Director, Contracts Counsel

Job Description

Position Overview:

Manage and optimize a broad range of legal matters and processes, including but not limited to influencing the development of business strategies and planning, drafting, reviewing, negotiating, helping close, and maintaining commercial, quality, procurement, collaboration and intellectual property agreements for the Biologicals and Chemicals Division (BCD) within the Bioproduction Group (BPG).Work with the BCD President and Vice-Presidents, and their teams to develop strategies and offerings around sales of products and services to global customers, Draft and negotiate various agreements with large global industry-leading pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, research and manufacturing companies and institutions. Use process improvement methodologies to streamline contracting processes and contract globally with greater agility. Facilitate opportunities and development of agreements based on using technology owned by our Company or third parties. Work with Procurement and Quality to qualify vendors and prepare related agreements and processes to purchase raw materials and procure services to enable BCDs offerings and minimize risk and Legal exposure to Thermo Fisher. Manage distributor profile review and processing. Efficiently resolve commercial or other Legal disputes. Manage diligence, and Legal strategy and agreements around organic and inorganic opportunities, collaborations and mergers & acquisitions. Work with commercial, business development and product management teams to strategize, develop and structure business deals and transactions. Support the Bioproduction Lead Counsel and work with cross-Group and cross-Divisional Legal and business colleagues and others in the Legal Department to provide Legal advice and guidance on a broad range of substantive Legal areas, including contract automation processes and applications, molecule intelligence, generative AI, and supply chain initiatives. Manage and develop 1 or more Legal colleague(s) on the Bioproduction Legal team.

Essential Functions:

Oversee the Legal functions and needs for BCD, including Cell Culture and Cell Therapy, Supplements and Process Liquids, Production Chemicals and Services, and Cell and Gene Therapy business units and their sites within BPG. Analyze complex Legal issues and offer solutions that increase value and minimize risk and exposure. Draft and negotiate with third parties Thermo Fisher, Bioproduction Group and/or BCD-specific OEM and supply contracts, service agreements, technology and materials-based in-licenses and out-licenses, warehousing and consignment agreements, quality agreements, collaboration agreements, distribution agreements, confidentiality agreements, material transfer agreements, and other transactional agreements of varying complexity as needed; support tracking, resourcing and reporting of same in Saleforce.com, Malbek, iManage and other databases or contract management tools. Effectively facilitate resolution of BCD site and customer Legal matters. Drive business transactions from start to completion in an efficient and strategic manner, while managing risk and protecting the business and Thermo Fisher. Perform analysis on legal rights, obligations, risks and strategies, and deliver training and share best practices to help the Bioproduction, BCD and Thermo Fisher achieve its commercial, customer and financial goals and objectives. Work with supporting functions including commercial, supply chain, purchasing, accounting, sales, product management, quality, regulatory and marketing to resolve of a wide range of business, contractual, quality, regulatory, financial and operational issues. Work with business and functional leaders to increase commercial effectiveness through process improvement strategies and initiatives. Responsible for managing and overseeing the professional development of a Legal team of 1 or more individuals. Provide guidance, oversight, direction and advice to Legal team members, while promoting an environment that fosters collaboration, trust and inclusion by encouraging open communication.

Nature and Scope:

This position interacts directly with the BCD President, Vice-Presidents, and various other personnel within Thermo Fisher, as well as with external customers, and requires the ability to understand and frame global legal and related business issues to successfully develop strategies, as well as prepare, review and negotiate commercial agreements, and resolve disputes on a global level, with support from regional colleagues and outside counsel as needed. This role requires a full understanding of the Groups and Divisions commercial offerings, operations, and business strategies as well as a thorough working knowledge of contract, corporate and intellectual property laws. Ability to work on various Legal matters for specific Business Units within BCD, BPG, Legal, Thermo Fisher and cross-Group and cross-Divisional engagements and initiatives. Determine direction of BCD Legal strategies, lead attorneys and legal professionals, and perform duties independently with minimal instruction given on new projects or assignments. Ability to work through and resolve problems of highly diverse and global scope and moderate to high complexity, across multiple jurisdictions. Multiple tasks must often be performed contemporaneously, involving commitments of moderate levels of funds or other resources, and requiring understanding of issues surrounding personnel, finance, contracts, corporate structure, intellectual property and technology. Define the direction for new offerings based on Legal and business strategy, simplify complex Legal issues and offer suitable solutions to business partners. Attention to detail is an essential skill required for success in this role. The ability to recognize when to seek advice from or escalate matters to the Bioproduction Lead Counsel, General Counsel, other Company personnel, or external consultants is important.

Education and Experience:

• J.D. degree and admission to state bar or in-house legal counsel registration is required.
• A degree in a life science and working knowledge of intellectual property law is preferred.
• 10+ years of relevant Legal experience including contract preparation, negotiation and related activities resulting in a thorough working knowledge of contract law.
• Commercial experience and working knowledge of standard business processes is crucial.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing and negotiation skills are required.
• Establish relationships with Legal colleagues and business clients to understand business objectives and Legal issues in connection with Bioproduction Group businesses.