Commercial Counsel

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Commercial Counsel based in India.

As Commercial Counsel, you will provide strategic legal support across commercial, biopharmaceutical, and product-related activities within an innovative life sciences and biotechnology environment. You will work closely with commercial and biopharma teams, advising on complex contractual matters and supporting business operations across international markets. Your responsibilities will include drafting, reviewing, and negotiating a wide range of commercial agreements, licensing arrangements, tenders, and strategic partnerships. You will also contribute to improving legal operations by developing AI-powered tools, streamlining contract management workflows, and enhancing internal legal processes. Acting as a trusted legal partner to cross-functional stakeholders, you will help balance business objectives with regulatory requirements and contractual risk management. This is an exciting opportunity to combine legal expertise, commercial judgment, and emerging legal technologies within a rapidly evolving global industry.

Accountabilities:

- Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a broad range of commercial, biopharma, and legal agreements, ensuring alignment with business objectives and applicable legal requirements.

- Handle various contractual documents, including tenders, inbound and outbound supply agreements, service agreements, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) agreements, distribution agreements, collaboration agreements, government pricing agreements, subcontractor agreements, and material transfer agreements.

- Support procurement activities by reviewing and negotiating inbound procurement agreements when required.

- Manage domestic and international contractual matters, ensuring agreements meet relevant business, legal, and operational requirements across different jurisdictions.

- Review, negotiate, and support the successful completion of international tenders, coordinating with relevant stakeholders throughout the process.

- Provide legal guidance to commercial, biopharma, and cross-functional teams on contracting best practices, legal developments, and potential contractual risks.

- Develop, maintain, and improve AI-powered legal playbooks using available legal operations tools, including enterprise generative AI solutions, Gemini, NotebookLM, and Ironclad.

- Identify opportunities to leverage AI and legal technology to improve contract drafting, review efficiency, knowledge management, and legal service delivery.

- Manage and optimize processes and workflows governing the intake, review, approval, and execution of commercial and biopharma agreements.

- Collaborate with internal stakeholders to ensure efficient contract management and consistent application of legal policies and procedures.

- Coordinate with external legal counsel when necessary, assessing when specialist advice is required and managing external legal support effectively.

- Support additional legal matters as needed, including certain non-U.S. employment and corporate law matters.

- Contribute to scalable legal operations by identifying process improvements and developing solutions that support growing business needs.

Requirements:

- Qualified solicitor with at least 1 year of post-qualification experience (PQE), or 4 to 7 years of relevant commercial or contractual legal experience.

- A Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree or equivalent legal qualification is preferred but not mandatory for candidates with substantial relevant contractual experience.

- Experience gained within a major law firm or an in-house legal department, ideally in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, life sciences, or healthcare industries.

- Proven experience drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and managing high volumes of commercial and pharmaceutical agreements, including complex tenders.

- Demonstrated experience reviewing, negotiating, and successfully closing international tenders across multiple jurisdictions.

- Strong understanding of domestic and international commercial contracts, contractual risk allocation, and negotiation practices.

- Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate complex legal concepts clearly and effectively.

- Ability to manage external legal counsel, assess when specialist legal advice is necessary, and coordinate external legal support.

- Strong interpersonal, communication, and collaboration skills, with the ability to build effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all organizational levels.

- Excellent customer service orientation and the ability to provide practical, business-focused legal advice.

- Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritize competing demands and manage multiple tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

- Sound commercial judgment and the ability to evaluate legal risks, business benefits, and appropriate mitigation strategies.

- Creative problem-solving abilities and a proactive, hands-on approach to resolving complex contractual challenges.

- Collaborative working style, with the ability to operate independently while contributing effectively to cross-functional teams.

- Experience developing scalable legal processes, workflows, and operational frameworks to support business growth.

- Adaptability and interest in leveraging AI-powered tools and legal technology to improve efficiency and legal service delivery.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Fluency in Mandarin, both written and spoken.

- Familiarity with synthetic biology, DNA sequencing technologies, and related products and processes.

- Understanding of the pharmaceutical and drug development landscape, including antibody therapies and personalized medicine.

- Basic knowledge of employment law and/or corporate law, particularly in international contexts.

- Previous experience implementing or improving AI-driven legal workflows and contract management solutions.

Benefits:

- Remote working opportunities across APAC and EMEA regions, including India.

- Flexible working arrangements within an international remote working environment.

- Opportunity to work on complex commercial and biopharmaceutical legal matters across global markets.

- Exposure to innovative developments in synthetic biology, genomics, biotechnology, and life sciences.

- Opportunity to contribute to the development and implementation of AI-powered legal tools and modern legal operations.

- Collaboration with multidisciplinary teams across commercial, biopharma, and business functions.

- Opportunities to develop expertise in international contracting, licensing, and pharmaceutical agreements.

- A dynamic and innovation-driven professional environment that encourages collaboration, initiative, and continuous improvement.

- The opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking technologies with applications in healthcare, agriculture, industrial chemicals, and data storage.

How Jobgether works:

We use an AI-powered matching process to ensure your application is reviewed quickly, objectively, and fairly against the role's core requirements. Our system identifies the top-fitting candidates, and this shortlist is then shared directly with the hiring company. The final decision and next steps (interviews, assessments) are managed by their internal team.

We appreciate your interest and wish you the best!

Why Apply Through Jobgether?

Data Privacy Notice: By submitting your application, you acknowledge that Jobgether will process your personal data to evaluate your candidacy and share relevant information with the hiring employer. This processing is based on legitimate interest and pre-contractual measures under applicable data protection laws (including GDPR). You may exercise your rights (access, rectification, erasure, objection) at any time.

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