Senior Legal Counsel - BD&L

Job Description Summary

Novartis Legal Transactions is seeking an experienced transactional BD&L/M&A attorney who can be successful within our ethical, fast-paced, agile, inspired and collaborative culture. This position is located in East Hanover, NJ, USA or Boston (Cambridge), MA, USA.

The attorney will partner with key stakeholders to advise on, negotiate and draft license, collaboration, co-development, joint venture, acquisition, divestiture, and other strategic transaction agreements to support our Corporate & Business Development (C&BD) and strategy teams. Prior BD&L/M&A experience in the pharmaceutical industry as well as experience analyzing complex legal issues is required. The attorney will be asked to provide legal leadership on cross-functional teams, identify legal issues relevant to the business, give recommendations to address critical issues so that business and legal objectives are met, advise and consult with employees, managers and leadership, proactively educate the business on relevant issues, serve as the legal advisor in complex transactions, analyze complex issues and concepts in a timely fashion, and review, analyze and keep current on all federal and state legal developments affecting the pharmaceutical industry.

As a Senior Legal Counsel BD&L, you will be responsible for managing and executing legal aspects of strategic and complex transactions in close collaboration with C&BD and strategy colleagues and be a key enabler of Novartis’s portfolio and lifecycle management activities and overall enterprise strategy.

 

Job Description

What you will be doing:

· Independently manage legal work streams on strategic and complex transactions in close collaboration with C&BD, functional and strategy stakeholders

· Take direct responsibility for legal advice and documentation and related work streams on transactions, including structuring, due diligence, signing, closing and post-closing/integration activities

· Review, draft and negotiate transaction documentation to achieve transaction objectives and reflect agreed commercial terms, due diligence findings, legal and regulatory requirements and internal policies and procedures

· Define transaction objectives with project leads and other stakeholders and develop and implement project plans to achieve them, including timelines, reporting and key deliverables

· Drive robust due diligence processes, including external legal support, to identify, assess and communicate legal, regulatory and deal risks and to propose and implement appropriate risk mitigation

· Work with C&BD, strategy and other business colleagues to ensure appropriate due diligence on other transactions is completed and addressed in transaction structuring and terms

· Develop and implement creative solutions to structuring and legal issues on transactions, working with multiple stakeholders including tax, finance and P&O/C&B colleagues and external advisors

· Communicate and make recommendations to C&BD colleagues, senior management and other stakeholders in respect of legal and commercial issues arising in connection with transactions

· Support IR and PR on transaction-related communications

· Support the transition of closed transactions to responsible functional, business and integration/separation teams

· Proactively contribute to the development of a best-in-class transactions team at Novartis and initiatives to improve Novartis Legal

· Manage external legal counsel, including negotiating statements of work, setting and monitoring budgets and ensuring compliance with Novartis external counsel guidelines

Key Performance Indicators:

· Impact on Novartis through achieving agreed objectives, contributing to the success of teams, and enabling others’ performance and development

· Role modelling Novartis values and behaviors in daily activities - Inspired, Curious, Unbossed and Integrity

· Detail-oriented, high-energy, and self-sufficient – driving projects to completion independently with the utmost integrity

· Produces high quality work with minimal oversight from manager

· Possesses a ‘can-do’ attitude and the ability to work collaboratively with internal business partners

· Handles confidential matters with discretion and judgment.

· Manages workload and work product to support manager efficiently and in a solution-oriented manner

· Identifying and implementing actions for personal and professional development

· Managing and resolving legal issues on transactions to achieve enterprise objectives while maintaining high standards, managing risk appropriately and enhancing the reputation of Novartis Legal function

· Maintaining and sharing technical/professional