Career Opportunities in the Foresite Capital Network

The Company:

Our mission is to improve the health and quality of life for the millions of people affected by chronic respiratory diseases. We do this through the development of our first-in-class molecule, ensifentrine. Ensifentrine has the potential to provide relief for millions of patients suffering from a variety of respiratory conditions including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), cystic fibrosis (CF), non-CF bronchiectasis and asthma. Our focus is driven by our desire to ensure that innovative and differentiated molecules can reach these patients.

The experience of the Verona team, and its highly effective leadership allows us to challenge the status quo in drug development and commercialization. Verona provides a professional, diverse, and inclusive working environment where our employees thrive. We are driven to succeed by our desire to help those dealing with the chronic progressive nature of respiratory diseases. We offer you the opportunity to help create a new future for those people living with respiratory diseases.

The Opportunity:

Verona Pharma is currently recruiting an experienced attorney to join our team, reporting to our Senior Legal Counsel. In the role of Legal Counsel, you will be responsible for providing expert legal advice and counseling to business units across the organization on a broad array of operational and corporate issues. You will be the primary contact responsible for drafting and negotiating a wide range of R&D and clinical contracts. In addition, as part of the legal team, you will provide corporate, transactional and other general legal support as needed.

To be successful in this role, you will work closely and cross-functionally with business units throughout our organization to provide proactive strategic and tactical legal support to meet key milestones. You will have strong negotiation skills and business acumen as well as excellent interpersonal and project management skills. You will also assist in cultivating a culture that possesses a strong commitment to diversity, inclusion and community.

We know our employees are our most valuable asset, and our culture conveys that. Trust, accountability, and efficiency are core values that drive our working environment. We have a unique opportunity to build a company that will bring a first-in-class medication to chronic respiratory disease patients with significant unmet needs. We also offer a competitive benefits package, including generous PTO, to support the health and happiness of our staff.

Responsibilities:

• Provide legal advice and counsel to business units on R&D and clinical activities to advance Verona’s strategy while addressing legal risks and protecting the company’s integrity and reputation.
• Draft, review and negotiate contracts across numerous areas of the organization, including but not limited to, research, clinical development and manufacturing.
• Maintain and drive efficiencies related to Verona’s contract lifecycle management system and related processes and procedures.
• Work with Senior Legal Counsel to develop and maintain appropriate templates and work with business units to develop contract strategies and best practices to achieve business outcomes.
• Act as a subject matter expert on matters relating to research and clinical trials regulations and related business operations while staying abreast of evolving human subject research legislation/regulations and the enforcement landscape.
• Support business partners on key legal, corporate policy and other considerations to ensure timely performance and adherence to terms of contracts.
• Serve as a member of cross-functional teams, including the R&D projects team.
• Provide legal support as needed to the Senior Legal Counsel and the General Counsel as well as other business units in relation to all aspects of the organization, including data privacy, standard operating procedures/policies and corporate governance.
• Other duties as assigned.
  
  
  

Requirements:

• Juris Doctor Degree from an accredited law school, or equivalent.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience advising on legal matters in the biopharmaceutical industry, whether at a law firm or in-house, or both.
• Prior in-house experience in a clinical research organization and/or pharmaceutical company drafting and negotiating clinical trial agreements on a global project is preferred.
• Experience developing, advising on, and negotiating a wide variety of development and clinical contracts within the clinical research industry, and advising on compliance with applicable laws, regulations and guidance documents in relation thereto, including FDA regulations and guidance, the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, data privacy laws, and ICH GCP Guidelines.
• Demonstrated organizational skills and ability to manage multiple projects at once, drive execution and meet deadlines.
• Strong communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills and ability to provide proactive strategic and tactical guidance while maintaining strong and supportive working relationships across the organization.
• Ability to identify business-related risks and issues and propose solutions and mitigations.
• Eagerness to develop legal skills across all aspects of a fast-growing publicly listed biopharmaceutical company.
  
  
  

An Equal Opportunity Employer:

Verona Pharma is an Equal Opportunity Employer and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any kind. All employment decisions at Verona Pharma are based on business needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, HIV Status, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, past or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.