Research Grants Contract Management Officer
Con Esperienza

Descrizione della Posizione Lavorativa

Position code 12833 — Research Grants & Contract Management Officer. Application deadline: 2026-08-02.

The Fund Raising Division seeks an experienced professional to strengthen pre-award and negotiation activities for European and international research funding (e.g. Horizon Europe and other programmes). The role acts as the operational link between the Fundraising Office, the Legal Office and Project Managers, supporting proposal preparation, legal and contractual review and the management of consortium agreements.

Key responsibilities

• Pre-award & proposal development: support proposal drafting and submission ensuring compliance with funder rules and internal procedures; coordinate with PIs, PMs, legal, finance and administrative units; draft and review pre-award documents (letters of intent, eligibility checks, due diligence questionnaires, declarations); prepare NDAs, MoUs and other pre-contractual instruments.
• Consortium agreement & contract management: lead preparation and negotiation of Consortium Agreements (including DESCA-based templates and EU standard clauses); manage negotiation of IPR clauses (background/foreground IP, exploitation and access rights); coordinate partner requests, timelines and signature collection; perform legal due diligence, identify contractual risks and maintain a repository of signed agreements and templates.
• FR processes: contribute to the development and continuous improvement of fundraising procedures and tools; participate in cross-functional working groups; provide guidance and training to FR colleagues; ensure structured post-award handover to Project Managers.

Reporting line

The role reports to the Head of Fund Raising and works closely with Fund Raising staff, the Legal & Contract Advisory team and Project Managers.

Requirements

• Master's degree in Law, European Studies, International Relations or a related field; further qualifications in contract law, European Project Management, Research Management or Innovation Management are an asset.
• Minimum 3 years experience in grant and contract management within research institutions, universities or similar organisations.
• Proven experience with Horizon Europe (or FP7/H2020) and other major European funding schemes; familiarity with DESCA and EU Grant Agreement standard clauses (Model Grant Agreement, Annotated MGA).
• Practical knowledge of EU submission and management tools (Funding & Tenders Portal, SYGMA).
• Solid understanding of IPR in research (background/foreground IP, licensing, exploitation, access rights) and awareness of data management/GDPR and open data obligations.
• Ability to read and draft contractual texts in English and Italian; strong analytical, drafting and negotiation skills; excellent interpersonal and communication abilities for working with diverse internal and external partners.
• Familiarity with document management platforms and collaborative workspaces; knowledge or willingness to use AI tools and large language models to support contract and grant management tasks.
• Experience coordinating multi-partner consortia and managing complex negotiations; experience liaising with legal/administrative offices in international settings is preferred.

Duration, compensation and other conditions

• The position will be based at CMCC offices in Milan or Lecce, depending on candidate preference.
• The contract offered will be a Coordinated and Continuous Collaboration or a Fixed-Term contract for 1 year with the possibility of extension. The National Collective Labour Agreement for the Tertiary, Distribution and Services Sector (Confcommercio) applies.
• Gross annual salary range: €35,000–€50,000, determined according to experience and objective, gender-neutral criteria.
• Welfare package of €2,000 per year, flexible working time consistent with internal policies, and support during the immigration process if required.
• Role advertised internally and externally.

Why join CMCC

CMCC Foundation is a cross-cutting research centre focused on climate change and its interactions with society, the economy and policy. The position offers exposure to frontier funding programmes, a broad portfolio of European and international projects, opportunities for professional development and training, and participation in national and international Research Management networks (e.g. EARMA, APRE). This is a newly created role with the chance to help shape processes, tools and standards.

Additional notes

• Belonging to legally protected categories (ex L. 68/99) will be considered a preferential condition.
• Certain fiscal benefits may apply to repatriated workers or foreign researchers who meet the requirements defined by Dlgs 147/2015 or Dl 78/2010.
• CMCC is an equal-opportunity employer and evaluates applicants without regard to legally protected characteristics. Applicants are asked to omit discriminatory data from CVs.
• By applying candidates confirm they have read and accepted CMCC Personnel Recruitment Rules and the Privacy Notice. Candidate data will be kept on file for up to 1 year.

Benefits

• Welfare package: €2,000 per year.
• Flexible working arrangements in line with Foundation policy.
• Professional development, training and participation in research management networks.
• Support for immigration procedures if needed.

Requisiti

Master's degree in Law/European Studies/International Relations or related; minimum 3 years' experience in grant and contract management in research settings; strong knowledge of Horizon Europe, DESCA and EU grant rules; proficiency in English and Italian; negotiation, analytical and drafting skills; familiarity with Funding & Tenders Portal, SYGMA and document management tools.