Vice President, Corporate Law and Head of Transactions

Job Overview

Kardigan is seeking a highly experienced and strategic Vice President to build and lead our corporate legal function to support transactions, contracting across Kardigan, alliance management and adjacent areas of legal expertise. As the VP, Corporate Legal and Head of Transactions, you will help oversee the company’s corporate transactional matters, including legal contracts operations and processes, legal support for all Kardigan transactions, collaborations, and legal support for alliance management. This role will provide guidance and leadership to a growing team of legal professionals while collaborating with senior leadership across departments – in particular Research, Development Operations, Technical Operations and Quality. The Vice President will play a key role in driving corporate strategy, ensuring legal compliance, and supporting the company’s long-term business objectives. This is a unique opportunity to build and lead a high performing legal group within the Legal Department at a company with both early and late-stage programs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a high-performing corporate legal team, providing mentorship and guidance. Foster a collaborative and innovative environment, ensuring the legal team supports the company’s mission and strategic initiatives.

• Leverage experience in the biotechnology/biopharmaceutical industry to navigate the complex legal and regulatory environment specific to life sciences companies, particularly with respect to research and development agreements, clinical trials, manufacturing and technical operations and quality matters, alliance management, and strategic partnerships and collaborations.

• Build and manage the legal contracts function, including clinical, commercial and manufacturing agreements and complex agreements such as joint ventures, licensing, mergers, acquisitions, investments, and partnership agreements. Oversee the negotiation, drafting, and execution of these contracts, ensuring alignment with business objectives while managing legal and financial risks.

• Partner with internal teams such as Research, Development, Technical Operations, Quality, Finance, Tax, HR, and Business Development to ensure corporate legal matters align with broader company goals. Work closely with external counsel to manage legal risks and ensure compliance with applicable laws.

Qualifications and Preferred Skills

• JD is required, with a minimum of 15+ years of experience in corporate transactional law, JD required, with a minimum of 15+ years of legal experience at a top tier law firm or in-house including at least 10+ years of prior in-house experience in the life sciences industry.

• Member of a state bar in good standing.

• Proven track record in managing complex corporate transactions and navigating high-stakes legal matters in a fast-paced environment.

• Strong leadership capabilities, with experience managing a legal team.

• Experience in the biotechnology/biopharmaceutical industry, with a deep understanding of the legal and regulatory frameworks that govern life sciences companies.

• Exceptional analytical, negotiation, and communication skills.

• Ability to balance legal and business considerations, offering practical solutions to corporate challenges.

• Proven ability to collaborate across departments and influence senior leadership.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic work environment with a focus on achieving results.

• Understanding and supportive of a “patient-first” mentality.

• Tremendously high work ethics coupled with a sense of humor.