Head Legal APMA

Job Description Summary

This position is responsible for providing legal leadership for the entire APMA Region comprising 4 directly reporting countries (Australia, Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey) together with 3 clusters (Gulf & Saudi Arabia Cluster, Aspiring MEA Cluster, and Aspiring Asia Cluster). The incumbent will: (a) be an active member of both the APMA Leadership Team and the International Legal Leadership Team and any related executive committees; (2) act as the primary Legal business partner and advisor to the regional APMA team; (3) provide strategic direction and leadership for all significant legal matters within the Region; (4) maintain an engaged team of lawyers in the APMA Region that exemplifies the Novartis S&L function “FITT Commitment”; (5) proactively identify, assess and mitigate legal and broader enterprise risk across the APMA Region; and (6) create and maintain collaborative platforms to create impact for the patients and business in the APMA Region.

Job Description

Major Accountabilities (Describe the 5-7 main results of the role to be achieved)

• Act as a business partner for the APMA Region Leadership Teams, providing strategic direction and leadership for all legal matters, and collaborating effectively with other AMPA leaders to ensure legal priorities are addressed and to assist on all non-legal matters where possible.
• Oversee legal support in the APMA Region: ensure proper legal support and documentation is provided by the country lawyers in APMA relating to launches, BD&L, market access, employee relations, intellectual property, litigation, corporate compliance, tax & insurance compliance, and contract management; keep the Region Leaders informed of relevant legal developments; ensure APMA Region’s corporate compliance, including adherence to tax, governance and insurance regulations, with collaboration to ERC and other functions.
• Identify and assess legal and enterprise risks in the APMA Region and formulate/implement plans to mitigate risks identified.  Support the business by identification of opportunities based on the Legal framework within the APMA Region.  Actively shape the external legal environment through well-thought external engagement strategies and advocacy on Pharma related legal topics.
• Limit litigation risk exposure in the APMA Region, including risk derived from clinical issues and employee relations, working closely with the relevant functions.  Drive successful outcomes to significant litigations, providing senior level guidance/support to local lawyers and assisting with internal communications, project management and liaison with teams in Basel and US.   Review the key deals in the APMA Region, e.g. M&A, BD&L, etc., and coach/train the local lawyers on best practices.  
• Manage the Legal Heads of the APMA Region countries; handling employee selection, retention and development; ensure quality and efficiency of the work being performed by the respective legal teams, and training on key areas of legal risk and enabling opportunities, all in keeping with the S&L “FITT” Framework.
• Assess the APMA Region’s legal needs and develop resource plans, role profiles, outside counsel budgets etc.  Strengthen outside counsel panels and train legal team on key areas.
• Monitor legal budgets across the APMA Region, including internal headcount and outside counsel legal spend, driving efficient use of outside counsel.
• Drive collaboration across the APMA Region (from sharing local expertise to talent development), including also interaction with other S&L functions like Operations, R&D, Corporate Legal, etc.
• Act as the primary Legal business partner/advisor for any country/country group in the APMA Region without local Novartis internal counsel, providing advice and instructing external counsel - cover temporary absences and any longer term gaps in recruitment.
• Engage as a key thought and people leader in S&L and International Legal, and as key participant in the International Legal Team.
• Continually engage operationally with the Head International Legal and functionally with the President APMA, to ensure that all legal opportunities, risks, and other matters are well communicated and timely handled with appropriate manager input.

Key Performance Indicators (Indicate how performance for this role will be measured)

• Internal stakeholder satisfaction with amount, appropriateness, and timeliness of legal support provided (i.e., pragmatic and principled, reliable, fast, customer oriented)
• Strong, collaborative leadership displayed, influencing outside area of direct responsibility with business acumen and excellent communication
• Successful enforcement/defense of contracts and licenses across the APMA Region
• Full integration into the respective leadership teams and strong collaboration with APMA Region ERC Heads and other key stakeholders
• Strong  collaboration with other functions and across S&L
• No major Compliance/Regulatory issues
• Successful outcomes to significant investigations & litigations
• Legal team efficiency: return on investment, cost management and adherence to budget; associate productivity (driven by prioritization, delegation, smart use of outside counsel)
• Legal team talent acquisition & development (mentoring, coaching, delegating): hire quality, talent retention, development and export
• Strong culture: high performing team; legal associate satisfaction/commitment; “best-place-to-work” list

Education (minimum/desirable):

Law school graduate & Bar member

Languages:                   

Fluency in English is essential, and a language of one of the APMA countries could be helpful.

Experience:                       

• Minimum 12 years post Bar experience required, ideally gained within a healthcare / pharmaceutical environment, or alternatively, with FMCGs, a highly regulated industry, or a top-tier law firm representing healthcare & technology clients.
• Managed a geographically diverse and/or medium-sized team for 3-5 years
• Identified, triaged, and managed the business through a variety of legal issues; ability to analyze complex legal issues.
• Identified, triaged, and managed the business through a variety of legal issues; strong verbal & written communication skills; together with a high ability to influence and negotiate.
• Proven ability to: handle time pressure & demanding clients; work well in cross-functional teams, with a professional & culturally sensitive work ethic.
• Sound experience in managing a high volume of activity, involving multiple, often complex projects simultaneously.
• Demonstrate professional and culturally sensitive work ethic.
• Commercial and business acumen, ideally in the pharmaceuticals sector.

Why Novartis:

Our purpose is to reimagine medicine to improve and extend people’s lives and our vision is to become the most valued and trusted medicines company in the world. How can we achieve this? With our people. It is our associates that drive us each day to reach our ambitions. Be a part of this mission and join us!

Learn more here: https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture

You’ll receive: You can find everything you need to know about our benefits and rewards in the Novartis Life Handbook. https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards

Join our Novartis Network:

If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here:

https://talentnetwork.novartis.com/network

Skills Desired

Business Partners, Conflict Management, Influencing Skills, Law (Legal System), Leadership, Legal, Litigation Law, Microsoft Office Advice