General Counsel

Novo Nordisk · Plainsboro · $30–$40/hr (stated in the posting)

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About the Department

The Legal, Ethics & Compliance department helps Novo Nordisk navigate a complex and evolving business environment while maintaining the highest standards of legal, ethical, compliance and privacy practices. Working across the organization, the team provides strategic guidance, protects the interests of our patients, employees and business, and develops practical, innovative solutions to complex challenges. Together, we help advance business and policy priorities, strengthen accountability and protect the reputation of Novo Nordisk as we work to bring life-changing therapies to patients.

The Position

Leads the Legal and Ethics & Compliance department for Novo Nordisk Inc. (NNI) and the US Operations (USO). Serves as NNI General Counsel and a member of the Executive Team, providing clear, timely legal advice and executive oversight of ethics and compliance to support business strategy, protect the company and enable compliant commercial execution. Aligns local priorities with the global Legal, Ethics & Compliance, Business Assurance, IP & Security function (LECX). Establishes clear accountabilities between Legal and E&C, with compliance independence, reporting and escalation in an approved governance model.

Relationship

Reports to Senior Vice President, LECX and maintains a dotted reporting relationship with the leader of US Operations and President, NNI, to support local business alignment. Manages the legal leadership team and the VP, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, who reports directly to this role and retains responsibility for leading the ethics and compliance program. Partners with the NNI Executive Team, global LECX colleagues, US affiliates, P&O, Finance, Commercial, Medical, Regulatory, Quality, IT and other business leaders. Engages with relevant boards and committees, regulators, industry organizations and external counsel.

Essential Functions

• Executive leadership and global alignment
  • Participates in setting and delivering USO strategy; advises executive leadership on legal exposure, ethical considerations and appropriate risk decisions
  • Translates global LECX priorities into local plans, decision rights and escalation paths
  • Simplifies how the business obtains advice and resolves issues; establishes clear accountability and effective collaboration across local and global specialist teams
  • Anticipate changes in healthcare policy, competition and enforcement; develop coordinated legal and compliance responses that support timely business decisions
  • Sets executive direction for ethics and compliance through the VP, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer, preserving officer's independence and reporting rights
• Legal counsel and risk management
  • Provides and oversees advice on pharmaceutical regulation, market assess, government programs and pricing commercialization, contracting, competition, employment, privacy, intellectual property and other matters affecting NNI and assigned US affiliates
  • Directs litigation, disputes and responses to government inquiries; oversees external counsel, legal privilege and defensible records preservation. Coordinates intellectual property matters with global IP leadership
  • Anticipates legal and regulatory developments and advises on new business models, strategic transactions and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence
• Ethics and compliance oversight
  • Sets executive direction for ethics and compliance through the VP, Chief Ethics & Compliance Officer. Ensures the program has the authority, resources, access to information and expertise needed to prevent, detect and address misconduct
  • Ensures material compliance matters and program performance are communicated to local and global leadership and relevant boards and committees
  • Oversees fulfilment of applicable government reporting requirements and any corporate integrity agreement or other government compliance obligations in force. Promotes ethical conduct, speaking up and protection against retaliation
• Investigations and enterprise risk governance
  • Oversees accountability for workplace investigations
  • Oversees significant findings, legal exposure and remediation; partners with P&O and business leaders on consistent corrective and disciplinary action and uses investigation trends to strengthen controls
  • Establish investigation protocols with key stakeholders, including intake, ownership, escalation and remediation
  • Contribute legal and compliance perspectives to enterprise risk management and crisis response, with clear ownership and timely escalation processes
• Resources and operational effectiveness
  • Owns the combined department’s budget, workforce plan and use of external advisers. Allocates resources according to risk and business priorities, monitors expenditure and ensures compliance needs receive appropriate funding

Physical Requirements

Travel requirements: 30-40% overnight travel required.

Development Of People

Supervisory. Ensure that reporting personnel have individual development plans (IDP), with annual goals and measurements that are consistent with the priorities of the business and that interim reviews are held so that their work is focused on those priorities and they understand their level of accountability for results and the measurement process. Ensure that the IDP forms include completed learning and aspiration plans and are in place for all reporting personnel to enable the achievement of goals and capability to assume increased levels of responsibility. Manage the application and communication of all Novo Nordisk policies, procedures and Novo Way

Qualifications

• Juris Doctor degree and State Bar admission required, with eligibility to practice in the jurisdiction applicable to the role
• At least 15 years of legal experience, including at least 6 years of in-house corporate legal experience; at least 10 years of leadership experience managing large teams. Compliance experience preferred but not required
• Substantial experience advising senior executives in a regulated business; healthcare or pharmaceutical industry experience strongly preferred
• Strong business and financial acumen, with an understanding of pharmaceutical business models, competitive dynamics, market access, pricing and patient and customer needs; ability to assess how legal and compliance decisions affect growth, profitability and long-term business value
• Demonstrated drive for results, with a track record of translating business priorities into clear actions, making timely, risk-informed decisions and holding teams accountable for measurable outcomes; ability to remove barriers and enable compliant execution with urgency and discipline
• Demonstrated understanding of US pharmaceutical legal and compliance risks, including the Anti-Kickback Statute, False Claims Act, FDA promotion requirements, privacy laws, relevant industry codes and government reporting obligations
• Knowledge of effective compliance program principles, regulatory enforcement and applicable corporate integrity agreements; ability to oversee a dedicated compliance leader while safeguarding independent escalation
• Experience with litigation, government investigations, employment matters, commercial agreements and intellectual property, including trademark and copyright issues; ability to coordinate advice across jurisdictions
• Proven ability to lead organizational change and work effectively in a global matrix, aligning legal and compliance priorities with business strategy and balancing global consistency with local business and regulatory requirements
• Strong executive communication, negotiation and decision-making skills; sound commercial judgment and ability to translate complex issues into practical solutions that advance business objectives within legal and ethical boundaries. Uncompromising ethics and personal integrity.

The base compensation range for this position is $404,000 to $707,000. Base compensation is determined based on a number of factors. This position is also eligible for a company bonus based on individual and company performance. Novo Nordisk offers long-term incentive compensation and or company vehicles depending on the position's level or other company factors.

Employees are also eligible to participate in Company employee benefit programs including medical, dental and vision coverage; life insurance; disability insurance; 401(k) savings plan; flexible spending accounts; employee assistance program; tuition reimbursement program; and voluntary benefits such as group legal, critical illness, identity theft protection, pet insurance and auto/home insurance. The Company also offers time off pursuant to its sick time policy, flex-able vacation policy and parental leave policy.

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.

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