Senior Legal Counsel, Operations

Job Summary

The Legal Counsel, Operations, will provide day-to-day legal support and strategic guidance for the company’s distribution, logistics, procurement, and supply chain operations. This role requires a proactive attorney to review, draft, and negotiate complex commercial agreements, ensure regulatory compliance, manage vendor disputes, and partner with business leaders to mitigate risk in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Commercial Contracting: Draft, negotiate, and manage high-volume, complex agreements, including vendor procurement contracts, inbound/outbound logistics, warehousing agreements, transportation contracts (3PL), distribution agreements, and data analytics services relating to contract administration & rebate processing .
• Regulatory Compliance: Provide legal advice on healthcare-specific regulations affecting distribution, including FDA regulations (Food, Drug & Cosmetic Act), state licensing requirements, anti-kickback statutes (AKS), Discount Safe Harbor, GPO safe harbor, and compliance for pharmaceutical distribution and supply chain requirements.
• Operational Support: Advise on daily operational matters, including inventory management, product sourcing, recall procedures, and supply chain disruptions.
• Risk Management & Litigation: Proactively identify legal risks, develop compliance policies, and assist with pre-litigation dispute management, vendor breaches, and contract disputes.
• Contract Lifecycle Management: Oversee, implement and maintain systems to audit and manage contract database resources and streamline contract workflows.
• Internal Partnering: Collaborate with Supplier Management, Warehousing & Logistics, Sales, Compliance and Quality teams to provide pragmatic, solution-oriented advice.
• Policy Development: Create and update internal policies and procedures to ensure compliance with federal and state laws.
• Outside Counsel Management: Act as a liaison between internal business units and external counsel, managing costs and legal strategy when necessary.

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an ABA-accredited law school.
• Active license to practice law in the state of employment (or ability to become licensed).
• Minimum 6-8 years of experience as an attorney, with significant experience in corporate operations, commercial transactions, or supply chain law.
• Experience in the healthcare, pharmaceutical, or medical device distribution industry.
• Strong knowledge of commercial law, particularly UCC (Uniform Commercial Code) and logistics contracts.

Preferred Skills

• Prior in-house counsel experience at a logistics or healthcare company.
• Experience with regulatory matters (FDA, DEA, HIPAA).
• Proficiency with contract management software and AI-driven tools.

Key Competencies

• Ability to balance legal risks with business goals.
• Excellent negotiation and drafting skills.
• Ability to work independently and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Key Areas of Focus for this Role (Based on Industry Standards)

• Logistics & Transportation: Managing 3PL and carrier liability.
• Quality & Regulatory: Ensuring compliance for storage/shipping of sensitive medical products.
• Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM): Streamlining contract workflows.
• Compliance with Healthcare Laws: Mitigating Fraud, Waste, and Abuse risks.