Lead Counsel - Vietnam

Are you looking for a patient-focused, innovation-driven company that will inspire you and empower you to shine? Join us as a Lead Counsel - Vietnam in our Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam) office.

At Takeda, we are transforming the pharmaceutical industry through our R&D-driven market leadership and being a values-led company. To do this, we empower our people to realize their potential through life-changing work. Certified as a Global Top Employer, we offer stimulating careers, encourage innovation, and strive for excellence in everything we do. We foster an inclusive, collaborative workplace, in which our global teams are united by an unwavering commitment to deliver Better Health and a Brighter Future to people around the world.

We strive to broaden access to treatment and enhance standards of care for people wherever they live. We also focus on sustainably strengthening local health systems in low- and middle-income countries at every stage of the patient journey, while developing an end-to-end access approach to make our highly innovative medicines available as soon as practically possible.  Takeda is unwavering in our commitment to patients. With the patient at the center of everything we do, we continue to innovate and drive changes that will better their lives and we are looking for like-minded professionals to join us.

Role Objective:

• Contributing to the success of Takeda by acting as key legal contact and a business partner in Vietnam and across other jurisdictions as needed, providing professional and proactive legal support in all areas including medical affairs, commercial, HR, finance, marketing, regulatory, business operations, market access and procurement.

• Acting as the primary legal point of contact for the leadership team of Takeda Vietnam.

• Ensuring that Takeda is doing business in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, with Takeda policies, and to assist with devising legal risk-management strategies.

• Identifying legal issues, legal options, and analysis of possible legal solutions, and giving recommendations for critical issues so that business and legal objectives are met.

Role Accountabilities:

• Reviewing and drafting a wide range of commercial agreements including distribution, marketing and promotion, non-interventional trials, healthcare professionals and healthcare entities related agreements, licenses, sales, purchases contracts, consultancy, leases, services agreements, etc.

• Reviewing and drafting a wide range of non-commercial agreements including patient support/assistance programs, patient access, grants, donations, market access etc.

• Providing legal support for the development and execution of market access and reimbursement strategies to ensure timely inclusion of Takeda’s products, including vaccines, to secure optimal pricing, and to navigate healthcare policies and regulatory environments.

• Acting as a business partner for the various functions and stakeholders in Vietnam and at times cross-regionally as a member of the wider Takeda legal team.

• Attending periodically leadership meetings or other meetings with Takeda leaders to provide input on ongoing legal matters and advise on ongoing or planned initiatives.

• Assisting the legal function with corporate restructuring and business development activities such as M&As and licensing etc.

• Establishing and maintaining a robust legal know-how framework to ensure that:

  • Takeda is up-to-date with any changes in legislation related directly or indirectly to the pharmaceutical industry and Takeda’s activities;

  • the relevant internal stakeholders are aware of such changes; and

  • the necessary steps are taken to comply with such changes (where applicable).

• Providing assistance in corporate governance matters including maintaining licenses and other corporate documentation of the Takeda entity in Vietnam and ensuring that any required changes in such entities are made promptly and in accordance with local laws and internal processes.

• Review of non-promotional and promotional materials, advising on statutory and industry requirements related to the promotion of medicines and non-promotional activities, including disease awareness campaigns.

• Assisting the HR function in managing all personnel issues from a legal perspective.

• Performing pre-litigation work to minimize risks and maximize legal rights.

• Providing legal support to internal and external audits and investigations.

• Managing external counsels.

• Assisting with the management of external partners from a legal perspective.

• Providing coaching, guidance, and training to company employees on various legal topics.

• Preparing periodic status reports showing status of ongoing legal issues.

• Participating in the development of the legal function, follow up on work activities, projects and programs, monitor the workflow and review work methods and procedures.

• Suggesting plans and programs to boost the effectiveness of the Legal function.

• Acting at all times in accordance with the Takeda-ism parameters and maintain a professional and balanced demeanor.

Education & Experience

• Law degree from a recognized law school with strong academic credentials.

• Qualified lawyer/legal practitioner member of recognized bar/law society in good standing.

• 4 to 8 years of post-qualification legal experience preferably in corporate, commercial, or healthcare.

• Demonstrated experience of independently working in a dynamic and challenging environment, either in a law firm or a legal department of multinational company.

• Previous experience in the pharmaceutical or similar industry desirable but not essential.

Core competencies

• Excellent drafting and written communication skills in Vietnamese and English.

• Excellent legal skills and commercial acumen.

• Strong attention to detail.

• Ability to prioritize and work under pressure.

• Team player, doer, result oriented, takes initiative, organizational skills, ability to bring people on board, high ethics and integrity.

• Strong soft skills.

Travel Requirement:

• Local and international travel from time to time.

We create a diverse, inclusive, safe, open and collaborative working environment in which employees can contribute, perform and grow as individuals.

Takeda is committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment and to having a workforce that is as diverse as the patients we serve and the communities where we’re based. To achieve that inclusivity, we embrace and celebrate our differences, respecting and valuing each other regardless of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability or physical appearance.