Vice President, Legal Operations

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals is seeking a Vice President, Legal Operations to lead contracting, strategic transactions, and legal support for growth initiatives. Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, this role partners with finance, BD, and other leaders to enable business objectives while managing legal risk.

In a dynamic biotech environment, the VP will strengthen contracting operations, establish best practices, and leverage technology to drive efficiency and compliance.

Qualifications

• JD from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
• Minimum 12 years in healthcare compliance in biotech/pharma/medical device/life sciences with legal operations and contracting process experience.
• Experience in a dynamic, fast-growing biotech environment with a proven track record.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee contracting function with scalable processes, templates, and governance.
• Act as lead legal advisor for strategic transactions, due diligence, and integration.
• Develop a best-in-class, future-fit legal/compliance function leveraging technology, including AI.
• Establish legal operations best practices across budgeting, systems, and outside counsel oversight.
• Partner with leadership to support growth, change initiatives, and stakeholder alignment.
• Build strong cross-organizational relationships and report to the Board on strategic matters.
• Mentor a high-performing team and foster collaboration and accountability.
• Engage as a member of Legal and Compliance leadership to steer the department.

Skills

Legal operations

Contracting processes

Stakeholder management

Change management

Education

Juris Doctor (JD)

Active bar membership

Job description

Amylyx has an audacious mission to usher in a new era for treating diseases with high unmet needs. Where others see challenges, we see opportunities that we pursue with urgency, rigorous science, and unwavering commitment to the communities we serve. We are a clinical-stage company currently focused on post-bariatric hypoglycemia (PBH), Wolfram syndrome, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Our mission is powered by our people. Our core values – be audacious, be curious, be authentic, be engaged, and be accountable – creating a culture of caring. Amylyx has assembled an experienced team ready to take action because the communities we serve have no time to wait. If you share our passion and are determined to tackle some of medicine’s toughest problems, we encourage you to read the opportunity below and apply.

The Opportunity

The Vice President, Legal Operations is a strategic leader responsible for overseeing the company's legal operations, contracting function, strategic transactions, and legal support for corporate growth initiatives. Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, this role serves as a trusted advisor to executive leadership, partnering closely with finance, business development, and functional leaders to enable business objectives while effectively managing legal and operational risk.

In a dynamic biotechnology environment, the Vice President, Legal Operations will provide practical, business-focused legal guidance across a broad range of operational processes and systems, with an initial focus on strengthening and scaling the Company’s contracting operations. The Vice President, Legal Operations will also support strategic transactions and initiatives, including potential partnering agreements, licensing transactions, and targeted acquisitions, as well as other organizational transformation efforts. The ideal candidate combines strong legal expertise with operational excellence, exceptional business acumen, and experience supporting change management and organizational growth.

Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the company's contracting function, including developing scalable contracting processes, templates, policies, and governance frameworks to improve efficiency and manage risk.
• Serve as the lead legal advisor for strategic transactions, including strategically structuring and negotiating transactions, leading due diligence to assess risk and mitigation strategies, and supporting post-transaction integration efforts.
• Develop a vision for a best-in-class, future-fit legal and compliance function that appropriately leverages technology, including artificial intelligence.
• Establish legal operations best practices across the Legal and Compliance department, including matter management, budgeting, use of systems and technology, and outside counsel oversight.
• Partner with executive leadership to support organizational growth, transformation initiatives, and strategic business changes, including driving stakeholder alignment and change adoption across multiple functions.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across the organization as a trusted advisor and collaborative business partner, as well as interact with the Board of Directors to provide periodic updates on strategic matters.
• Help build and mentor a high-performing team and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Actively engage as a member of the Legal and Compliance leadership team to steer the department and ensure efficient, risk-based, fit-for-purpose, business-oriented support of all functions of the organization.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and active bar membership in good standing.
• Minimum 12 years of relevant healthcare compliance experience in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device, and/or life sciences industry, with demonstrated legal operations experience as well as demonstrated experience designing, implementing, and/or enhancing organizational contracting processes.
• Experience operating in a dynamic, small but fast-growing biotechnology environment; proven track record