Chief Legal Officer

Leading global medical device company is looking to hire a Group Compliance & Chief Legal Officer to head up their legal team headquartered in Edinburgh. The company operates a hybrid model.

Role Profile: The purpose of this role is to manage and direct the Group Legal & Compliance Function across the business. While the legal focus will be on partnering with various areas of the business globally, the Compliance focus is to provide ongoing compliance monitoring and compliance risk assessment.

Legal Advice & Guidance

• Provide high quality legal guidance to management and the wider organisation, as well as interaction with relevant departments within the group companies.
• Working across the business to advise on a wide range of legal and related commercial matters.
• Monitor changes in relevant laws and regulations affecting the company and interface with regulatory authorities as needed to address compliance matters.
• Pro-actively identifying legal/regulation-related risks by conducting research on changes to relevant law/regulations worldwide.

Legal Strategy and Compliance

• Develop and implement legal strategies that align with overall objectives.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards (worldwide).
• Take ownership of specific areas of compliance such as Anti Bribery, Third Party Risk Management.
• Develop and manage a compliance committee.
• Provide global compliance management and support.
• Oversee all compliance programs, including risk assessments, internal controls, and policy development.
• Identify legal risks and propose strategies to mitigate potential liabilities.
• Ensure compliance control in relation to export control.

Contract Negotiation and Drafting

• Oversee the negotiation and drafting of a wide range of contracts, including, but not limited to, commercial agreements, partnerships, and vendor contracts.

Corporate Governance

• Advise on corporate governance matters and ensure compliance with corporate policies and regulations.
• Responsible for reporting on compliance areas, including but not limited to, GDPR, competition, and other compliance trainings.

Dispute Resolution

• Manage and resolve legal disputes, including litigation and alternative dispute resolution methods.
• Ensure issues raised through the Speak Up policy are dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner.

Management of external law firms/lawyers

• Responsible for managing relationships with external law firms across different jurisdictions.
• Direct line management of a team of 3 based across the UK and US with a total team of up to 6.

Candidate Requirements:

• Fully Qualified Lawyer with a high level of commercial experience at a Senior Exec level.
• Significant commercial and corporate legal experience either in-house or in private practice.
• Strong commercial contracts background.
• Strong knowledge of UK corporate governance, regulatory frameworks, and compliance requirements.
• Track record of delivering pragmatic risk-based legal advice to support the organisation to meet its legal obligations.
• Excellent communication skills with experience of working across organisations and building strong relationships.
• Knowledge of the medical devices/life science sector would be advantageous and desirable but not essential.
• Flexibility to be able to deal with a range of legal issues; Capability to work with the business at all levels.

On Offer:

• Competitive Executive level salary & Benefits including attractive bonus.
• Pension.
• Private Medical Insurance.
• Hybrid Working.

To Apply: For a confidential discussion about this position, to request the full job description or to apply, please contact: David Thomson - Director Edinburgh: +44 (0) 131 450 7164