IP & Innovation Officer - Innovation3 Exchange in Glasgow

IP & Innovation Officers provide specialist advice and professional guidance within the IP & Commercialisation Team to support the University’s strategic innovation and economic development goals. This role’s primary focus and area of responsibility will be the University of Glasgow’s contribution of expertise to the Innovation3 Exchange, a strategic collaboration between the University of Glasgow and Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) funded by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). The role holder acts as a subject matter expert in the delivery of this pilot project, which aims to establish a scalable shared service model for innovation, entrepreneurship, and commercialisation across both institutions. Working in close partnership with the Innovation3 Exchange Project Manager (GCU), this role drives the commercial and technical delivery of the project’s work packages. This role offers a unique opportunity to gain deep insight into two distinct innovation ecosystems and contribute to a programme designed to drive cultural change, expand access to innovation programmes, and develop sustainable mechanisms for shared service delivery.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Specialist IP Management: Lead the identification and protection of intellectual property within a diverse portfolio of innovation projects. Provide professional advice to academic leads across the partnership on IP protection, freedom to operate diligence, and IP strategy.
• Work Package Delivery: In collaboration with the GCU Project Manager, implement the delivery of technical and commercial outputs for specific work packages, including the development of shared access to innovation programmes and the creation of shared service mechanisms.
• Strategic Evaluation & Reporting: Conduct complex due diligence and market analyses to inform decision‑making. Provide specialist data and technical progress updates to the Project Manager to support monthly/quarterly reporting to senior sponsors and the SFC.
• Deal Negotiation: Contribute to the negotiations of commercial terms in licensing deals, collaborations, and the creation of new ventures (including social enterprises), ensuring agreements align with both institutions’ policies and maximise institutional impact.
• Cultural Change & Community of Practice: Act as a catalyst for cultural change within the academic community. Contribute to the development and management IP of a Community of Practice for innovation support staff across both Glasgow and GCU.
• Commercial Strategy & Engagement: Design and execute high‑impact commercialisation plans. Develop marketing materials and engage senior decision‑makers in global industry/SMEs to secure commercial interest in collaborative innovations.
• Funding & Grant Leadership: Provide specialist guidance on and support the drafting of translational grant applications (e.g., UKRI IAA, SE HGSP). Oversee the allocation of translational funds to ensure critical de‑risking and proof‑of‑concept tasks are achieved.
• Stakeholder Relations: Build and maintain effective professional relationships across both University ecosystems and with external stakeholders, including venture capitalists and industry partners.
• Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement improvements to internal IP management processes, ensuring they are compatible with the emerging multi‑institutional shared service framework.
• Leadership & Deputising: Represent the Directorate at project governance boards or committees where required.

Knowledge / Qualifications – Essential

• A1: Ability to demonstrate the competencies required to undertake the duties associated with this level of post having acquired the necessary knowledge and skills in a similar / number of different roles. Or Scottish Credit and Qualification Framework level 9 [Ordinary Degree, Scottish Vocational Qualification level 4], or equivalent (including professional accreditation with relevant formal training), and experience of personal development in a similar or related role(s).
• A2: Knowledge of intellectual property, translational grant funding, company grant funding, open innovation, new business development related to innovation and preparing technical marketing materials.

Knowledge / Qualifications – Desirable

• B1: Knowledge of the Scottish/UK innovation ecosystem and SFC funding requirements.

Skills – Essential

• C1: Highly effective communicator: Ability to influence and negotiate with a wide range of stakeholders, from senior academics to corporate executives and project managers.
• C2: Analytical capability: Ability to interpret complex data sets and provide clear, advice to inform institutional decision‑making.
• C3: Collaborative Working: Expert ability to work as part of a distributed project team, aligning technical outputs with the Project Manager’s overarching framework.
• C4: Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• C5: Excellent problem solving and analytical skills.

Experience – Essential

• E1: Proven experience in leading complex desk research, market analysis, and financial benchmarking to support commercial recommendations.
• E2: Track record of successfully managing a diverse portfolio of projects with minimal supervision.
• E3: Experience in working across different organisational cultures or multi‑institutional collaborative environments.

Experience – Desirable

• F1: Experience in the development of shared services or inter‑university partnerships.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 7, £41,064 - £46,049 per annum. This post is full time (35 hours per week) and fixed term to 31 July 2027.

Closing Date 12 April 2026

Visa and Sponsorship The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK. If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship. Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules.

Benefits A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared. An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full‑time staff, pension, benefits and discount packages. A flexible approach to working. A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6‑month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University.

Further Information Please visit our website for more information.