12833 - Research Grants & Contract Management Officer at CMCC Foundation

Job ID 12833 – Research Grants & Contract Management Officer at CMCC Foundation (Milano, LOM, IT). Full‑time on‑site position with deadline August 2nd, 2026. Role

The Research Grants & Contract Management Officer reports to the Head of Fund Raising and is responsible for supporting the pre‑award phase, acting as a bridge between the Fundraising Office, the Legal Office and Project Managers. The incumbent will help prepare proposals, review legal and contractual documents, negotiate consortium agreements and ensure smooth hand‑off to project managers. Responsibilities

Pre‑Award & Proposal Development

Support the FR team in preparation and submission of research proposals, ensuring compliance with funder legal requirements and internal procedures. Coordinate with FR team members, Legal & Contract Advisory, PIs, PMs and internal units during proposal development. Draft and review pre‑award documents including letters of intent, eligibility checks, due diligence questionnaires and declarations. Liaise with CMCC Legal & Contract Advisory team to draft and finalize NDAs, MoUs and other pre‑contractual instruments. Work with the Fundraising Office to shape consortium governance structures and anticipate key negotiation issues. Define, with the Legal Office, the Foundation’s non‑negotiable positions on IPR, liability, confidentiality and consortium governance. Create, maintain and update an FR knowledge base containing model clauses, standard documents, funder guidelines and best practices.

Consortium Agreement & Contract Management

Lead preparation and negotiation of Consortium Agreements for Horizon Europe projects, adapting the DESCA model and EU grant agreement clauses to project requirements. Manage negotiation sessions on IPR clauses (background IP, foreground IP, exploitation rights, access rights), seeking mutually acceptable solutions among partners. Coordinate with consortium partners throughout the negotiation process, managing requests, timelines and open issues. Liaise with internal units (PI, PM, Legal & Contract Advisory, Finance, Administration) to finalize consortium agreements. Oversee collection of signatures from partners’ legal and administrative offices, ensuring compliance with funder‑imposed deadlines. Support management of other project agreements and contractual instruments within the FR division scope. Conduct legal due diligence on contractual documents, identify and flag legal risks and communicate legal nuances to stakeholders and partners. Maintain an up‑to‑date repository of signed CA and negotiation templates. Ensure a structured post‑award handoff to the Project Manager, transferring the contractual framework, negotiation positions and outstanding issues.

FR Process

Contribute to development and continuous improvement of FR procedures and internal tools. Participate in cross‑functional working groups and resolve operational issues at the interface between FR, Legal & Contract Advisory and other internal functions. Provide guidance and training to FR team members on contractual and procedural matters.

Requirements

Master’s Degree in Law, European Studies, International Relations or a related field. Additional training or certification in contract law is an asset. Postgraduate qualification or specialisation in European Project Management, Research Management or Innovation Management is desirable. Minimum of 3 years of work experience in grant and contract management within a research institution, university or similar environment. Very good knowledge of the English language. Proven experience with Horizon Europe (or FP7/H2020) and other major European funding schemes, proposal preparation and/or consortium agreement negotiation. Familiarity with the DESCA model consortium agreement and EU grant agreement standard clauses. In‑depth knowledge of Horizon Europe regulations and eligibility rules (Model Grant Agreement, Annotated MGA). Familiarity with EU submission and management tools (Funding & Tenders Portal, SYGMA). Sound understanding of IPR concepts in research: background/foreground IP, licensing, exploitation, knowledge transfer. Ability to read and interpret contractual texts in English and Italian. Knowledge of major research funding programmes (EU, Italian MUR, private foundations). Experience in coordinating multi‑partner consortia and managing complex contractual negotiations. Demonstrable track record in handling IPR matters in research and innovation contexts. Experience liaising with legal and administrative offices of research organisations, universities, or companies in international settings. Experience in public law or with publicly‑funded institutions is preferred. Excellent interpersonal and communication skills; ability to convey legal nuances clearly to non‑legal stakeholders and work effectively with diverse partners. Strong analytical and drafting skills, with attention to detail in contractual and legal documents; ability to conduct legal due diligence, identify risks and translate complex legal concepts for non‑specialist audiences. Negotiation skills: ability to conduct complex multi‑party negotiations, reaching consensus while protecting CMCC's interests. Working knowledge of Intellectual Property provisions in EU Grant Agreements, including background/foreground IP, access rights, and exploitation obligations as defined under Horizon Europe rules. Awareness of data management and data stewardship requirements in EU‑funded research, including GDPR compliance, data management plans and open data obligations. Cross‑functional collaboration: ability to work effectively across different functions (Legal, Fundraising, Project Management, Finance). Managing complexity: capacity to track parallel processes involving many stakeholders and competing deadlines, maintaining accuracy and quality of output in a fast‑paced, proposal‑driven environment. Proficiency in English (written and spoken). Italian is required for internal coordination. Good command of standard office tools; familiarity with document management platforms and collaborative workspaces. Familiarity with AI tools and large language models (e.g. Claude, ChatGPT); demonstrated ability or willingness to develop and refine AI‑assisted workflows for contractual and grant management tasks, including prompt design and knowledge base development. Duration, Compensation & Benefits

Based in Milan (or Lecce, if preferred). Contract type: Coordinated and Continuous Collaboration or Fixed‑Term for 1 year with possibility of extension. National Collective Labour Agreement for the Tertiary, Distribution and Services Sector (Confcommercio) shall apply. Gross annual salary range: 35,000–50,000 Euros (determined by experience, seniority and technical skills). Welfare package: 2,000 Euro per year. Flexible working time as per internal policies. Support during immigration process, if needed. Protected Category

Belonging to legally protected categories (e.g., L. 68/99) constitutes a preferential condition. Some fiscal benefits could be applied for repatriated workers or foreign researchers/professors, subject to Dlgs 147/2015 or Dl 78/2010. EEO Statement

CMCC is an equal‑opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, familial status and other legally protected characteristics. Please omit from your CV any data you or we might consider discriminatory.

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