Description:
Job Overview:We are seeking a Counsel, R&D and Commercial Contracts (Director level) to join our legal team and lead high impact contracting matters across R&D, commercial operations, and market access as we prepare to launch our first commercial product. This is a hands-on role for an experienced in house attorney who enjoys ownership, cross functional partnership, and operating in a fast moving, scaling organization.
Location: Hybrid in our New York City office.
Reports to: VP, Associate General Counsel.
Roles and Responsibilities:
(Include but are not limited to):
- Draft, review, and negotiation of complex R&D and clinical development agreements, including:
- Clinical trial agreements (CTAs)
- CRO, CDMO, and other strategic vendor agreements
- Research collaboration and services agreements
- Draft, review, and negotiation of commercial contracting agreements, including:
- Commercial vendor and services agreements
- Supply, manufacturing, distribution, and logistics agreements
- Support negotiation of payer and market access agreements, including managed care, reimbursement, and innovative contracting models (where applicable)
- Advise business partners on contractual risk, deal structure, and practical solutions aligned with company strategy
- Help build and scale contracting processes, templates, and negotiation playbooks
- Partner cross functionally with clinical, commercial, market access, finance, and compliance teams
Candidate Profile:
- JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
- Typically 3-5+ years of legal experience, with meaningful in house experience in the pharmaceutical or biotechnology industry strongly preferred or relevant law firm experience supporting life sciences clients, with exposure to in-house-style responsibilities
- Significant experience negotiating:
- R&D and clinical development contracts
- Commercial vendor and operational agreements
- Payer or market access–related agreements
- Other vendor agreements
- Strong understanding of the legal and compliance considerations facing emerging commercial-stage life sciences companies
- Proven ability to lead matters independently and exercise sound judgment
- Business oriented mindset with excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
- The ideal candidate should have the following characteristics:
- Legal smarts, analytic rigor, business sense, and a strong work ethic;
- Ability to operate independently and work cross functionally with various teams across the organization;
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills and exemplary attention to detail;
- Likes finding solutions to complex problems and works well under pressure;
- Strong written and oral communication (including analysis, interpretation, & reasoning) and organizational skills (project management);
- Flexible, with excellent ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously; and
- Believes in holding themselves and others accountable
Nice to Have:
- Experience supporting a clinical to commercial transition or first product launch
- Exposure to market access, reimbursement, or payer contracting strategy
- Experience building scalable contracting frameworks in a growing organization
- Play a leadership role at a company approaching a major commercialization milestone
- Work closely with senior stakeholders across development and commercial team
- Make a meaningful impact in a lean, collaborative legal environment
