Director, Legal Counsel

Cytokinetics is a late-stage, specialty cardiovascular biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing first-in-class muscle activators and next-in-class muscle inhibitors as potential treatments for debilitating diseases in which cardiac muscle performance is compromised. As a leader in muscle biology and the mechanics of muscle performance, the company is developing small molecule drug candidates specifically engineered to impact myocardial muscle function and contractility.

At Cytokinetics, each team member plays an integral part in advancing our mission to improve the lives of patients. We are seeking tenacious, compassionate, and collaborative individuals who are driven to make a positive impact.

We are seeking a Director, Corporate Counsel, to join our Legal Department.  This position will have the opportunity to provide legal advice and support to our R&D function.  This is a hybrid role.

Responsibilities

• Provide practical and timely legal advice and risk guidance to the Company’s R&D and clinical function supporting our global Phase I-III clinical trials for multiple drug candidates.
• Draft, negotiate and advise clients on legal and contractual matters to support the Company’s clinical team, including, but not limited to clinical trial agreements, informed consent documents, investigator-initiated study agreements, contract research organization (CRO) agreements, consulting and physician advisory board agreements, non-disclosure agreements, research agreements with partners and academic institutions, providing advice and counseling clients on the preparation of such agreements as well as the Company's rights and obligations under executed agreements.
• Draft and negotiate clinical supply agreements and material transfer agreements, sponsored research agreements and other agreements needed to support the R&D team.
• Develop and manage legal templates, playbooks and procedures.
• Build and improve processes and systems to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the clinical legal function.

Qualifications

• JD degree.
• Admitted to at least one state bar. Admitted to California bar or admitted as Registered In-House Counsel required.
• Minimum of 6 years of experience as in-house counsel or associate at a major law firm with a background in biotechnology, pharma or healthcare related matters.  A combination of both in-house and law firm experience is a plus. However, expertise in contract drafting and complex contract negotiation is required.
• Knowledge of federal, state, and international healthcare laws and regulations including global privacy (GDPR) and California Privacy Act is a plus.
• Detailed-oriented with a high level of intellectual, professional and interpersonal agility and flexibility.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Well-organized and hardworking, with the ability to manage numerous projects simultaneously under deadline pressure.

• Excellent analytical skills, with a strong ability to draft and review legal documents, analyze legal advice and apply legal advice to business needs.
• Ability to form strong working relationships with all levels of management, employees, and partners while maintaining firm adherence to proper legal standards.
• Team-oriented, sound judgment, self-motivation and willingness to take initiative.

Our employees come from different backgrounds, and we celebrate those differences. We are looking for the best candidates for our open roles, but do not expect applicants to meet every qualification in order to be considered. If you are excited about what you could accomplish at Cytokinetics and believe you can add value to our team, we would love to hear from you.

Please review our General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policy PRIOR to applying.  

Our passion is anchored in robust scientific thinking, grounded in integrity and critical thinking. We keep the patient front and center in all we do – all actions and decisions are in service of the patient and their caregivers. We champion integrity, ethics, doing the right thing, and being our best selves.

Fraud Warning: How to Identify Impersonated Cytokinetics Job Postings and Offers

Recently, there have been fraudulent employment offers being sent to candidates on behalf of Cytokinetics. Please be advised that all legitimate offers from Cytokinetics will come directly from our official email domain (Cytokinetics.com) and will only be made after completing a formal interview process.

Here are some ways to check for authenticity:

• We do not conduct job interviews through non-standard text messaging applications
• We will never request personal information such as banking details until after an official offer has been accepted and verified
• We will never request that you purchase equipment or other items when interviewing or hiring
• If you are unsure about the authenticity of an offer, or if you receive any suspicious communication, please contact us directly at talentacquisition@cytokinetics.com

Please visit our website at: www.cytokinetics.com

Cytokinetics is an Equal Opportunity Employer