Job Description
Overview
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is seeking an experienced Legal and Compliance professional to join its Office of Business Integrity & Ethics (OBIE). OBIE is responsible for the development implementation oversight and continuous improvement of Vertexs Compliance program. This includes defining standards via policies and procedures creating and implementing training and communications conducting auditing and monitoring and other assurance activities facilitating internal reporting discretely and professionally conducting Compliancerelated investigations and keeping the CEO the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors informed on Compliance matters. OBIE serves as the goto experts for Vertex employees and external stakeholders on issues relating to Vertexs Compliance program and Code of Conduct globally.
OBIE partners closely with its colleagues in Legal across our global organization. This role will be primarily responsible for Compliance but will also provide Legal and Privacy support with respect Vertexs operations and activities in the Middle East region.
Job Description
The Middle East Business Partner will serve as the primary Legal and Compliance professional supporting Vertex business activities in the Middle East out of Vertexs offices in Riyadh Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The Middle East Business Partner will be the primary point of contact for strategic and tactical Compliance and Legal guidance for all countries across the region with a focus on Compliance. The person will serve on the country leadership team for KSA and support teams across Vertex portfolio and expansion markets in the Middle East also collaborating on International and Global Legal & OBIE projects and initiatives.
The Middle East Business Partner will report to the Head of OBIE International with dotted lines reporting to the regional OBIE Business Partner and the Legal Business Partner for KSA and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and will work closely with other Compliance and Legal Business Partners to ensure consistent support across International. The role also supports the Global OBIE team in further enhancing and implementing our Global Compliance Program and will provide daily support to our business colleagues to ensure effective implementation and understanding.
The Middle East Business Partner must have deep knowledge of pharmaceutical industry regulations applicable local codes and antibribery/anticorruption laws across KSA and GCC countries and extensive experience working for biotechnology/pharmaceutical companies on these issues. Additionally the Middle East Business Partner will work collaboratively and strategically with colleagues in OBIE Legal and the business to drive a culture of ethics and integrity and balanced risk taking across Vertexs global organization.
The successful candidate will be expected to demonstrate a curious and entrepreneurial spirit and high level of autonomy and must identify develop and implement integrity and ethics goals and objectives across KSA and GCC. If you thrive in a dynamic fastpaced handson and teamoriented environment where you can have a big impact on the organization wed love to speak with you!
Key Responsibilities
- Serve on Saudi Arabia Leadership Team and as the point of contact for business colleagues across GCC markets seeking strategic and tactical guidance on matters of Compliance integrity and ethics.
- Serve as a trusted thought leader and advisor for GCC teams and colleagues on matters of Compliance integrity and ethics.
- Provide Compliance oversight guidance and direction for business colleagues and identify areas where Compliance input and attention is required.
- Develop implement and continuously improve risk mitigation strategies and tactics across GCC and design data analytics and dashboards in coordination with the Global Assurance team.
- Actively contribute to achieving internal stakeholders objectives and longterm strategic goals by effectively and efficiently managing risks and maximizing opportunities
- Review and advise on commercial and medical activities and materials draft legal documents
- Serve as a member of several crossfunctional teams
- Drive and contribute to department and crossfunctional governance and process improvement projects
- Deliver internal stakeholders training on key legal issues
- Effectively share information with regional and Global colleagues within OBIE & Legal
- Use external counsel in an efficient and effective manner
- Advise internal business colleagues on broad range of legal matters understand business drivers and articulate legal concepts and risks simply and clearly
- Maintain a high level of knowledge of current and emerging laws regulations codes and recent enforcement actions and inform and educate business colleagues with tailored communications in collaboration with the Global OBIE and Legal teams.
- Collaborate with crossfunctional teams to drive fact and riskbased decision making.
- Help to establish standards and implement procedures to ensure the Compliance program effectiveness.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships and collaborate frequently with Human Resources Internal Audit and colleagues in other functional areas across International and the Global organization.
- Support continuous improvement of the Global Compliance program.
Skills/Abilities/Competencies
- Selfstarter with demonstrated leadership skills and ability to meet goals with minimal supervision; able to exercise sound judgment in balancing risks in ambiguous and complex situations and escalating matters appropriately.
- Strong influencing ability and skills and high level of confidence to navigate global matrix organization.
- Demonstrated experience identifying and understanding risk and providing timely actionable mitigation guidance.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to collaborate crossfunctionally proactively and pragmatically.
- Strong analytical organizational and problemsolving skills.
- Excellent project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
- Consummate team player with excellent judgment and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to communicate effectively with all levels of management and employees.
- Demonstrated superior ability to identify areas for improvement in controls systems and processes and implement effective solutions.
- Ability to work with large amounts of data to analyze information while still seeing the big picture.
- Confidence and professionalism to handle difficult conversations with discretion on sensitive matters.
- Experience executing and improving Compliance operations including policies procedures stakeholder engagements and external funding.
- Experience leading and supporting crossfunctional project teams.
- Understanding of other control functions such as Legal Privacy Internal Audit and Assurance.
Minimum Qualifications
- Qualified lawyer with experience in GCC countries in biotechnology/pharmaceutical Compliance focused on healthcare fraud and abuse including inhouse legal and compliance experience.
- Strong experience working in crossborder and crosscultural environments preferably with a USbased multinational company.
- Demonstrated experience in identifying and mitigating Compliance risk.
- Extensive knowledge of laws regulations and codes relating to healthcare fraud and abuse and regulated pharmaceutical products specifically including antibribery/anticorruption laws and pharmaceutical regulations and guidance as well as laws and Codes relating to the promotion of medicinal products.
- Proven successful experience in leading Compliance program implementation and execution across Middle East with exposure to global Compliance concepts and requirements.
- Demonstrated strong commitment to Compliance integrity ethics and accountability.
- highest ethical standards very good legal judgment.
- Flexibility to work in a fast paced and dynamic work environment with a strong work ethic and positive attitude.
- Ability to travel approximately 25% of the time.
- Proficiency in MS Office (especially PPT).
- Fluent in English and Arabic.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Minimum of 5 years postqualification experience advising on legal matters in a life sciences space whether inhouse or in a reputable law firm ideally both.
- Compliance professional certifications and experience at a global pharmaceutical or biotechnology company preferred.
Company Information
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that aims to discover develop and commercialize innovative medicines so people with serious diseases can lead better lives. In addition to our clinical development programs focused on cystic fibrosis and Hematology Vertex has more than a dozen ongoing research programs aimed at other serious and lifethreatening diseases.
Founded in 1989 in Cambridge Mass. Vertex today has research and development sites and commercial offices in the United States Europe Canada and Australia. For five years in a row Science magazine has named Vertex one of its Top Employers in the life sciences. For additional information and the latest updates from the company please visit confidential
Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a persons race color gender age religion national origin ancestry disability veteran status genetic information sexual orientation or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex will make reasonable accommodation for qualified individuals with known disabilities in accordance with applicable law.
Flex Designation:
HybridEligible Or OnSite Eligible
Flex Eligibility Status:
In this HybridEligible role you can choose to be designated as:
1. Hybrid: work remotely up to two days per week; or select
2. OnSite: work five days per week onsite with ad hoc flexibility.
Note: The Flex status for this position is subject to Vertexs Policy on Flex @ Vertex Program and may be changed at any time.
Company Information
Vertex is a global biotechnology company that invests in scientific innovation.
Vertex is committed to equal employment opportunity and nondiscrimination for all employees and qualified applicants without regard to a persons race color sex gender identity or expression age religion national origin ancestry ethnicity disability veteran status genetic information sexual orientation marital status or any characteristic protected under applicable law. Vertex is an EVerify Employer in the United States. Vertex will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities in accordance with applicable law.
Any applicant requiring an accommodation in connection with the hiring process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position for which the applicant has applied should make a request to the recruiter or hiring manager or contact Talent Acquisition at confidential
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