Summary
Location: Panama City, Panama
Please note this role can be based in either Guatemala or Panama
Please ensure you apply for the role in the correct location for you
Guatemala apply to REQ 10089543
Shape the future of healthcare across a diverse and dynamic cluster of countries. As Legal Head, ACC Cluster, you will be a trusted advisor to senior business leaders, helping drive strategic decisions while navigating complex legal, regulatory, compliance, and commercial challenges. This is a highly visible leadership role where you will influence business growth, lead a talented legal team across multiple jurisdictions, and help bring innovative medicines to patients while protecting Novartis and upholding the highest ethical standards. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy leading through complexity, and want to make a meaningful impact on a regional scale, we would love to hear from you.
About the Role
Key Responsibilities
· Serve as a trusted legal advisor to cluster leadership, influencing strategic business decisions.
· Lead legal support across multiple jurisdictions, balancing business priorities and legal risk.
· Advise on complex commercial, regulatory, compliance, employment, data, digital and artificial intelligence matters.
· Lead negotiations for high-value commercial, distribution, licensing and partnership agreements.
· Anticipate risks, provide practical mitigation strategies and support effective decision-making.
· Develop and inspire a geographically dispersed legal team, fostering collaboration and accountability.
· Manage legal operations, external counsel and budget resources to maximize business value.
Essential Requirements
· Law degree and admission to practice in at least one ACC Cluster jurisdiction.
· Significant legal experience within pharmaceuticals, life sciences or another highly regulated industry.
· Proven experience advising across multiple countries, legal systems and business environments.
· Strong people leadership experience, including coaching and developing high-performing teams.
· Expertise in complex commercial agreements, regulatory matters and risk management.
· Excellent stakeholder engagement, negotiation and communication skills
· Must speak fluent English and Spanish
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Benefits and Rewards: Read our handbook to learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally: https://www.novartis.com/careers/benefits-rewards
Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion / EEO paragraph
Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams’ representative of the patients and communities we serve.
Why Novartis: Helping people with disease and their families takes more than innovative science. It takes a community of smart, passionate people like you. Collaborating, supporting and inspiring each other. Combining to achieve breakthroughs that change patients’ lives. Ready to create a brighter future together? https://www.novartis.com/about/strategy/people-and-culture
Benefits and Rewards: Learn about all the ways we’ll help you thrive personally and professionally.
Read our handbook (PDF 30 MB)
