[Pfizer] Legal senior manager
- Japan - Tokyo
Role Overview
The Senior Legal Manager will serve as a trusted advisor to business colleagues, delivering strategic legal counsel across a wide range of commercial and corporate matters. The role requires a proactive, business-oriented mindset and the ability to independently manage complex legal issues while collaborating across global and local functions.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as a strategic legal partner to business teams and corporate functions, aligning legal support with business priorities.
- Draft, review, negotiate, and manage a wide range of commercial agreements, including licensing, collaborations, and strategic partnerships.
- Support complex corporate transactions such as M&A, divestitures, and joint ventures.
- Provide legal guidance on business development and alliance management initiatives.
- Manage legal disputes, including litigation, arbitration, and regulatory investigations, in collaboration with external counsel.
- Deliver legal training programs to enhance legal compliance and awareness across the organization.
- Share knowledge and skills with team members and contribute to the development of Legal team capabilities.
- Monitor legal and regulatory developments, assess business impact, and advise stakeholders accordingly.
- Drive operational excellence by leveraging digital tools and legal technology to streamline workflows and enhance the visibility and strategic value of the Legal function across the organization.
- Represent the company in industry associations and external forums to influence policy and build strategic networks.
Candidate Profile
Behavioral Competencies
- Proven leadership and coaching capabilities
- Strong project management and facilitation skills
- Advanced negotiation and stakeholder engagement skills
- Strategic and analytical thinking with sound business judgment
- High emotional intelligence and cross-cultural communication skills
Technical Expertise
- Advanced legal expertise developed through extensive experience as a corporate legal counsel or attorney, with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
- High standard of integrity, consistently demonstrating ethical judgment, transparency, and accountability in all legal and business matters.
- Proficiency in legal research and drafting
- Understanding of pharmaceutical/healthcare regulatory frameworks
- Familiarity with industry codes (e.g., JPMA, IFPMA) and compliance standards
- Knowledge of corporate governance, antitrust, and data privacy laws
- Fluency in Microsoft Officem, Gen AI and legal tech tools
Experience
- Minimum 7 years of post-qualified legal experience, including time in private practice and/or in-house roles in multinational companies.
- Experience in the pharmaceutical, life sciences, or healthcare sector is a plus.
- Proven track record in managing complex transactions and cross-border legal matters
Education / Certification
- Law degree from a reputable institution; JD or LL.M. preferred
- Admission to practice law in Japan is required; additional international qualifications are a plus
Language Proficiency
- Fluent in both Japanese and English, with excellent written and verbal communication skills in both languages
Work Location Assignment: Hybrid
Pfizer is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable equal employment opportunity legislation in each jurisdiction in which it operates.
Legal AffairsBreakthroughs that change patients’ lives
Research confirms what intuition tells us: that purpose-driven companies perform better, are more innovative, attract and retain the best people, and know how to unleash the power of those people. Pfizer’s purpose—Breakthroughs that change patients' lives—fuels everything we do and reflects our passion for building on our legacy as one of the greatest contributors of good to the world.
Each word in our purpose has meaning and reflects the value we strive to bring to patients and society:
“Breakthroughs” - These are the innovations, scientific and commercial, that we seek to deliver every day. All colleagues, regardless of role, level or location, strive for breakthroughs every day.
“Change” - We want to do more than simply improve patients’ medical conditions; we want to dramatically change their lives for the better.
“Patients’ lives” - We consider not only patients, but everyone they touch—including their families, caregivers, and friends—and everything they love to do. It’s an intentionally holistic view.
Our purpose ensures that patients remain at the center of all we do. We live our purpose by sourcing the best science in the world; partnering with others in the healthcare system to improve access to our medicines; using digital technologies to enhance our drug discovery and development, as well as patient outcomes; and leading the conversation to advocate for pro-innovation/pro-patient policies.
Every decision we make and every action we take is done with the patient in mind—and to nurture an environment where breakthroughs can thrive.
Our Values
To fully realize Pfizer’s purpose, we have established a clear set of expectations regarding “what” we need to achieve for patients and “how” we will go about achieving those goals.
The “how” is represented by four simple, powerful values—courage, excellence, equity, and joy—that define our company and our culture.
Courage: Breakthroughs start by challenging convention, especially in the face of uncertainty or adversity. This happens when we think big, speak up, and are decisive.
Excellence: We can only change patients’ lives when we perform at our best together. This happens when we focus on what matters, agree who does what, and measure our outcomes.
Equity: We believe that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and cared for. This happens when we are inclusive, act with integrity, and reduce healthcare disparities.
Joy: We give ourselves to our work, but it also gives to us. We find joy when we take pride, recognize one another, and have fun.
Benefits at Pfizer
Pfizer offers competitive compensation and benefits programs designed to meet the diverse needs of our colleagues. Our Pay for Performance Philosophy and Practices reward colleagues based on the contributions they make to our business.
Our Competitive Benefits Programs help our colleagues by:
- Promoting Health and Wellness to help colleagues maintain and improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Pfizer offerings include health and disability insurance, preventative health programs, medical screenings, free or reduced-cost vaccinations, discounts on Pfizer products, mental health support, nutrition and fitness counseling and more.
- Strengthening Colleagues’ Financial Security by providing company contributions to retirement plans, life insurance and financial planning education to help colleagues achieve their financial goals.
- Providing Benefits and Time off for the Moments that Matter to ensure Pfizer colleagues have the time away from the office to recharge, recover and return to work as the best version of themselves. Vacation, Holiday time and Sick time are just the beginning, with a 12 week parental leave policy for both parents of a new born, 10 day of caregiver leave for those times when your family needs you whether it’s a child, spouse or parent, bereavement leave, and additional country-specific programs.
- And so much more, depending on your country and site, Pfizer offers childcare facilities or discount programs, on-site health and/or fitness centers, movement and mindfulness solutions, “Log in for your Day” work flexibility and so much more.
For U.S. based jobs, view an overview of Pfizer’s U.S. benefits program (opens in a new window)