Senior Counsel, Global Transactions & Contracts Legal – Data, Digital & Technology

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Job Description

About the Role

Takeda is seeking an experienced biopharma transactions attorney to join as a valuable member of our Global Transactions & Corporate (GTC) Legal team. As Senior Counsel (Associate Director),you will report to our Head Counsel GTC Legal – DDT and support transactions and contracts for Takeda’s Data, Digital & Technology (DD&T) organization.

This is a strategic role where you will empower Procurement and the business on routine contracting matters and lead and advise on more complex transactions. You will partner closely with Procurement and business stakeholders to drive business objectives and priorities through pragmatic, business-tailored legal advice, disciplined contracting, sound risk judgment, and scalable legal contracting infrastructure.

This role operates across multiple global time zones and legal jurisdictions. Success requires experience navigating regional legal nuances and evolving regulatory frameworks.

How you will contribute:

Strategic transactions and enterprise contracts

• Provide pragmatic, business-tailored legal advice and support for in-scope strategic transactions and enterprise contracts, including software and cloud agreements, software services, data licensing, A.I., machine learning, digital health, benefits administration services, recruitment services, contingent workforce/staffing, management consulting, and business process outsourcing.
• Independently lead, negotiate, draft, review and advise on moderately complex in-scope transactions and contracts.
• Serve as legal escalation point for issues of risk, complexity, or deviation from standard positions.
• Advise on pre‑contract activities, including due diligence, sourcing models, deal structures, and risk assessments.
• Provide post‑signing legal support and advice on contract interpretation, disputes, amendments, renewals, and terminations.
• Work in close collaboration with adjacent Takeda legal teams to ensure integrated legal advice and support to business clients, including DD&T Legal in support of the DD&T organization.

Global contracting infrastructure & enablement

• In alignment with principles set forth by GTC leadership, generate, implement, and maintain contracting infrastructure, including

• Templates, playbooks, fallback positions, and legal guidance
• Escalation frameworks and risk thresholds
• Training, office hours, and best‑practice resources

Transaction category leadership

• Build and maintain expertise and ownership within one or more in-scope categories of transactions and contracts.
• Collaborate with legal colleagues, business stakeholders and other Takeda subject matter experts to maintain ongoing awareness of internal and external factors and trends relating to the applicable business functions/ areas that impact contracting risk and strategy, including:

• Changes in laws, regulations, and internal policies
• Geopolitical, economic, and public‑health developments
• Market trends and supplier business models
• Evolving negotiation norms and “market” positions for key contract terms
• Incorporate these insights into transactional advice, negotiation strategies, and contracting infrastructure to improve quality, speed, risk mitigation, and business outcomes.

Stakeholder management

• Primary relationship attorney for assigned Procurement category managers and any assigned business teams.
• Build strong relationships with legal and business stakeholders.

• Understands business objectives and renders legal advice accordingly.
• Communicates clearly and effectively with colleagues and clients.
• Serve as a representative of GTC Legal with relevant stakeholders.

Skills and Qualifications:

• J.D. or equivalent legal degree is required.
• At least 6 years of experience is required as in-house or external counsel supporting contracts and strategic transactions within the global biopharmaceutical industry.
• Experience required advising on key business, legal, and compliance risks associated with in-scope contracts and transactions, such as data rights, cybersecurity, data privacy/GDPR, risk allocation, A.I. risks, intellectual property rights, pharmacovigilance, quality, co-employment, anti-bribery, anti-kickback, false claims, sanctions, trade controls, financial transparency, and other relevant risks.
• Experience working within strategic legal support models that empower business stakeholders and Procurement to independently prepare, negotiate and execute high-volume and routine contracts.
• Experience collaborating productively and efficiently with subject matter experts within and outside the Law Department in support of in-scope contracts and transactions.

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