Vice President, Legal, Associate General Counsel

Akebia Therapeutics•Cambridge, MA

2d•$313,709 - $387,523

About The Position

At Akebia we take that number very seriously and every day we come to work, with the purpose of bettering the lives of each person impacted by kidney disease and the renal community that serves them. Our tenacious, passionate employees’ challenge the status quo and work to develop unique therapeutics that have the potential to set new standards of care for people living with kidney disease. This is life-changing work, and we are all in, are you? Job Summary: Akebia is seeking an experienced corporate and securities lawyer to join its fast-paced collaborative legal team. Reporting to the Chief Legal Officer, the VP, Legal, Associate General Counsel will have primary responsibility for general corporate, securities, corporate governance and transactional legal matters, interacting frequently with our Board of Directors, and overseeing a variety of important legal matters for the company. They will partner with the finance and investor relations teams and collaborate across the organization on a wide range of corporate and securities matters, and serve as the strategic business partner for the Finance, Business Development, Investor Relations and People teams. This is an exciting opportunity to work with other members of the legal team and across the organization and gain exposure to a wide variety of business and legal issues at a commercial stage biotech company.

Requirements

Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school and admitted to practice in Massachusetts or other U.S. state
At least 10 years of experience in law firm and/or in-house company settings, including experience in securities and corporate governance at a Nasdaq-listed public company
Strong knowledge of securities and general corporate law
Experience in board and corporate governance matters
Strong organizational and project management skills with an ability to handle multiple tasks and quickly and effectively prioritize and make decisions
Ability to build strong relationships and work collaboratively across functions
Strong attention to detail and proactive approach
Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills
Excellent verbal and written communication skills
Strong analytic capability
Confident, pragmatic, approachable and solution-oriented
Comfortable in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment

Nice To Haves

In-house experience with public biopharmaceutical companies is a plus

Responsibilities

Serve as a strategic leader and provide solution-oriented legal advice to the business as it relates to corporate governance, securities and general legal matters
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand business objectives and develop innovative solutions that address legal challenges
Lead the preparation and review of SEC filings, including periodic and current reports, proxy statements and Section 16 reports in collaboration with internal and external accounting and legal teams
Lead corporate governance activities, including the preparation of materials for board and committee meetings and drafting and reviewing certain corporate policies and providing training to employees on those policies
Act as point of contact for Finance and People teams with respect to the administration of Akebia’s equity programs, including equity grants and employee stock purchase plan
Provide legal advice on disclosure matters, including investor presentations, press releases, and other corporate internal and external communications
Assist with capital markets and related financial transactions as needed, including equity and debt offerings
Support business development efforts, including leading legal due diligence and assisting with drafting and negotiating transaction documents
Serve as the primary business partner for the Finance, Business Development, Investor Relations and People teams, including preparing, reviewing and negotiating a diverse range of agreements common to the biotechnology industry, including master services agreements, consulting agreements and lease agreements
Oversee the company’s state pharmaceutical licenses
Keep current on industry-related laws and regulations and creating or modifying policies and procedures based on such developments
Manage and direct outside counsel when outside expertise is needed
Build strong relationships across functions and work collaboratively to tackle complex issues.
Manage and mentor Akebia’s Sr. Corporate Paralegal
Serve as a key member of Akebia’s Management Team