a catalyst for collaboration. GRID brings together global expertise to tackle current industry challenges whilst pioneering new innovation to drive our future economies and companies of scale. However, it is people that matter, and we are creating great spaces where creative and brilliant minds are encouraged to share ideas and explore new concepts – tapping into world-class academic resource to stay at the forefront of rapidly changing technology trends. Through The GRID, HWU is revolutionising the means of learning. Innovation, discovery and entrepreneurship are being placed at the core of learning. The GRID connects our leading academics, high growth technology companies and our research partners to build better products and services for future global markets. Purpose of Role As a key member of the Commercialisation Team, the IP and Commercialisation Manager has a broad remit which includes managing the University’s intellectual assets, developing commercialisation strategies, negotiating license agreements and royalties, supporting the Head of Commercialisation and Chief Entrepreneurial Executive by contributing to the development and delivery of new enterprise activities for the university. This is a critical role and will require a deep understanding of research and technology commercialisation. Enterprise activity forms a key area of development for Heriot-Watt University. It is the focus of the Scottish Government Scotland Can Do agenda and a major component of the Scottish Funding Council University Innovation Fund. The University has a strong focus on enterprise and company creation and is originator and host of the leading pan-Scotland enterprise programme, the Converge Challenge. The Enterprise team supports the University’s strategy through delivery of a wide range of Knowledge Exchange and Entrepreneurship activities that create real impact and value to industry and society. As a student, academic researcher, collaborator or knowledge transfer partner, the Enterprise team provides professional advice and assistance on: Spinout/start-up creation and enterprise; Commercialisation and working with industry; Knowledge exchange and technology licensing; Research commercialisation and IP management. Key Duties & Responsibilities The post-holder will: Transform the University’s understanding of, and approach to the value of intellectual property as the foundation of a world-class institution by evangelising the benefits of knowledge protection across all university campuses, empowering staff and students to maximise the benefit to be gained from IP. Critically analyse existing approaches to IP management within the University, and identify a clear roadmap for commercialisation for major initiatives. Implement and maintain a new University IP Policy ensuring that it reflects the University’s guiding principles, research needs and business expectations and forming a world-class platform for the nurturing, protection and commercialisation of the University’s intellectual property. Educate and inform University Staff regarding best practice with respect to the identification, protection and exploitation of IP, and in particular with respect to how IP should be effectively managed within a collaborative research environment. Restructure and deliver the University’s IP commercialisation strategy and secure funding in collaboration with the Head of Commercialisation and Chief Entrepreneurial Executive. Establish an on-going relationship with all University Campuses to ensure that the University’s cenral IP strategies are fully integrated within their own operational frameworks. Manage the University IP portfolio and develop appropriate commercialisation strategies, identifying the opportunities for licensing and other forms of commercialisation. Assess and determine the appropriate protection of IP rights through external patent attorneys and ensure that IP is secured before release/publication/licensing. Analyse markets and industries to identify potential synergies with the University’s Enterprise programme initiatives. Establish business relationships with external organisations (ranging from start-ups to large corporates) with a view to forming new licensing and technology collaboration opportunities for the University. Negotiate agreements with external businesses in collaboration with internal stakeholders to formalise working relationships and to establish the parameters for effective and durable business engagement (through licensing, joint venture, collaboration and similar mechanisms). Conduct due diligence on prospective licensees and negotiate deals which form the basis of the licences from start to conclusion. Assess the value of IP, primarily patents and know-how, prior to negotiation to establish equitable up-front payments and ongoing royalty rate/s for the duration of the licence, developing and writing well-planned and priced licensing strategies for each licensing opportunity, including detailed market and financial analysis. Instruct the Legal Team on drafting of licence agreements and conclude revenue generating and high-impact deals for the University. Lead on negotiation of IP clauses in commercial contracts and advise on specific IP related queries including IP disputes. Coordinate on-going relationships with existing licensees ensuring that the the relationship with licensees is maintained and that the University’s interests are effectively upheld Act as the first point of contact for all licensees, attending off-site visits and meetings, in the UK and overseas as required, growing knowledge and understanding of the licensee and taking a positive responsive attitude to the needs of the licensees. Devise, implement and maintain systems for dealing with royalty payments and grant income throughout the life of the licence, liaising with licensees to ensure that payments received in a timely manner, including managing audits of licensees where necessary and managing reward and recognition payments to inventors. Maintaining good records and supporting the Head of Commercialisation in managing the IP budget. Essential & Desirable Criteria Essential Good first degree in a Technology, Engineering or Business related subject Proven record of working within a commercialisation role with a strong background in research and development Experience of dealing with complex intellectual property cases within UK, EU and international domains Strong commercial experience, operating in an innovation-centred environment. Demonstrated ability to evangelise new innovation-focused processes Financial management, contract administration and license negotiation experience. Demonstrable knowledge of intellectual property, patenting and licensing agreements Experience of drafting invention disclosures, heads of terms and license agreements in collaboration with legal professionals and patent attorneys Experience of the patenting process and working with professional attorneys Experience of working in a complex multi-disciplinary environment A good understanding of and the ability to use a range of software applications and services (CRM, intellectual property management, word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, email, PowerPoint) Ability to understand complex solutions and articulate them as clear value propositions Ability to negotiate and close deals Desirable Understanding of available business start-up support and intellectual property regulations across UK, Malaysia and Dubai Knowledge of angel, venture and corporate capital markets How to Apply Applications can be submitted up to midnight (UK time) on Wednesday 11 th June 2025. Please submit your CV & covering letter via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment. We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g., part-time working and job share options. Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our university community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/. Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University. About Heriot-Watt University At Heriot-Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team. Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.