Assistant General Counsel - R&D (Durham)

Business Introduction

GSK remains committed to achieving bold commercial ambitions for the future. By 2031, we aim to deliver 40 billion in annual sales, leveraging our existing strong performance momentum to significantly increase our positive impact on the health of billions of patients globally. Our Ahead Together strategy is centred on early intervention to prevent and alter the course of disease, thereby protecting people and supporting healthcare systems. Our diverse portfolio consists of vaccines, specialty medicines, and general medicines. Through continuous innovation and a dedicated focus on scientific and technical excellence, we strive to develop and launch new, groundbreaking treatments that address critical health challenges.

Position Summary

You will lead legal support for the discovery and translational phase platforms that enable our R&D organisation and facilitate GSK's ambition for medicines and vaccines discovery and development to be technology enabled. You will work closely with leaders in the R&D Technologies and Translational Sciences organisations, cross‑functional partners and other legal colleagues to enable research, collaborations and trials that advance our science. We value clear judgement, commercial focus, strong communication and a collaborative mindset. The role will require extensive experience of biopharma R&D, acting as a strategic legal business partner as well as an aptitude for both transactional and regulatory legal advice. This role offers a chance to shape research partnerships, manage complex agreements and grow as a trusted legal partner in a purpose‑led global company committed to uniting science, technology and talent to get ahead of disease together.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the lead lawyer for the R&D Technologies and Translational Sciences organisations, acting as strategic legal partner providing advice on collaborations, legal risk management as well as data and sample strategy and governance
• Matrix manage one Senior Counsel with responsibilities in the discovery and translational platforms area
• Draft, negotiate and review academic collaboration and consortium agreements and operationalise business development collaborations working with alliance management
• Collaborate with other Legal & Compliance functions, in particular Global Intellectual Property, Digital Privacy & Cybersecurity, Business Development and Legal Contracting Network to provide integrated legal support to the discovery and translational platforms
• Identify and assess legal and business risk related to discovery and translational platform activities and advise on practical mitigation and escalation options
• Coordinate and oversee use of external counsel and manage disputes or claims where needed
• Work with Quality and Risk Management colleagues to provide subject‑matter expertise on laboratory research and data governance‑related risks
• Design and deliver clear legal training and guidance to R&D colleagues to build legal awareness and facilitate the acceleration of R&D
• Review and interpret pending or new legislation or regulatory rules impacting the business to ensure compliance or strategy changes as well as collaborating with R&D Policy on responses to new legislative proposals and guidance
• As needed, act as lawyer assigned to support the clinical development and registration of one or more medicines in the Respiratory, Immunology & Inflammation pipeline

In accordance with GSK Performance with Choice principles, presence in the office 2‑3 days each week is required. The role will involve occasional travel, primarily to GSK locations in the US, UK and Belgium.

Basic Qualifications

• Qualified lawyer authorised to practise in the UK or US (depending on location)
• Extensive relevant private practice and/or in‑house experience advising clients active in the discovery and development of medicines and vaccines including experience of advising on the following legal topics:
  • Data governance, in particular privacy and security
  • Human biological sample management
  • Care, welfare and treatment of animals
• Basic knowledge of intellectual property
• Experience of advising on operational issues in drug discovery and development
• Experience of licensing and collaboration transactions involving target and/or drug discovery with both academic and commercial counterparties
• Experience of data licensing, acquisition and disposal
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English, with ability to explain legal issues clearly to non‑lawyers
• Proven ability to provide strategic legal input under tight timelines and changing priorities
• Track record of working autonomously in a matrixed environment and building trusted relationships with senior stakeholders

Preferred Qualifications

• Track record of successful contribution to SVP‑led leadership teams
• Experience of the regulation of software as a medical device and artificial intelligence
• Track record of matrix leadership with respect to specific legal topics
• Track record of identification of opportunities for and delivery of optimisation of legal risk management
• Scientific or technical understanding relevant to biomedical research or drug development

LI‑GSK

Equal Opportunity Employer

GSK is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This ensures that all qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), parental status, national origin, age, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), military service or any basis prohibited under federal, state or local law.