Company Creation Commercial Advisor

Salary:£56,021 to £59,421 with progression to £64,914 per annum (pro rata)

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 23 April 2024

The role

This is a unique opportunity to work closely with the Company Creation Team and existing companies that they have spun out of the University. You will advise the university in relation to matters concerning established spin outs. This will include spin out fundraising, changes in share structures and other developments which might impact on the university’s shareholding or other interests. In addition, you will be required to advise and support the Company Creation team in a variety of commercially related matters.

This is a specialist commercial role requiring significant experience of the commercialisation of university IP and spinning out companies. Knowledge and understanding of complex corporate structures, share classifications, company valuations and legal transactions is required. This role requires significant prior experience of understanding complex financial arrangements and documentation, building partnerships, often at the most senior level, between the university sector and external partners.

This is a part time opportunity for 14.8 hours per week over two days.  We are currently working with a hybrid approach of place based and home working and would be happy to be flexible on the days of the week worked, apart from our anchor day on a Tuesday.

For further information or informal enquiries please contact Rick McCordall at rick.mccordall@newcastle.ac.uk

To apply, please upload a CV and letter of application which outlines how you can evidence the skills, knowledge and abilities set out in the person specification.

Interviews will be held on 2 May 2024.

Key Accountabilities

Portfolio Management

• Review and report on the financial performance of spun out companies. This will include interpreting and reporting on complex financial statements. Understanding of EPS (earning per share), PE ratios (price to earning ratios), gearing, gross and net margins will be essential in understanding the true performance of the company. Any changes in the marketplace (acquisitions and mergers, IPOs etc) and competitive environment will also need to be understood and reported in relation to the performance and future developments of the company
• Support spun out businesses where appropriate e.g. development of complex shareholders agreements, vesting agreements, signposting, acting as the observer or University nominated Non-Executive Director on Boards, dispute resolution, advice on share schemes (voting and non-voting), issues of additional shares etc
• Spun out companies often introduce EMI (Enterprise Management Incentive) schemes, EBT (Employee Benefit Schemes) and other share issues (preferential, A-class, non-voting etc). These will impact on the University’s shareholding (and value) in a spin out company. A full understanding of all of these programmes will be required to report and recommend approval or non-approval to NU Holdings. Recommendations will need to balanced with the needs of the business which in some cases will be sensitive and complex
• Some of our spin out companies are sold to larger organisations (or indeed buy other companies), some of which are located overseas. Input and support throughout the exit or aquisition, including input into an exit or growth by acquisition strategy, support through negotiations, due diligence, advice around IP and patent protection and complex legal documents will be required. Understanding of the impact of international laws on the sale of shares will be required. Navigation and negotiation on the fine legal and financial detail will be required, working with our internal legal team and in some cases multiple legal representations
• Assess the value of shares held by NU Holdings.  This will involve the interpretation of complex financial statements and supporting documentation issued by the company. In addition, recognition and understanding of external forces e.g. changes in law, changes in the competitive landscape (e.g. IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, liquidations etc.)
• Act unsupervised, often at the most senior level, as the ‘voice of the University’ in discussions and negotiations with investors, company Boards and Directors and other key stakeholders. This will include sensitive and complex negotiation, balancing the needs of the company and the University which do not always align
• Be able to research, report and recommend on possible joint ventures, multi-partner arrangements and other opportunities. This will involve using a range of complex financial tools (e.g capitalisation tables) and presenting different scenarios to NU Holding with appropriate recommendations
• Regular communication of all activity with Company Creation team

Support Company Creation Team

• Review business plans prior to submission to the University’s Intellectual Property and Spin-out Committee Support with Northern Accelerator reporting including ERDF, state aid etc
• Advise on complex legal and financial issues through the Company Creation process
• Other Ad hoc support to the Head of Company Creation, including representing the Company Creation team at internal and external meetings where appropriate

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Substantial experience in Finance and understanding of complex documentation relating to company structures, fundraising etc
• Experience of contract negotiating and delivery of complex projects involving multiple stakeholders
• Substantial experience and technical knowledge of the development of financially sound business plans, company structures and legal issues relating to equity and related arrangements
• Knowledge of effective commercialisation strategies including licensing and spin-out
• Experience of building relationships within, and communicating across, complex organisations
• Experience of exits and aquisitions, in particular strategy development and implementation, due diligence and negotiation of detailed and complex legal and financial sale and purchase agreements

Desirable

• Proven successful experience of management roles within a university IP / commercialisation team or newly formed start-up companies and / or SMEs
• Experience of legal issues in the creation of new companies

Attributes and Behaviour

• Tact and diplomacy when dealing with sensitive and confidential information, and ability to work well under pressure
• Ability to work largely under own initiative to a strategy agreed with the Head of Company Creation with little direct supervision
• The ability to work at the most senior level work with representatives of banks, finance advisers, lawyers, corporate representatives (large and small), investors, and relevant public organisations
• Projects a positive attitude through personal confidence and enthusiasm in order to achieve organisational success. Inspires the trust and confidence of others
• Ability to deliver presentations and networking activities, often at a senior level
• Significant and demonstrable interpersonal and influencing skills

Qualifications

• You will be educated to degree level with a financial qualification and / or an MBA, or significant experience at a similar level

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 26893

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