Patent Renewals Assistant

About the company and role: #

For over 50 years we’ve built a reputation as one of the world’s leading strategic IP firms. Trusted by global innovators and businesses to realise and protect the true value of their intellectual assets, our work is consistently recognised in major IP, business and ESG awards and rankings, including The Financial Times, The Legal 500, World Trademark Review, IP Stars, World Intellectual Property Review and IAM Patent 1000.

Our global office network spans Europe, North America and Asia. With over 400 employees (including over 120 attorneys) worldwide, our people have leading IP expertise across many industries.

You would be part of our IP Services Renewals Team who manage the payment of over 30,000 cases due for renewal in any one year and monitor almost 100,000 maintenance fees in total.  We have a worldwide client base handled by a team who are based in Glasgow, London and Leeds.

Our Patent Renewal process is separated in to client facing, administrative and payment processing sections.  This role sits within the client facing group responsible for onboarding new cases, advising clients of renewal dates, obtaining & processing instructions, and ensuring our internal renewal records are up to date for each client leading to the effective and efficient conclusion of the renewal cycle including invoicing for the renewals paid and accurately docketing the new renewal date for the next cycle.

Main objectives of this role: #

• To ensure that we fulfil all instructions in good time and maintains our system throughout so that our data is always accurate.
• To ensure our clients renewal needs are met, and exceeded where appropriate, at all times.  Primarily, this means that clients are fully aware of the cost, timeline,consequences and outcomes of all their Patent & Design renewals.  Instructions are processed in a timely manner and renewals are paid, reported & invoiced promptly and accurately.
• To work collaboratively and effectively with the other teams within the department to enhance the client experience and escalate issues of non-conformity to help promote continuous improvement within the team.

Key Responsibilities: #

Renewals Lifecycle #

• Identifying and collecting cases for the purpose of sending schedules and providing quotes to clients
• Identifying cases to be invoiced.
• Calculating accurate costs and producing renewal invoices for most client types.
• Reporting renewal payments and evidence to clients.
• Working closely with colleagues to ensure renewals are timely paid and correctly docketed.
• Assuming responsibility and accountability for ensuring that late instructions or last-minute payments are completed
• Supporting the delivery of individual, monthly or quarterly invoicing in timely manner
• Issuing refunds on overpaid official fees.
• Post deadline reminders to ensure client is well informed of lapse date and consequences.
• Stays informed on changes to country laws, work instructions and client procedures.
• Correctly update cases in response to client instructions, agent updates, and other relevant developments.
• Issue renewal certificates to clients.

Renewals Support #

• Accurate data input.
• Check and move on or sign off Active Prompt deadlines as applicable to ensure tasks are monitored and completed in good time.
• Monitor incoming emails, actioning accordingly in line with established procedures.
• Handle returned undeliverable correspondence to ensure due diligence is performed.

Client Relations #

• Follow internal processes on both complaints and non-conformity to ensure continual improvement.
• Adherence to internal KPIs to ensure high quality of client service.

Agent Management #

• Reconciliation of Agent Invoices and associated queries
• Appropriately escalates areas of non-conformity or poor performance.

Business Support #

• Draft Work Instructions and Client Procedures for review by a Senior Renewals Assistant in line with the Quality Policy and associated procedures.
• Correctly follow client procedures and work instructions.

Person specification: #

• Ideally experience in a Renewals or IP Administrative role
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong time management skills
• Proactive & Positive with a desire to learn and adapt.
• Client-focused approach
• The ability to manage workload according to evolving priorities
• Excellent communicator and strong team-worker

Benefits #

• Annual salary review
• 28 days annual leave per annum plus 5 days bank holiday per annum
• Employer pension match contribution up to 5%
• Life assurance (three times basic salary)
• Private healthcare
• Ride2Work Programme
• Employee engagement initiatives
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Length of service gifts
• EV Car Scheme
• Career development and study support Opportunities to be involved in ESG activities (environment, charities, community engagement and ED&I)
• Companywide and team social events
• A great place to work with a one team culture.

If you are interested in applying, you are invited to send a cover letter, together with a detailed curriculum vitae, describing any qualifications, expertise and relevant experience to our HR Team at [email protected], or contact us for further information about the role.