Executive Director, Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property

BioSpace; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 288,000 - 432,000; Full time

Job summary

Jazz Pharmaceuticals, a global biopharma company, seeks an Executive Director, IP to lead global patent strategy and portfolio development. You will oversee IP due diligence for acquisitions, drive strategic initiatives, and supervise the IP team across R&D, development, and commercial stakeholders.

This role emphasizes collaboration with cross-functional teams, advising senior leadership on complex IP matters, and shaping aggressive value-adding strategies for internally developed and licensed

Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing IP practitioners and staff.
• Proven track record in IP due diligence and licensing agreements.
• Experience with adversarial and administrative IP proceedings is a plus.
• Skillful at cross-functional collaboration to achieve business objectives.
• Strong written and oral communication for stakeholders at all levels.
• Strategic IP thinking to balance risk and opportunity for portfolio growth.

Responsibilities

• Advise senior leadership on strategic IP matters to advance corporate objectives.
• Supervise IP team members supporting Jazz portfolio programs.
• Develop global patent strategies to strengthen exclusivity and value.
• Lead IP due diligence for acquisitions, in-licensing, and collaborations.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the IP portfolio with partners and projects.
• Render FTO, infringement, and validity analyses to inform decisions.
• Provide input on licensing, collaboration, and acquisition documents.
• Manage outside counsel for prosecution, due diligence, and litigation.
• Educate internal clients on IP risks and opportunities in key areas.
• Review publications, presentations, and press materials for clearance.
• Lead and participate in IP org initiatives to improve efficiency.

Skills

IP strategy

Due diligence

Licensing & collaborations

Team leadership

Cross-functional communication

Managing external counsel

Education

US Patent Attorney

12+ years IP experience in biopharma

Job description

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.

Brief Description

The Executive Director, Assistant General Counsel, Intellectual Property (IP), will be a key leader within the Jazz Legal Function. Reporting to directly to the VP, Legal & IP, the successful candidate will develop and execute robust global patent and IP strategies for Jazz's products, product candidates, platform technologies, and newly acquired or licensed assets, ensuring alignment with corporate growth objectives and maximizing the value of the company's innovation portfolio. In addition, the Executive Director, IP will play a critical role in supporting Jazz's corporate development objectives by leading intellectual property due diligence, integration planning, and strategic portfolio development across acquisitions, licensing transactions, collaborations, and other strategic business opportunities.

The Executive Director, IP will build effective relationships with relevant stakeholders at all levels of the global organization and across all phases of research, drug development & commercialization to provide clear, strategic business-enabling IP advice. This position will supervise other members of the IP team, including those responsible for day-to-day management and protection of our IP assets.

Essential Functions/Responsibilities

• Serve as a critical advisor to senior leadership, R&D, Commercial and Corporate Development teams to provide clear, strategic business-enabling advice on complex IP matters to advance corporate objectives.
• Directly and indirectly supervise those IP team members supporting programs and projects across the Jazz portfolio.
• Develop and execute sophisticated global patent strategies that support business objectives, strengthen competitive positioning and exclusivity, and maximize the value of both internally developed and externally acquired or licensed assets.
• Conduct comprehensive IP due diligence for potential acquisitions, in-licensing opportunities, collaborations, and strategic partnerships, including freedom-to-operate evaluations, portfolio strength analyses, exclusivity assessments, and identification of material IP risks and value drivers.
• Identify opportunities to strengthen the company’s IP portfolio through engagement with project teams and collaboration partners and leveraging a deep understanding of patent law and the competitive landscape across the portfolio.
• Render freedom-to-operate, infringement, validity analyses, risk evaluation, and mitigation strategies for individual programs, technologies, and tools.
• Provide strategic input into transaction documents, including licensing agreements, collaboration agreements, acquisition agreements, due diligence reports, representations and warranties, IP covenants, and integration-related provisions.
• Effectively manage outside counsel supporting patent prosecution, IP due diligence, litigation, opinions, and other strategic matters to ensure high-quality, efficient, and commercially focused outcomes.
• Counsel and train internal clients, including other members of the Legal Department and senior management, on intellectual property risks and opportunities in patentability, freedom-to-operate, infringement, validity, and regulatory exclusivity analyses.
• Review publications, presentations, press releases and other materials for clearance.
• Advise on and/or lead contentious and adversarial matters involving company assets, including patent litigation, IPRs, PGRs, European oppositions, and related proceedings.
• Actively lead and participate in IP team and Legal department initiatives, identifying opportunities to enhance effectiveness of IP and Legal department practice and operations.

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Experience in managing IP practitioners and staff.
• Significant experience in IP due diligence and licensing and collaboration agreements.
• Experience in adversarial and administrative proceedings is a plus.
• Practical problem solver with ability to facilitate and contribute to collaborative decision-making processes and work effectively on cross-functional teams in order to achieve business objectives.
• Ability to work in dynamic, fast-paced team environment, flexible and responsive self-starter with the ability to act independently as well as collaboratively across the business.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills with experience presenting and concisely communicating complex information to all levels of an organization.
• Approach IP creation and protection with a strategic mindset by anticipating internal and/or external business challenges, competitive and legal risks and opportunities and offering creative solutions.
• Ability to manage outside counsel and other external resources for quality work product, value, and efficiency.
• Strong prioritization skills and ability to effectively manage a diverse workload
• Embraces and fosters a culture that reflects a strong commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and community

Required Education And Licenses

• Fully qualified US Patent Attorney with 12+ years relevant IP experience in the biopharmaceutical industry, with significant in-house or combined in-house and law firm experience
• Undergraduate degree in biological science, biochemistry, chemistry, or other field relevant to pharmaceuticals, life sciences or biotechnology; Advanced degree preferred.

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: $288,000.00 - $432,000.00

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.