Associate Director, Commercial Counsel

Position Summary

The Associate Director, Commercial Counsel will draft and negotiate contracts to support the Company’s Commercial and Medical Affairs teams and other contract types based on Legal department needs.  Primary types of contract negotiation will include consulting agreements with health care practitioners (HCPs) as well as services agreements for vendors supporting product commercialization.  The Associate Director, Commercial Counsel will be expected to exhibit a high degree of integrity and professional courtesy, as well as to efficiently manage a significant volume of contracting.  The Associate Director will partner closely with personnel from the Company’s Commercial and Medical Affairs departments as well as within the Legal team.

This position is remote with a corporate headquarters in Foster City, CA and Parsippany, NJ. The Associate Director will report to the Director, Commercial Contracting and Trade Counsel.

Primary Responsibilities 

• Drafts, negotiates, and finalizes contracts, including consulting agreements, services agreements, statements of work, and sponsorship/exhibit agreements
• Efficiently manages a high volume contract requests
• Communicates carefully and thoughtfully with external parties, including HCPs
• Partners across teams, most frequently with Commercial and Medical Affairs colleagues, to efficiently meet the needs of the business
• Maintains and updates legal/compliance processes related to customer contracting (needs assessments, fair market value analyses, debarment workflows, etc.) in collaboration with Compliance to ensure a seamless transition of contracts across workflows within the Legal/Compliance department
• Assists in development of training presentations and regularly meets with business stakeholders to educate them on contracting processes, answer questions, and find opportunities for efficiencies
• Assists with other types of contracts and coordinates with other attorneys and professionals within the department as needed

Competencies 

• Strong contract drafting skills 
• Ability to maintain a high level of attention to detail without losing sight of the big picture 
• Understanding of healthcare fraud and abuse laws, including the False Claims Act and Anti-Kickback Statutes
• Ability to deliver effective results with limited resources, under tight timeframes, and with a high degree of accuracy
• Highly collaborative, customer-centric problem solver supporting both external and internal clients while protecting the best interests of the Company
• Ability to respond to rapidly shifting priorities in ambiguous or challenging situations
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills 
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment while managing multiple projects and priorities 
• Demonstrated knowledge of contract management tools and Microsoft Office products

Experience

• Juris Doctorate from a U.S. accredited law school
• 5 years of relevant legal experience
• Experience drafting and negotiating contracts required
• Experience in the pharmaceutical or biotech industry preferred

EEO Statement: 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status. 

Benefit Statement:

All regular-status, full-time employees of Geron are eligible to participate in the Company’s comprehensive benefit program, pursuant to plan terms and conditions.  Plan choices include medical, dental, vision, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, disability insurance, supplemental health insurance, a 401(k) retirement savings plan, and an employee stock purchase plan.  Geron also provides regular-status, full-time employees with a generous time off program that includes the eligibility to accrue 160 hours of vacation during each full year of employment, 64 hours of sick leave, 9 standard paid holiday days off, and paid leave for certain life events.  Geron recognizes that its employees work in many different states and therefore may be affected by different laws.  It is Geron’s intention to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws that apply to the Company’s employees.

Salary Statement:

Offered compensation is determined based on market data, internal equity, and an applicant’s relevant skills, experience, and educational background.  The salary ranges displayed below are only for those who, if selected for the role, will perform work in the specific locations listed.  Please note the employment opportunity is not limited to these locations. 

General Salary Range: $200,000 to $210,000