Senior Legal Counsel- Divestments

Office Location: London (The Westworks), United Kingdom

#LI-Hybrid Hybrid (12 days per month on-site)

Please note that Novartis is unable to provide relocation support for this position. Therefore, please ensure that you already have full right to work in this location and that it is fully accessible for you.

Closing date for applications is 2 weeks from date of posting.

Join Novartis’ Legal Divestments team as a Senior Legal Counsel, where you will lead the legal execution of complex, high impact divestments and partner closely with our Mergers and Acquisitions and Business Development & Licensing, and Strategy and Growth teams to shape the future of Novartis’s portfolio and drive enterprise wide strategic impact.

About the Role

• Lead and independently manage the full legal workstream for complex, high‑impact transactions, partnering closely with colleagues across M&A, BD&L, Strategy, and key functional and divisional teams.
• Shape deal direction by defining clear transaction objectives and driving project plans—from timelines and reporting to high‑quality deliverables—through to execution.
• Own all legal aspects of transactions, including structuring, drafting, due diligence, signing, closing, and post‑closing integration to ensure seamless end‑to‑end delivery.
• Take ownership of due diligence processes, engaging external counsel where needed, to identify and translate legal, regulatory, and deal risks into actionable mitigation strategies.
• Collaborate across M&A, BD&L, Strategy, and functional partners to ensure cross‑functional due diligence is complete, aligned, and reflected in deal structure and terms.
• Draft, review, and negotiate transaction documents that balance commercial objectives, risk, legal requirements, and Novartis standards.
• Develop creative, pragmatic legal solutions in collaboration with tax, finance, People & Organisation, Compensation & Benefits, and external advisors to overcome deal challenges and accelerate progress.
• Provide clear, credible legal and commercial recommendations to M&A, BD&L, and senior leaders, influencing key decisions throughout the deal lifecycle.
• Support Investor Relations and Public Relations teams on transaction‑related communications to ensure consistent and compliant external messaging.
• Ensure smooth handover and transition of completed transactions to functional, divisional, and integration/separation teams.
• Contribute to building a best‑in‑class Transactions Legal team, championing continuous improvement and excellence across Novartis Legal.
• Manage external legal counsel effectively, including scope setting, budget.

Essential Experience

• A strong track record of leading complex transactional or divestment work (post‑qualification) in a top law firm or in‑house environment.
• Deep experience in life sciences transactions, including licensing, co‑development, joint ventures, in‑ and out‑licensing, and divestments.
• Significant hands‑on experience drafting, negotiating and executing sophisticated M&A deals—public and private, buy‑side and sell‑side—as well as broader corporate transactions (e.g., joint ventures, equity or debt investments).
• Exposure to related commercial arrangements, such as supply or services agreements, is highly valued.
• Prior experience in the life sciences sector is essential; additional exposure to venture capital or digital/tech transactions is a strong plus.
• Demonstrated business acumen with the ability to operate, influence, and lead effectively in a highly matrixed global organisation.

Why Novartis:

• You can find everything you need to know about our benefits and rewards in the Novartis Life Handbook.
• Novartis is committed to building an outstanding, inclusive work environment and diverse teams’ representative of the patients and communities we serve.
• If this role is not suitable to your experience or career goals but you wish to stay connected to hear more about Novartis and our career opportunities, join the Novartis Network here.