Senior Director, Contracts and Transactions Counsel

About the role

Kardigan is a heart health company working to make cardiovascular disease preventable, curable and no longer the leading cause of death in the world. It is Kardigan's mission to develop multiple targeted treatments in parallel that bring people with cardiovascular diseases to the cures they deserve. Led by Tassos Gianakakos, Jay Edelberg, M.D., Ph.D., and Bob McDowell, Ph.D., Kardigan's co-founders have reunited after leading MyoKardia to discover and develop mavacamten, the first cardiac myosin inhibitor, resulting in an acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb in 2020. We have a cutting-edge discovery and translational research platform, a pipeline of late-stage candidates, and an industry-leading team that is driven to improve the lives of patients. At Kardigan, we are motivated by our values which guide how we work, interact, and achieve our goals. Driven by patients and their families , we are deeply committed to improving the lives of patients and prioritizing their needs above all else. We believe in being authentic -leading with truth to bring out the best in others by creating an environment where every person knows they will be fully accepted. With an eagerness to learn , we encourage the highest levels of curiosity and are open to changing our minds. We are committed to winning as a team with urgency, excellence, and intention, and support each other no matter what role we play or where we sit. Lastly, we strive to enable the impossible because patients are counting on us. We are not afraid to take risks to unlock innovation and advance scientific discoveries. These values are the foundation of our work, empowering us to make a real difference, every day. Position Title: Senior Director, Contracts and Transactions Counsel Department: Legal Reports To: Vice President, Corporate Law and Head of Transactions Location: South San Francisco, CA or Princeton, NJ - On-site 4 days per week (Mon to Thurs) Job Overview Kardigan is seeking an experienced Senior Director, Contracts and Transactions Counsel. This will be a highly strategic and senior-level legal role responsible for providing comprehensive legal guidance on commercial transactions and contracts management, with a core focus on complex clinical development-related agreements This person will serve as a key legal advisor to support business leaders in navigating complex commercial and clinical relationships while supporting the company to meet its objectives. This single role can be based in either Princeton, NJ or South San Francisco, CA, and reports to the Vice President, Corporate Law and Head of Transactions. Essential Duties and Responsibilities Contract Negotiations Draft, review and negotiate a wide range of agreements, including master services agreements, clinical trial agreements (CTAs), license agreements, licensing and collaboration transactions, supply agreements, manufacturing agreements, quality agreements, sponsored research agreements, clinical trial-related vendor agreements, material transfer agreements, and other agreements. Provide strategic guidance on transaction structure and contract terms to optimize business outcomes while managing legal risk, particularly in the context of clinical development programs and multi-party clinical collaborations. Develop and maintain contract templates, playbooks, and standardized contract terms. Risk Management & Compliance Identify and mitigate legal risks in business operations and commercial relationships, with particular emphasis on clinical trial contracting, patient data, and regulatory risk Update and improve contract policies and procedures. Train business teams on contract policies, procedures, risk management, and other legal practices. Legal Operations and Technology Evaluate and implement legal technology solutions to improve efficiency and effectiveness, such as contract lifecycle management system. Establish metrics and reporting systems to track efficiencies and effectiveness of contracting procedures and other legal practices. Manage outside legal consultants and counsels for specialized matters and overflow work, including clinical, regulatory, and privacy counsel as needed Stakeholder Management Collaborate with and support business development, clinical development, research, and regulatory functions to identify and address legal considerations in new business opportunities. Provide strategic advice and counseling in connection with management of collaborations with collaborators, licensees, and other external partners, including those supporting global clinical trials Serve as a legal liaison to the company. Clinical Contracting, Privacy, and Research Compliance Serve as the primary legal point of contact for the Clinical Operations team, providing day-to-day legal support on clinical trial execution, vendor management, site-related issues, and cross-functional coordination with regulatory and quality stakeholders, including negotia

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