Senior R&D Legal Counsel, Global Clinical Development & Operations

Job Description Summary

#LI-Hybrid
Location: London, UK
Relocation Support: This role is based in London, UK. Novartis is unable to offer relocation support : please only apply if accessible.
Bring your life sciences legal expertise to where it matters most—enabling clinical research to move faster, safely, and with integrity. In this role, you will act as a trusted strategic legal partner to Research and Development (R&D) leaders, shaping contracting and regulatory advice across global clinical development and operations. You will navigate complex clinical trial and research matters, anticipate risk, and translate legal complexity into clear, pragmatic solutions that help advance Novartis’ R&D ambitions. Working in a highly collaborative, international environment, you will also play a key role in modernising legal support through process simplification, innovation, and the responsible use of artificial intelligence in contracting.

 

Job Description

• Serve as strategic legal partner to Global Clinical Development and Operations leaders across complex R&D activities

• Advise on clinical trial contracting, including site, vendor, and outsourced study agreements across multiple jurisdictions

• Provide regulatory legal guidance to support compliant, efficient global clinical operations and R&D initiatives

• Support licensing, alliance management, and mergers and acquisitions through contract analysis, negotiation, and risk mitigation

• Lead simplification, harmonisation, and improvement of Research and Development contract templates, playbooks, and ways of working

• Drive adoption of automation and artificial intelligence to modernise legal contracting processes and increase efficiency

• Collaborate cross‑functionally to anticipate legal risk, resolve issues pragmatically, and advance Novartis’ Research and Development strategy

Essential Requirements

• Law degree or equivalent qualification with admission to practice law in a recognised jurisdiction

• Extensive post‑qualification experience in life sciences, ideally gained within a pharmaceutical company or contract research organization, or with a top-tier law firm representing life science clients

• Proven experience advising on clinical trial‑related contracts and documentation, including site and vendor agreements

• Strong expertise providing regulatory and contracting legal support in a highly regulated research and development environment

• Demonstrated ability to analyse complex legal issues, manage risk, and deliver pragmatic, business‑focused solutions

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders across global, cross‑functional teams

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion:

Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams’ representative of the patients and communities we serve.

You’ll receive:
Competitive salary, short term incentive bonus, Pension scheme, share purchase scheme, Health insurance, 25 days annual leave, Flexible working arrangements, subsidized dining facilities, Employee recognition scheme, learning and development opportunities

To learn more about the culture, rewards and benefits we offer our people click here.

 

Skills Desired

Adaptability, Business Acumen, Critical Thinking, Curiosity, Decision Making, Forward Planning, Negotiation, Persuasion, Problem Solving, Relationship Building, Stakeholder Management, Strategic Thinking