Counsel - Clinical Development, Medical & Regulatory Affairs

About the Department

The Legal department is comprised of our Legal and Patents functions. We depend on our legal team to help drive growth and maintain the highest level of standards and practices across all of our legal efforts. It’s a tall order, which is why we only hire those who thrive on protecting the interests of our patients, employees and business, all while creating and implementing efficient and innovative solutions. As part of the team, you’ll work with employees across the organization to oversee legal matters and provide guidance on strategies that drive business and policy priorities and shape the reputation of Novo Nordisk Inc. (NNI). At Novo Nordisk, your skills, dedication and ambition will help us change lives for the better. In exchange, we’ll offer you an opportunity to work with extraordinary talent and benefit from a range of possibilities for professional and personal development. Are you ready to realize your potential?

The Position

Responsible for providing legal support to the Clinical Development, Medical & Regulatory Affairs (CMR) organization at Novo Nordisk Inc. (NNI). The position will provide full lifecycle advice and counsel to one or more therapeutic-area teams (e.g., Diabetes, Obesity, and Rare Disease) within CMR on matters relating to research and development, scientific exchange, and regulatory strategy and compliance. This position offers unique exposure to cutting-edge work and a varied day-to-day experience, which will reward learning agility and creative business-lawyering skills.

Relationships

Reports to Director, Managing Assistant General Counsel on the Clinical, Commercial & Corporate Law team (CCC Legal team) within NNI’s Legal Department. Regularly interacts with Legal colleagues in other North American affiliates, ex-US regional offices, and Novo Nordisk headquarters. Acts as an advisor to NNI’s CMR organization, but also collaborates with non-Legal stakeholders across the company.  May also interact with external partners, vendors, industry associations and outside law firms.

Essential Functions

• Provide high-quality legal support relating to Novo Nordisk research and development activities, including sponsored clinical trials, collaborations, and non-interventional studies
• Advise and counsel on Medical Affairs strategy and tactics, including scientific exchange, therapeutic-area development, and proposed interactions with healthcare professionals and other stakeholders within the scientific ecosystem
• Serve as a subject-matter expert on Medical Affairs activities and the principles of scientific exchange, with the ability to clearly communicate the application of relevant legal/regulatory frameworks onto a varied set of proposed initiatives and tactics
• Draft, negotiate and review a broad set of contractual agreements while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations and industry guidance
• Counsel on research and development-related requirements, including those related to GxP compliance, interacting with study sites and personnel, and the informed consent process
• Liaise with and advise CMR functions like Product Safety, Publications and Independent Medical Education
• Demonstrate knowledge of, and ability to communicate about, laws, regulations and industry standards governing the CMR organization’s functions, including fraud-and-abuse laws, FDA regulations, ICH guidelines GxP requirements, pharmacovigilance, and relevant privacy laws and regulations
• Provide general legal support, when required, to other North American affiliates, including on a broad range of collaboration activities, research-operations matters and strategic-business initiatives
• Collaborate with Legal colleagues and NNI’s Ethics, Compliance & Privacy function, including the North America Privacy Office
• Keep informed of new laws, regulations, and industry trends affecting the company, facilitating the proactive identification of risks and development of mitigation strategies
• Assist with the design and implementation of policies, processes, and training
• Perform other duties as assigned by senior management
• Provide legal support with limited oversight and guidance from managing attorney
• May retain, manage and assist outside counsel as needed for non-routine matters
• Serve as an excellent teammate and collaborator, but be comfortable making decisions and providing agentic leadership, often with limited information

Physical Requirements

Up to 10% overnight travel required.

Qualifications

• A Juris Doctor (JD) degree or an internationally recognized equivalent and state bar admission required
• 5+ years of experience in a law firm or in-house legal department required
• Relevant experience providing legal advice to life sciences/pharmaceutical industry on research and development preferred
• In-depth knowledge of applicable state and federal laws and regulations
• Demonstrated experience making and communicating risk assessments, identifying and resolving legal and regulatory issues, and making real-time decisions under pressure
• Proven track record as a strong team player with ability to work collaboratively and cross-functionally in a complex organizational structure
• Ability to work independently, proactively and pragmatically, with a focus on results
• Strong problem-solving skills – demonstrates and exercises creativity and initiative
• Advanced written and verbal communications skills, with the ability to collaborate and communicate with stakeholders and at all levels of an organization

We commit to an inclusive recruitment process and equality of opportunity for all our job applicants.

At Novo Nordisk, we're not chasing quick fixes – we're creating lasting change for long-term health. For over 100 years, we've been driven by a single purpose: to defeat serious chronic diseases and help millions of people live healthier lives. This dedication fuels our constant curiosity and inspires us to push the boundaries of what's possible in healthcare. We embrace diverse perspectives, seek out bold ideas, and build partnerships rooted in shared purpose. Together, we're making healthcare more accessible, treating and defeating diseases, and pioneering solutions that create change spanning generations. When you join us, you become part of something bigger – a legacy of impact that reaches far beyond today.

Novo Nordisk is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by local, state or federal laws, rules or regulations.

If you are interested in applying to Novo Nordisk and need special assistance or an accommodation to apply, please call us at 1-855-411-5290. This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.