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Head of Legal & Compliance, U.S.
Head of Legal & Compliance, U.S.
The Opportunity
This role offers a rare opportunity to build and shape the legal and compliance function for the U.S. organization while partnering closely with global leadership. You will act as a trusted advisor to the President and U.S. leadership team, providing practical, business-oriented counsel across a wide range of legal and risk matters.
Why This Role
The U.S. organization is lean, ambitious, and hungry - offering meaningful visibility, influence, and the chance to grow with the company. As the business expands, both the scope of the role and the total compensation are expected to grow accordingly. While there is no long-term incentive plan in place today, this is viewed as a foundational leadership hire.
Key Responsibilities
Compliance & Governance Oversight
Executive Partnership
The Ideal Candidate
Preferred
510794355
Location: U.S. (Remote)
Reports to: President, U.S.
The Opportunity
Korn Ferry is conducting an exclusive search on behalf of a privately held European pharmaceutical company to hire a Head of Legal & Compliance, U.S. This is a critical leadership role supporting the company’s rapidly scaling U.S. business and advising the U.S. executive team during an exciting growth phase.
This role offers a rare opportunity to build and shape the legal and compliance function for the U.S. organization while partnering closely with global leadership. You will act as a trusted advisor to the President and U.S. leadership team, providing practical, business-oriented counsel across a wide range of legal and risk matters.
Why This Role
This opportunity offers the best of both worlds: a well-established European healthcare company with nearly a century of history, strong scientific credibility, and long-term private ownership, paired with a fast-growing, entrepreneurial U.S. business that is early in its scale-up journey.
The U.S. organization is lean, ambitious, and hungry - offering meaningful visibility, influence, and the chance to grow with the company. As the business expands, both the scope of the role and the total compensation are expected to grow accordingly. While there is no long-term incentive plan in place today, this is viewed as a foundational leadership hire.
Key Responsibilities
Legal Leadership
- Serve as the principal legal advisor to the U.S. President and leadership team on commercial, operational, and corporate matters
- Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of agreements, including commercial, supplier, distribution, consulting, services, and confidentiality agreements
- Provide pragmatic risk assessments to support business decision-making in a growth environment
- Manage external counsel and legal spend efficiently
- Monitor U.S. legal developments relevant to the business and advise leadership accordingly
Compliance & Governance Oversight
- Oversee and operationalize the U.S. compliance framework in alignment with global standards
- Ensure appropriate policies, training, and governance structures are in place as the organization scales
- Partner closely with Finance, HR, Medical, Quality, and global Legal & Compliance colleagues
- Support investigations, issue-spotting, and remediation as needed
- Act as a steward of ethical conduct and sound governance within the U.S. organization
Executive Partnership
- Serve as a key member of the U.S. leadership team
- Translate legal and compliance considerations into clear, actionable guidance for senior executives
- Bring a solution-oriented mindset appropriate for a lean, high-growth environment
The Ideal Candidate
Required
- Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited U.S. law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
- Minimum of 8–10 years of post-qualification legal experience gained through a combination of in-house and/or leading law firm practice
- Strong experience drafting, negotiating, and advising on a wide range of commercial and corporate agreements
- Demonstrated ability to serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives, including C-suite or business unit leadership
- Comfort operating independently in a lean, fast-growing organization with sound judgment and ownership mindset
Preferred
- Experience in healthcare, life sciences, or other regulated industries
- Exposure to FDA, healthcare compliance, or industry codes
- Experience working within or alongside multinational or European-headquartered organizations
Deep pharmaceutical or FDA expertise is not required. The role emphasizes broad legal leadership, executive advisory capability, and strong commercial judgment over narrow subject-matter specialization
Compensation
- Base salary range: $175,000 - $205,000.00
- Annual bonus opportunity
- No long-term incentive currently, with the expectation that compensation will evolve as the company scales
- Offers a comprehensive benefits package, paid time off, annual bonus(es), 401K, healthcare
510794355
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Korn Ferry shall provide equal employment opportunity to all qualified candidates, and will refer candidates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected basis. Artificial Intelligence tools may be used in connection with the recruitment process for this position.
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