Senior Legal Counsel Neuroscience & Gene Therapies, International

Summary

#LI-Hybrid

Location: London, UK or Basel, Switzerland (see separate posting)

As Senior Legal Counsel, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of Neuroscience and advancing breakthrough gene therapies. Working at the heart of the International Neuroscience & Gene Therapies Therapeutic Area, you will partner with senior leaders to enable bold innovation, guide high-impact strategic decisions, and help bring transformative medicines to patients worldwide. This is a unique opportunity to combine legal excellence with business leadership, enabling and influencing complex and innovative global initiatives across commercial, medical affairs, development, and market access functions while helping redefine what is possible for patients living with neurological and rare diseases.

About the Role

Key Responsibilities

• Serve as a lead legal partner for a portfolio of innovative products and strategic initiatives within the International Neuroscience & Gene Therapies Therapeutic Ar ea.
• Provide strategic legal guidance to commercial, medical, value and access, and development teams and other key stakeholders.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, regulatory, and compliance risks across key business activities.
• Lead drafting, negotiation, and management of complex research, development, and commercial agreements.
• Support business development activities, alliance management, and integration of strategic assets and partnerships.
• Enable compliant promotional, medical, congress, investor relations, corporate and other external communication and conte nt.
• Drive innovation by enabling novel business approaches and supporting successful product launch strategies.
• Build organizational capability through legal training, cross-functional collaboration, and knowledge sharing.
• Close partnership and collaboration with global, region and country legal colleagues to ensure coordinated and consistent legal support across the product portfolio.

Essential Requirements

• Law degree and bar admission with strong legal expertise in a commercial environment.
• Significant post-qualification legal experience, gained either within the healthcare or pharmaceutical sector, or with a top-tier law firm advising healthcare and technology clients.
• Strong understanding of pharmaceutical legal frameworks, compliance requirements, and risk management principles.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and provide pragmatic and proactive advice in complex global organizations.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills across diverse cross-functional teams.
• Track record of effectively managing competing priorities and delivering high-quality outcomes under tight deadlines.
• Fluency in English, with the ability to navigate ambiguity and drive solutions independently.

Desirable Requirements

• In-house legal experience within a global pharmaceutical, biotechnology, or healthcare organization.
• Experience in the rare disease sector, including its associated legal, regulatory, commercial and access landscape

Benefits & Rewards

At Novartis, we’re committed to reimagining medicine together - and rewarding the people who make it happen. 

Expected Annual Base Salary Range for role: GBP 92.960 - 172.640

The base salary offered is determined based on gender-neutral objectives, such as relevant skills, competencies and experience in accordance with the Novartis pay setting policy and upon joining Novartis will be reviewed periodically. 

The rewards of being part of our team go far beyond base pay and incentives. We also offer a variety of competitive benefits in kind to help you thrive personally and professionally, such as insurance plans, retirement plans, wellbeing resources and global recognition programs. In addition, we provide flexible and hybrid working options, where possible, and minimum 14 weeks paid parental leave. 

In addition to your base salary, you may be eligible for a performance-based bonus depending on certain performance parameters. Long-term equity awards granted at group level may also be part of your package. Further details will be provided during the application process.  

Read our brochure to learn more about our global total rewards offering: 

Note: Benefits and compensation may vary by country and are subject to local legal requirements, including provisions of collective bargaining agreements where applicable. A full overview of your compensation package, including any relevant collective bargaining agreement details applicable to your role based on your employment location and Novartis employer entity, will be communicated separately to you during the application process.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:

Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams representative of the patients and communities we serve.

Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together?

Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)