Vertex

Job Description:

Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is a leading biotechnology company that creates new possibilities in medicine to cure diseases and improve people's lives. We currently have three transformative drugs on the market that treat the underlying cause of cystic fibrosis; these drugs represent a revolution in the way cystic fibrosis is treated. We have also developed a deep pipeline, investing billions of dollars into R&D over the past two decades - including more than 70% of our revenues over the past five years - because we are going all in for cures to serious diseases.

We are seeking a seasoned, strategic, solutions-oriented, and highly intelligent employment attorney with extensive global experience to join its Legal and Compliance Department at our world headquarters in Boston. The Department is committed to a trusting, collaborative and inclusive culture where we value growth and development. We engage proactively with our business colleagues to truly understand their opportunities and challenges and to drive better outcomes for our company and for patients.

The successful candidate will partner closely with Human Resources to support and help drive the company's various global business initiatives by providing practical and sound legal counsel on issues relating to labor and employment law. The candidate will work extensively with the company's Chief Risk and Compliance Officer and Chief Human Resources Officer.

Responsibilities will include:

• Serving as the primary employment law resource for the company.
• Providing legal counsel to Human Resources and management on employment matters and compliance, including employee relations, recruitment and hiring, performance management, wage and hour, non-disclosure/non-competition, corrective actions, employment agreements, compensation and employee benefits.
• Responding to and managing employment litigation, audits and investigations.
• Engaging with Human Resources to develop, revise and implement local and global employment-related policies and procedures.
• Drafting, reviewing and negotiating employment agreements and contracts.
• Conducting training on a variety of employment law topics.
• Participating in various Legal and Compliance Department projects and initiatives (e.g., Culture Committee, Pro Bono and Community Engagement Committee, Talent and Development Committee, offsite planning, strategic planning).

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Qualification:

• Law degree from a nationally recognized law school and current admission to a state bar.

• A minimum of 12 years of legal experience as a labor and employment attorney, including experience advising clients on a wide array of employment law issues.
• A minimum of 5 years of in-house legal experience at a global public company with 2,500+ employees in the pharmaceutical or technology industry, leading an employment law group or being the sole employment lawyer.
• A deep understanding of non-compete laws and confidentiality protections in the US and globally and experience enforcing employment agreements.
• Knowledge of employee compensation and benefits, including ERISA.
• Experience representing companies in threatened or active legal proceedings.
• Experience investigating and helping to resolve employee relations issues and complaints.
• Experience with drafting employee handbooks, policies, forms and agreements.
• Experience training employees on a variety of employment law topics.
• Effective interpersonal skills and a strong ability to communicate in both verbal and written form with employees throughout the company.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills and the capacity to simultaneously handle a variety of complex, sensitive and confidential issues.
• Preference to candidates with experience with UK, French, German, Spanish, Brazilian and/or other jurisdictions' employment laws.
• Preference to candidates with proficiency in French, German, Spanish, or Portuguese.