Description

Job Description Summary

The Novartis Legal Divestments team is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel responsible for managing and executing legal aspects of strategic and complex divestments in close collaboration with M&A, BD&L and strategy colleagues. This opportunity will play a key role Novartis’s portfolio and lifecycle management activities and overall enterprise strategy.

Location: this role will be based in East Hanover, NJ under a hybrid working model. #LI - hybrid

What you will be doing: 

• Independently manage legal work streams on strategic and complex transactions in close collab-oration with M&A, BD&L, Strategy, functional and divisional stakeholders
• Define transaction objectives with project leads and other stakeholders and develop and implement project plans to achieve them, including timelines, reporting and key deliverables
• Take direct responsibility for legal advice and documentation and related work streams on trans-actions, including structuring, due diligence, signing, closing and post-closing/integration activities
• 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 M&A, BD&L, Strategy, functional and other business colleagues to ensure appropriate due diligence on other aspects of transactions is completed and addressed in transaction structuring and terms
• Review, draft and negotiate transaction documentation to achieve transaction objectives and reflect agreed commercial terms, due diligence findings, legal and regulatory requirements and in-ternal policies and procedures
• 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 M&A, BD&L 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, divisional 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 

Novartis Compensation Summary: The salary for this position is expected to range between $194,600.00 and $361,400.00 USD per year.

The final salary offered is determined based on factors like, but not limited to, relevant skills and experience, and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. Novartis may change the published salary range based on company and market factors.

Your compensation will include a performance-based cash incentive and, depending on the level of the role, eligibility to be considered for annual equity awards.

US-based eligible employees will receive a comprehensive benefits package that includes health, life and disability benefits, a 401(k) with company contribution and match, and a variety of other benefits. In addition, employees are eligible for a generous time off package including vacation, personal days, holidays and other leaves.

EEO Statement:

The Novartis Group of Companies are Equal Opportunity Employers. We do not discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. 

Accessibility and reasonable accommodations:

The Novartis Group of Companies are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an e-mail to us.reasonableaccommodations@novartis.com or call +1(877)395-2339 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Please include the job requisition number in your message.

Skills Desired:

Administrative Law, Automated Process, Behavioral Economics, Business Acumen, Business Partners, Compliance Risk, Conflict Management, Empathy, Finance, Law (Legal System), Legal Advice, Litigation Law, Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A), Microsoft Office, Public Speaking, Quick Learner, Results-Oriented

Requirements

• Minimum 6+ years of relevant transactional / divestments experience (post-qualification) at a major law firm or in-house required 
• Transactional experience in the life sciences sector, including licensing, co-development, joint ventures, in-out licensing, and divestments is required
• Significant experience executing complex public and private mergers and acquisitions transactions (both buy-side and sell-side) and other corporate transactions (e.g., joint ventures, equity and debt investments)
• Experience in related commercial arrangements (e.g., services and supply arrangements) a significant plus
• Life sciences experience required; VC and/or digital experience a significant plus
• Strong business acumen and proven ability to work and to lead in a matrixed organization
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to work on multiple projects at any given time in a fast-paced environment
• High attention to detail
• Ability to work independently yet collaboratively while keeping key stakeholders informed
• Team player in a multidisciplinary, cross-cultural environment, high level of flexibility
• Ability to;
  o exercise initiative and sound judgment.
  o prioritize tasks and maintain efficiency; and
  o identify opportunities for improvement
• Excellent organizational skills