Division Counsel, EPD (m/f/d)
JOB DESCRIPTION:
Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritional products and branded generic medicines. Our 114,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.
Primary Job Function
Abbott is seeking an experienced and strategic commercial attorney to serve as Division Counsel for the Established Pharmaceuticals Division (EPD). Reporting to the Divisional Vice President & Associate General Counsel, EPD, this role is a key member of EPD Legal team and provides legal leadership and strategic counsel across the division’s global commercial, business development, licensing and acquisitions, supply chain, and operational activities. The Division Counsel leads a team of attorneys and legal professionals and is responsible for supporting critical business initiatives, managing legal risk, and enabling EPD’s continued growth and success.
Core Responsibilities
The successful candidate must possess strong knowledge of corporate and commercial law, exceptional business judgment, and significant experience supporting complex global transactions and operations in a highly regulated industry. Responsibilities include:
Serve as the primary legal advisor to the Established Pharmaceuticals Division (EPD), providing strategic and practical legal counsel to divisional leadership on business initiatives, transactions, operational matters, and risk management.
Partner with senior business leaders to support EPD’s global growth objectives by delivering commercially focused legal advice that balances business opportunity with appropriate risk management.
Lead legal support for significant strategic transactions, including licensing, acquisitions, divestitures, alliance management, supply chain arrangements, manufacturing transactions, and other complex commercial agreements.
Provide legal leadership for EPD’s business development activities, including transaction structuring, due diligence, negotiation, integration planning, and ongoing alliance governance.
Advise EPD Operations and Global Supply Chain organizations on manufacturing, procurement, supply continuity, quality, technology transfer, pharmaceutical development, and third-party commercial arrangements.
Identify, assess, and proactively manage legal, regulatory, compliance, and reputational risks affecting EPD’s global operations and strategic priorities.
Negotiate, draft, and oversee a broad range of complex commercial agreements and establish contracting standards, processes, and best practices across the division.
Represent the Legal Division on key governance committees, leadership forums, and cross-functional initiatives, providing strategic guidance on critical business decisions.
Lead, develop, and mentor a team of legal professionals, including direct management of senior attorneys supporting Licensing & Acquisitions and Operations, while fostering a high-performing and collaborative culture.
Build strong partnerships with business and functional leaders across Commercial, Operations, Regulatory, Quality, Finance, Compliance, Human Resources, and affiliate legal organizations worldwide.
Develop and deliver legal training, guidance, and practical tools that promote compliant business practices and support efficient decision-making throughout EPD.
Other Details
Location of Position: Abbott EPD’s headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.
Reporting/Department: The position will report to the Divisional Vice President & Associate General Counsel, EPD.
Managerial/Supervision Duties: The Division Counsel leads the Basel-based EPD Commercial Legal team and is responsible for the performance, development, and engagement of legal professionals supporting Licensing & Acquisitions, Operations, Supply Chain, and other commercial activities across EPD. The role is expected to develop talent, drive organizational effectiveness, and build strong succession plans for key legal positions.
Travel: Periodic international travel required to support global business operations, business development activities, leadership meetings, and key projects.
Critical Success Factors
Good Judgment: Demonstrates excellent legal judgment and business acumen. Understands how legal support advances business objectives and provides practical, risk-balanced advice on complex matters.
Collaboration: Firm understanding of available legal, functional, and business resources and ability to integrate information from a number of sources to achieve business results, including breaking down boundaries to create alignment as necessary, in a complex, global, matrixed environment.
Strategic mindset: Acts as a holistic thinker who can anticipate changes in business conditions, industry trends, enforcement priorities, and legal developments to proactively manage risk and identify opportunities.
Influencing Skills: Build strong relationships with business partners to tactfully influence and gain their support to drive desired outcomes. Represent Abbott externally to customers, suppliers, competitors, trade associations or government agencies; and resolve legal issues using negotiation skills and legal expertise/engage in external influencing efforts.
Training/Experience Required
Law degree from an accredited university and admission to practice law in at least one relevant jurisdiction.
Minimum 15 years of legal experience, including significant experience in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, healthcare, or other highly regulated industry, with substantial in-house leadership experience preferred.
Significant in-house legal experience preferred, with demonstrated success partnering with senior business leaders.
Strong experience supporting complex commercial transactions, licensing arrangements, acquisitions, alliance management, and supply chain operations.
Deep understanding of pharmaceutical industry business models, commercial operations, manufacturing, distribution, and research and development.
Experience supporting local, regional, and global organizations, including meaningful exposure to emerging markets, is strongly preferred.
Demonstrated ability to advise business leaders operating across diverse legal, regulatory, and cultural environments, particularly in emerging market jurisdictions.
Proven ability to lead attorneys and legal professionals and to perform successfully in cross-functional, global environments.
Outstanding drafting, negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Proven ability to manage multiple complex matters simultaneously and prioritize effectively.
Strong strategic thinking, leadership, organizational, and decision-making capabilities.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and appropriately escalate significant issues.
Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
Follow your career aspirations to Abbott for diverse opportunities with a company that can help you build your future and live your best life. Abbott is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to employee diversity.
Connect with us at www.abbott.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Abbott and on X @AbbottNews and @AbbottGlobal.
The base pay for this position is
N/AIn specific locations, the pay range may vary from the range posted.