Vice President, Corporate Law and Head of Transactions

Kardigan • Princeton, NJ

4h • Hybrid

About The Position

Kardigan is a heart health company dedicated to making cardiovascular disease preventable, curable, and no longer the leading cause of death. The company aims to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel, led by co-founders Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., who previously led MyoKardia. Kardigan boasts a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team driven by values such as patient-first commitment, authenticity, eagerness to learn, teamwork, and enabling the impossible. The company is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Vice President to build and lead its corporate legal function, specifically supporting transactions, contracting across the organization, alliance management, and other legal areas. This role involves overseeing corporate transactional matters, including legal contracts operations and processes, and providing legal support for all transactions, collaborations, and alliance management. The Vice President will guide and lead a growing team of legal professionals, collaborate with senior leadership across departments (Research, Development Operations, Technical Operations, Quality), drive corporate strategy, ensure legal compliance, and support long-term business objectives. This is an opportunity to build and lead a high-performing legal group within the Legal Department, managing both early and late-stage programs.

Requirements

• JD is required
• minimum of 15+ years of experience in corporate transactional law
• minimum of 15+ years of legal experience at a top tier law firm or in-house
• at least 10+ years of prior in-house experience in the life sciences industry
• Member of a state bar in good standing
• Proven track record in managing complex corporate transactions and navigating high-stakes legal matters in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong leadership capabilities, with experience managing a legal team.
• Experience in the biotechnology/biopharmaceutical industry, with a deep understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern life sciences companies.
• Exceptional analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.
• Ability to balance legal and business considerations, offering practical solutions to corporate challenges.
• Proven ability to collaborate across departments and influence senior leadership.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment with a focus on achieving results.

Nice To Haves

• Understanding and supportive of a “patient-first” mentality.
• Tremendously high work ethics coupled with a sense of humor.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing corporate legal team, providing mentorship and guidance.
• Foster a collaborative and innovative environment, ensuring the legal team supports the company’s mission and strategic initiatives.
• Leverage experience in the biotechnology/biopharmaceutical industry to navigate the complex legal and regulatory environment specific to life sciences companies, particularly with respect to research and development agreements, clinical trials, manufacturing and technical operations and quality matters, alliance management, and strategic partnerships and collaborations.
• Build and manage the legal contracts function, including clinical, commercial and manufacturing agreements and complex agreements such as joint ventures, licensing, mergers, acquisitions, investments, and partnership agreements.
• Oversee the negotiation, drafting, and execution of these contracts, ensuring alignment with business objectives while managing legal and financial risks.
• Partner with internal teams such as Research, Development, Technical Operations, Quality, Finance, Tax, HR, and Business Development to ensure corporate legal matters align with broader company goals.
• Work closely with external counsel to manage legal risks and ensure compliance with applicable laws.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree