Legal adviser job description

Oxford Biomedica Solutions, LLC (OXB Solutions), the joint venture of Oxford Biomedica plc and Homology Medicines, Inc., is seeking an experienced attorney to join our team as Head of Legal. This person will be primarily responsible for general legal affairs within the company as well as defining and building the OXBS legal function. In addition, this Head of Legal will take on a range of legal work with a focus on contracts and agreements, corporate governance, corporate secretary, and strategic transactions. The Head of Legal is a proven leader and business partner who can build and lead this function within the company. This Head of Legal will be a strategic business-oriented team player and cultural leader for the company. This role will report to the Head of Strategy & Business Operations of OXB Solutions.

• Represent legal as part of Oxford's Senior Management team to help continue to build and drive company strategy, execution, and positive culture.

• Develop best-in-class systems, policies, and processes, required for maximum efficiency and consistency across the legal department.

• Collaborate with all business functions to draft, review, and to negotiate a wide variety of contracts.

• Collaborate with Group Company legal teams to align IP and Corporate legal needs, while primary focus will be on local execution of legal and business strategy.

• Lead the coordination of cross-department training opportunities, facilitate education on best practices, and create department-specific guidelines and policies.

• Assist with the Legal Department's budget and forecasting processes, and monitor the budget to effectively control costs.

• Responsible for all corporate governance and subsidiaries including drafting minutes, consents and resolutions.

• Responsible for preparation and proofing of all Board of Directors materials, and working with stakeholders on agendas.

• Work with team to manage necessary document filings with Secretary of State where businesses are qualified.

• Process Improvement: analyze existing processes for legal and compliance matter management, including allocation of matters to internal and external resources and tracking and follow-up throughout matter life cycle, and work with departmental personnel to develop process improvements that promote cost reductions and other efficiencies.
• Work closely with Procurement to manage vendor relationships and deliverables.

• Perform day-to-day functions to support the successful operation of the department, and support the objectives and goals of the department and company.

• Manage the Legal Team and the overall legal process of internal and external legal matters including managing of IP, and Compliance and Contracts.

• Work with the Business Development Team on negotiating and executing strategic collaboration and license agreement for in-licensed technology and research and development collaboration agreements, and in interpreting these agreements afterwards.

• Advise the Company on contract interpretation, dispute resolution, IP ownership, litigation, new laws that impact the Company, etc., and clearly articulate risk and provide guidance on a path forward to address potential risks.

• Proactively ensure that the Company conducts business in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

• Provide legal strategy, develop and implement policies and training that ensure the company's compliance with intellectual property laws, and manage prosecution and litigation related risks.

• J.D. and admission to the Patent Bar and to the Massachusetts Bar, required.

• Degree in the life sciences, preferred.

• Biopharmaceutical experience, preferably at least 5-10 years post law school.

• Prior experience contributing to business development activities, including but not limited to in-licensing, out-licensing, and partnering agreements.

• Experience in private practice, and as in-house counsel in a biopharmaceutical company setting.

• Direct legal and contract management experience required, preferably within a legal department in the biopharmaceutical or biotechnology industry.

• Demonstrated critical thinking to make sound and timely decisions.

• Experienced working within an operations function such as Finance, Legal, HR, IT, and Procurement.

• A strategic thinker who sees the big picture and strategic needs of the business first, while ensuring that the organization is fully compliant with the law.

• Capable of recognizing, assessing, and responding to urgent matters with timely, practical, and clear solutions.

• An innovative thinker able to manage and prioritize multiple matters simultaneously and independently.

• A collaborative team player with exceptional interpersonal skills, an excellent work ethic, and sound judgment.

• Able to communicate complicated legal issues to scientists, management, and to business leaders within the company while successfully managing outside counsel.