Senior Counsel Contracts and Transactions

Shionogi Inc.•Florham Park, NJ

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Counsel Contracts and Transactions will provide experienced, hands-on legal support focused on drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and advising on a high volume of complex commercial and operational agreements. This role is intended to provide legal support for increased activities in business development, product and company diligence and acquisitions, transaction support and post-acquisition/merger integration and on-going legal support. The attorney filling this role will collaborate closely with Global Legal and Compliance teams (including participating in weekly virtual meetings with Japan and Europe) as well as cross-functional partners in Finance, HR, and Supply Chain and Quality in analyzing new opportunities and guiding Shionogi Inc. (the “Company”) through diligence, contract negotiations and management of legal needs after acquisition.

Requirements

Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school.
Active license and good standing to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
Minimum of 10 years of substantive experience drafting and negotiating contracts, preferably within: An in-house legal department, and/or A law firm with significant commercial contracting practice.
Significant (≥5 years) experience in life sciences, pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare industries.
Demonstrated experience handling high contract volume with varying degrees of complexity.
Strong business judgment and ability to balance legal risk with commercial objectives.
Excellent drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
Clear, concise communication with both legal and non-legal stakeholders.
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage competing priorities under tight deadlines.
Pragmatic, solution-oriented approach to legal problem-solving.
High degree of professionalism, discretion, and integrity.
Ability and willingness to participate in calls and video meetings with colleagues in Japan and Europe, which may occur early in the morning or later in the evening considering the time differences.
Ability and willingness to travel approximately 5% of the year both domestically and internationally.
Must permanently reside a commutable distance to our US Corporate Headquarters in Florham Park, NJ. Office presence required at least 50% of the time per week.

Nice To Haves

Experience working with contract lifecycle management (CLM) systems.
Ability to ramp up quickly in a contract role with minimal onboarding.

Responsibilities

Take an active role in managing M&A and pharmaceutical licensing and collaboration/joint venture transactions.
Negotiate highly individualized and sophisticated agreements independently with external parties on matters of strategic importance.
Perform due diligence and independently interpret complex existing agreements and advise on complex situations that may arise related to transactions.
Direct and oversee the work of outside counsel, including defining project objectives and managing projects and related budgets.
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements, including but not limited to: Confidential Disclosure Agreements (CDAs/NDAs), Supply Agreements, Intercompany Agreements (between the Company and its subsidiaries and ex-US affiliates), Master Services Agreements (MSAs), Statements of Work (SOWs) and Change Orders, Consulting and Professional Services Agreements, Government and Quasi-government Agreements (including incorporation of required flow-down terms into supporting agreements), as applicable.
Identify and advise on contractual risks, mitigation strategies, and business-friendly alternatives while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and company policies.
Serve as a trusted legal advisor to cross-functional stakeholders, including Business Development, Finance, Commercial, Human Resources, Global Portfolio Management, Quality and Supply Chain teams.
Provide clear, practical guidance on contract negotiation, interpretation, obligations, and risk allocation.
Provide legal support and advice to Shionogi legal colleagues in Japan and Europe.
Support efficient contract intake, prioritization, and turnaround in a fast-paced environment with significant contract volume.
Collaborate with other members of the Legal Department, including Sr. Manager Legal Contracts and Sr. Legal Specialist, to ensure contracts are properly tracked, executed, and archived within the contract lifecycle management (CLM) system.
Utilize existing templates and playbooks; recommend improvements where appropriate based on experience and observed trends.
Work closely with in-house attorneys, including regulatory and compliance counsel, to ensure alignment on legal and compliance risks.
Provide informal mentoring or guidance to legal specialists or contract administrators when needed to support overall team effectiveness.