Kyowa Kirin North America

Kyowa Kirin North America

Director, Manufacturing Legal Counsel

Sanford, NC · Director

Sponsorship not specified$227k-$270kDetected 44 days ago
ComplianceNegotiationExcelHREmployee RelationsContract ManagementEmployment LawResearchLeadershipCommunicationCollaborationOrganizational SkillsMicrosoft Office

About the role

  • Kyowa Kirin is a global specialty pharmaceutical company committed to improving the lives of patients.
  • Reporting relationship: Senior Director, Senior Corporate Counsel (Princeton, NJ), with dotted-line reporting relationship to the Vice President of Manufacturing (Sanford, NC).

Responsibilities

  • Kyowa Kirin, Inc., the U.S. operating entity, is expanding its North American footprint by building its first U.S. manufacturing facility in Sanford, North Carolina ("Sanford"), a greenfield site currently progressing through the construction phase.
  • Utilize the Legal Department's contract management system to manage the contracting process for Sanford-related agreements, including review, negotiation, approval, and execution.
  • Partner with Sanford stakeholders to support the drafting and negotiation of manufacturing, construction, consulting, equipment, supply, and operations related agreements.
  • Prepare guidance and training materials to support the efficient and compliant use of the Legal Department's contract management system.
  • Partner with Princeton-based Legal colleagues and outside counsel, as needed, to address more complex or significant legal matters affecting Sanford operations.
  • Provide legal support to Human Resources on Sanford-related employment and employee relations matters, in coordination with internal employment counsel and external counsel as appropriate.
  • Serve as a member of the Sanford site Senior Leadership Team and an embedded legal advisor to Sanford business partners by applying sound judgment, practical risk assessment, and a solutions‑oriented approach in a fast‑paced manufacturing and site‑startup environment.
  • Engage regularly with Sanford site leadership and cross‑functional stakeholders to support alignment on contracting priorities, legal risk considerations, and compliance expectations.
  • Collaborate with internal functions to support cross‑functional and cross‑border Sanford initiatives.
  • Support Sanford‑related projects and initiatives that require coordination across functions or regions to ensure alignment with Kyowa Kirin policies and Legal Department practices.

Requirements

  • Juris Doctorate degree from Accredited Law School is required.
  • eligibility for North Carolina in-house registration required.
  • Must understand contract law and have effective communication and negotiation skills and the ability to influence and work collaboratively at all levels and across functions.
  • Exhibit strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and a solid work ethic while demonstrating cultural sensitivity and the ability to foster alignment in a global environment.

Nice to have

  • Life science experience preferred but not required.
  • Law firm experience required.
  • In-house experience is a plus.
  • Experience with cross-functional teams (including ex-US) and demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with others to address complex legal, compliance, and operational issues is a plus.
  • Experience using contracting management systems (e.g., intake, workflow, approvals, and execution) is a plus.
  • Demonstrated understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing operations and the related regulatory environment is a plus.
  • Foundational understanding of employment law or counsel human resources functions is a plus.
  • Experience supporting a start‑up, greenfield, or rapidly scaling operational environment is a plus.

Skills

  • Advanced proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook).
  • Non-Technical Skills
  • Comfortable working onsite in a manufacturing and construction environment and engaging directly with operational stakeholders.
  • Working Conditions: Requires up to 10% domestic and limited international travel
  • 401K with company matching
  • Annual Bonus Program (Sales Bonus for Sales Jobs)
  • Generous PTO and Holiday Schedule which includes Summer and Winter Shut-Downs, Sick Days and, Volunteer Days

Compensation

  • The anticipated salary for this position will be $227,300 to $270,000.

Benefits

  • Healthcare Benefits (Medical, Dental, Prescription Drugs and Vision)
  • HSA & FSA Programs
  • Life & Disability Insurance
  • Tuition Assistance
  • Work closely with colleagues from Legal and Compliance to provide consistent and efficient guidance in accordance with Kyowa Kirin's healthcare compliance policies and related laws and regulations.

Company info

  • As the site moves toward start‑up and future operations, we are seeking a full‑time, embedded attorney to support this critical initiative as it scales from build‑out to steady‑state operations.

Visa & Work Authorization

  • ability, genetic trait or predisposition, veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or affection preference or citizenship status or any other category protected by law
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This listing is sourced directly from Kyowa Kirin North America's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.