Head Counsel, Global Transactions & Contracts – Commercial

About the role

Takeda is looking for a senior legal leader to head its Global Transactions & Contracts Legal (GTC Legal) Commercial team. Based in Zurich, you will guide a group of attorneys and legal professionals who support high‑impact, cross‑border transactions and contracts that enable commercialization across multiple business units, including Oncology, Plasma‑Derived Therapies, and International operations.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the GTC Legal Commercial team in delivering pragmatic, business‑focused legal advice for strategic transactions and enterprise contracts worldwide.
• Directly manage complex, high‑risk transactions and serve as the primary escalation point for material legal issues.
• Oversee pre‑contract activities such as due diligence, sourcing models, deal structuring and risk assessments.
• Provide post‑signing support including contract interpretation, dispute resolution, amendments, renewals and terminations.
• Collaborate closely with Procurement and business stakeholders to align legal solutions with commercial objectives.
• Partner with other Takeda legal teams to ensure consistent legal standards across regions.

Required profile

• Extensive experience in commercial and transactional law, preferably within the pharmaceutical or life‑science sector.
• Proven track record of leading legal teams on complex, multinational contracts.
• Strong understanding of regional legal nuances and evolving regulatory frameworks.
• Excellent judgment in risk assessment and ability to balance legal rigor with business agility.

Required skills

• Deep expertise in contract drafting, negotiation and interpretation.
• Solid knowledge of commercial law, regulatory compliance and procurement processes.
• Ability to provide clear, pragmatic legal advice to senior business leaders.