Senior Director, Intellectual Property Counsel

Overview

The organization is seeking an experienced Senior Director, Intellectual Property Counsel to develop and execute intellectual property strategies that support the pipeline and long-term business objectives. This hands-on role will lead global patent portfolio development, prosecution, and risk assessment, partnering closely with Research, Development, CMC, Clinical, and Business Development. Responsibilities also include trade secret protection and support for brand name creation and protection.

This role is intended for a senior IP leader who can become the principal intellectual property counsel. As business needs and performance evolve, the position may assume Chief Intellectual Property Counsel responsibilities and take increasing responsibility for setting company-wide IP priorities and advising executive leadership.

Responsibilities

IP Strategy and Portfolio Management

• Develop and execute global intellectual property strategies aligned with the pipeline, research priorities, and corporate objectives.
• Build and manage patent portfolios covering drug candidates, formulations, manufacturing processes, methods of use, and other innovations.
• Draft, review, and oversee the preparation and prosecution of U.S. and international patent applications.
• Evaluate invention disclosures and partner with scientists to identify patentable discoveries and develop appropriate filing strategies.
• Identify and ensure protection of trade secrets.
• Conduct and oversee freedom-to-operate, patentability, validity, and infringement analyses; communicate findings and recommend approaches to address identified risks.
• Support life cycle and exclusivity planning, including patent term extension opportunities and coordination with Regulatory and other relevant functions.
• Monitor competitor patent activity and emerging intellectual property developments relevant to the organization’s programs.
• Support trademark clearance and protection for product brand names.

Cross-Functional Counseling

• Serve as a trusted intellectual property advisor to discovery, translational science, CMC, clinical development, and other internal teams.
• Translate scientific findings and development plans into actionable patent strategies.
• Review proposed publications, presentations, and other external disclosures to protect intellectual property while supporting scientific communication.
• Provide practical guidance on inventorship, ownership, confidentiality, trade secrets, and intellectual property risks.
• Educate internal stakeholders on intellectual property practices and encourage timely identification and disclosure of inventions.

Transactions and Business Development Support

• Partner with Business Development and Legal colleagues on intellectual property aspects of licensing, research collaborations, co-development agreements, material transfer agreements, and other strategic transactions.
• Conduct and support intellectual property due diligence for potential partnerships, licensing opportunities, and other business development activities.
• Draft, review, and negotiate intellectual property provisions addressing ownership, prosecution, enforcement, and licensing rights.
• Support intellectual property obligations and governance under existing collaboration and license agreements.

Outside Counsel and Operational Oversight

• Select, direct, and oversee outside patent counsel and other intellectual property service providers globally.
• Ensure patent preparation and prosecution reflect scientific priorities, business objectives, and quality standards.
• Oversee patent dockets, filing deadlines, annuities, and portfolio records in coordination with external providers.
• Manage intellectual property budgets, forecasts, and outside counsel spending.
• Recommend portfolio prioritization and resource allocation as programs and business needs evolve.

Requirements

• J.D. from an accredited law school.
• Active admission to at least one U.S. state bar and registration to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
• At least 12 years of relevant biotechnology or pharmaceutical patent law experience.
• Experience at a leading intellectual property law firm and within an in-house biotechnology or pharmaceutical legal department.
• Strong technical understanding of biological and pharmaceutical drug discovery and development, particularly biologics, antibodies, immunology, and inflammation.
• Extensive hands-on experience drafting and prosecuting U.S. and international patent applications and managing complex global patent portfolios.
• Experience with patent disputes, oppositions, or other post-grant proceedings.
• Demonstrated experience conducting freedom-to-operate, patentability, validity, and infringement analyses.
• Experience supporting intellectual property due diligence and negotiating intellectual property provisions in licensing and collaboration agreements.
• Proven ability to oversee outside counsel, manage budgets, and prioritize competing demands.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal and scientific issues clearly and provide actionable advice.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and build effective relationships across scientific and business teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• In-house experience at an early-stage or rapidly growing biopharmaceutical company.
• Experience supporting antibody therapeutics, combination therapies, and programs in immunology or inflammatory diseases.
• Experience with patent disputes, oppositions, or other post-grant proceedings.

Compensation & Benefits

• The expected salary range for this role is $320,000 to $336,000. Actual pay offered may vary depending on job related knowledge, experience, education, and geographic location.
• Market competitive compensation and benefits package, including base salary, performance bonus, equity grant opportunities, health, welfare & retirement benefits.
• Unlimited PTO.
• Two, one-week company-wide shutdowns each.
• Commitment to provide professional development opportunities.

Location

Remote working environment with frequent in-person meetings to address complex problems and build relationships.

Equal Opportunity

As an equal opportunity employer, the organization is committed to a diverse workforce. Employment decisions are made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or other non-job-related characteristics or other prohibited grounds specified in applicable federal, state and local laws.