Associate Director - Assistant General Counsel

Associate Director - Assistant General Counsel

Location: United Kingdom

Function/Business Area: Legal & IP

Department: Legal Regulatory for Oncology, Ophthalmology and Cell Therapy

Employment Class: Permanent

Associate Director, Assistant General Counsel

At Astellas, we can offer an inspiring place to work and a chance to make your mark in doing good for others. Our expertise, science, and technology make us a pharma company. Our open and progressive culture is what makes us Astellas. It's a culture of doing good for others and contributing to a sustainable society.

Delivering meaningful differences for patients is our driving force. We all have a significant opportunity to make that difference, working locally in the areas we know best, whilst drawing inspiration from the different insights and expertise we have access to globally and from our innovative, external partners.

Our global vision for Patient Centricity is to support the development of innovative health solutions through a deep understanding of the patient experience. At Astellas, Patient Centricity isn't a buzzword - it's a guiding principle for action. We believe all staff have a role to play in creating a patient-centric culture and integrating an awareness of the patient into our everyday working practices, regardless of our role, team, or division.

Our ethos is underpinned by the Astellas Way, comprising five core values: patient focus; ownership; results; openness and integrity. We are proud to offer an inclusive and respectful working environment that fosters collaboration and ownership.

Our aspiration is to bring the best brains together, to provide them with world-leading tools and resources and a unique structure that fosters real agility and entrepreneurial spirit.

The Opportunity:

As an Associate Director - Assistant General Counsel, you are responsible for managing a wide range of complex legal and regulatory matters. Your role involves providing practical, timely, strategic, and high-quality legal and regulatory advice and counsel to various clients across the Astellas enterprise. Your primary focus will be on marketed products and pipeline compounds within Astellas' global Oncology portfolio, as well as other strategic initiatives.

In this strategic position, you are accountable for balancing business opportunities with the associated legal and compliance risks in a complex and fast-evolving regulatory environment. Your objective is to minimize legal and regulatory exposure while protecting against reputational damage in an area of high potential liability. Additionally, you proactively identify and mitigate risks to the Company's ability to achieve its corporate objectives as outlined in the Corporate Strategic Plan.

You will be part of an inclusive team that works to develop innovative therapies for patients.

Hybrid Working:

At Astellas, we recognise that our employees enjoy having a balance between their professional and home lives. We are proud of our hybrid approach which empowers you to have flexibility on whether to work from home or in the office.

Key Activities for this role:

1. Providing robust legal, regulatory, and healthcare compliance support to Astellas functions and stakeholders, including Oncology Strategic Brand Marketing, Market Access, Public Affairs, Regulatory Affairs, Medical Affairs, Development, Corporate Communications, Policy & Government Affairs, and Ethics & Compliance.
2. Coordinating with Legal Regulatory lawyers responsible for global Oncology brands to ensure matters are addressed consistently across brands while aligning with global policies and practices.
3. Staying updated on legal, regulatory, and enforcement-related developments affecting the pharmaceutical industry and providing timely updates to business clients.
4. Representing the Legal department on various cross-functional committees to ensure legal perspectives are considered.
5. Collaborating with a global team of highly skilled lawyers and other professionals across multiple jurisdictions to deliver timely, proactive, strategic, and high-quality legal advice.
6. Extensive experience working in a law firm or the legal department of a pharmaceutical company.
7. Deep understanding of legal issues affecting the pharmaceutical industry, including regulatory processes for prescription drugs, anti-kickback statutes, fraud and abuse regulations, anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws, antitrust laws, and the EU AI Act.
8. Exceptional ability to quickly grasp complex legal issues and demonstrate strong analytical problem-solving and decision-making skills.
9. Proven negotiation and communication skills, both oral and written. Skilled in explaining legal issues clearly and understandably.
10. Strong commitment to integrity and professionalism, coupled with a demonstrated passion for excellence in all endeavours.

Education/Qualifications:

1. MS Degree in Law or equivalent.

Additional Information:

1. This is a permanent, full-time position.
2. Position is based in Addlestone, UK.
3. This position follows our hybrid working model. Role requires a blend of home and a minimum of 1 day per month in our UK office. Flexibility may be required in line with business needs.

What We Offer:

1. A challenging and diversified job in an international setting.
2. Opportunity and support for continuous development.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.