Director, Corporate Counsel, Strategic Transactions

If you are a current Jazz employee please apply via the Internal Career site

Jazz Pharmaceuticals is a global biopharma company whose purpose is to innovate to transform the lives of patients and their families. We are dedicated to developing life-changing medicines for people with serious diseases — often with limited or no therapeutic options. We have a diverse portfolio of marketed medicines, including leading therapies for sleep disorders and epilepsy, and a growing portfolio of cancer treatments. Our patient-focused and science-driven approach powers pioneering research and development advancements across our robust pipeline of innovative therapeutics in oncology and neuroscience. Jazz is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland with research and development laboratories, manufacturing facilities and employees in multiple countries committed to serving patients worldwide. Please visit www.jazzpharmaceuticals.com for more information.

We are seeking an attorney to join our Legal team as Director, Corporate Counsel- Strategic Transactions. This role will serve as a key strategic partner to the business, working closely with senior leadership, Corporate Development, R&D, and cross-functional stakeholders to help shape, execute, and support the company’s corporate development and research strategy.

The successful candidate will bring strong transactional experience, including in M&A and licensing matters, sound business judgment, and the flexibility to support high-impact strategic transactions, R&D-related collaborations and evolving corporate legal needs in a dynamic, regulated environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted legal and strategic advisor to Corporate Development, Alliance Management, and senior business leaders on mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, licensing, joint ventures, equity investments, collaborations, and other strategic initiatives

• Partner with internal stakeholders to evaluate, structure, and execute transactions in alignment with the company’s long-term corporate, scientific, and growth objectives

• Lead and manage M&A and other strategic transactions from initial strategy and deal structuring through closing and integration, including due diligence, drafting and negotiating definitive agreements, and coordinating cross-functional teams

• Provide legal insight and perspective during early-stage deal assessment, including risk identification, strategic alternatives, transaction feasibility, and alignment with R&D and corporate priorities

• Provide transactional and strategic legal support to R&D teams in connection with research collaborations, complex clinical study agreements, sponsored research, development and option agreements, and other R&D-focused transactions as needed

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of strategic and R&D-related agreements, including NDAs, letters of intent, collaboration and alliance agreements, complex clinical trial agreements, and other arrangements supporting corporate development and research activities

• Lead and support complex transactions involving intellectual property, including drafting and negotiating IP licensing agreements, and partnering with product, engineering, and IP teams to translate IP strategy into practical, risk-balanced deal terms that align with the company’s long-term innovation and commercial objectives.

• Advise on SEC-reportable public company transactions, including equity and debt financings, securities offerings, and related disclosure obligations, ensuring compliance with applicable securities laws and collaborating cross-functionally with finance, investor relations, and executive leadership.

• Support post-closing integration and ongoing strategic alliances to ensure alignment with deal rationale, scientific objectives and business goals

• Collaborate closely with Finance, Corporate Development, Alliance Management, R&D, HR, Tax and other functions to support enterprise-wide objectives

• Manage external counsel to ensure high-quality, efficient, and cost-effective legal support

• Identify and assess antitrust and regulatory considerations, including HSR filing requirements and other global regulatory clearance obligations, and advise on timing, risk, and deal execution implications

• Advise on legal considerations for a publicly traded company in connection with transactions, including securities law compliance, disclosure obligations, and governance requirements

• Monitor and help ensure compliance with applicable securities, corporate, and regulatory requirements, as needed

• Contribute to the continuous improvement of legal processes, templates and frameworks that support scalable growth

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school; active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction required

• Minimum 7 years of relevant legal experience, with a strong focus on M&A and corporate transactions required

• Experience at a top-tier or well-regarded law firm and/or in-house legal department

• Experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or life sciences industry highly preferred

• Demonstrated experience leading or materially contributing to complex M&A, collaboration, and other strategic transactions

• Experience leading and supporting complex transactions involving intellectual property, including drafting and negotiating IP licensing agreements.

• Experience supporting SEC-reportable public company transactions, including equity and debt financings, securities offerings, and related disclosure obligations.

• Familiarity with R&D-related agreements such as collaboration, clinical trial, or sponsored research agreements is a plus

• Working knowledge of broader corporate legal areas, such as governance, securities, commercial contracts, or litigation management

• Ability to think strategically and provide practical, business-oriented legal advice

• Excellent drafting, negotiation, and communication skills

• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

Preferred Attributes

• Experience partnering closely with Corporate Development and advising senior leadership

• Comfort influencing decision-making and providing counsel beyond pure legal analysis

• Familiarity with regulated industry considerations, including clinical development and research operations

• Desire to grow into a broader strategic in-house counsel role

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Jazz Pharmaceuticals is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.

FOR US BASED CANDIDATES ONLY
 

Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices and we strive to provide employees with total compensation packages that are market competitive. For this role, the full and complete base pay range is:

Individual compensation paid within this range will depend on many factors, including qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, and other pertinent factors. The goal is to ensure fair and competitive compensation aligned with the candidate's expertise and contributions, within the established pay framework and our Total Compensation philosophy. Internal equity considerations will also influence individual base pay decisions. This range will be reviewed on a regular basis.

At Jazz, your base pay is only one part of your total compensation package. The successful candidate may also be eligible for a discretionary annual cash bonus or incentive compensation (depending on the role), in accordance with the terms of the Company's Global Cash Bonus Plan or Incentive Compensation Plan, as well as discretionary equity grants in accordance with Jazz’s Long Term Equity Incentive Plan. 

The successful candidate will also be eligible to participate in various benefits offerings, including, but not limited to, medical, dental and vision insurance, 401k retirement savings plan, and flexible paid vacation. For more information on our Benefits offerings please click here: https://careers.jazzpharma.com/benefits.html