Senior Corporate Counsel
Why this role matters
As a trusted legal partner to the organisation, you will help safeguard the business, strengthen our commercial capability, and enable our teams to confidently operate across international markets. Your expertise ensures our contracts are clear and protective, our intellectual property is secure, and our business practices meet the highest standards of compliance. By guiding leaders, supporting strategic decisions, and managing legal risk, you directly contribute to Douglas Pharmaceuticals’ ability to innovate, grow, and deliver world-class pharmaceutical products with integrity.
What you'll do
- Be a trusted legal partner across the Douglas Pharma Group, shaping smart commercial decisions and guiding teams through complex challenges.
- Lead the drafting, negotiation and review of high-impact contracts across global markets, ensuring our interests are protected and our growth is enabled.
- Work with our IP Counsel to protect our trademark and other intellectual property.
- Oversee key agreements, from licensing, supply and distribution agreements to confidentiality agreements, protecting the Group’s legal and commercial interests.
- Champion smarter, faster legal processes by collaborating with internal teams and creating tools that lift efficiency across the business.
- Empower senior leaders with engaging training on critical legal and compliance topics that support confident, informed decision making.
- Play a central role in building a strong compliance culture, supporting programmes across privacy, anti-bribery, sanctions, modern slavery and data protection.
- Build strong partnerships with external legal counsel, managing instructions and ensuring quality, value and timely outcomes.
What you'll bring
- Bachelor of Laws (LLB).
- Current New Zealand practising certificate.
- At least 8–10 years PQE as a solicitor, bringing depth from private practice, in-house roles or both.
- Strong commercial law expertise and a solid understanding of how businesses operate and grow.
- Proven capability in intellectual property law and international trademark management.
- A track record of negotiating high-stakes contracts, navigating disputes and shaping effective legal strategies.
- Exceptional organiser with the ability to manage complex workloads and deliver across multiple priorities.
- Tech-savvy and highly proficient in Microsoft Word, with a knack for producing polished, accurate legal documents.
- Confident communicator who builds strong relationships and can influence at all levels.
- Self-motivated, proactive and always one step ahead in anticipating risks and opportunities.
- Thrives in fast-paced environments with excellent judgement and the ability to prioritise under pressure.
- Collaborative team player who also excels working independently with autonomy and ownership.
Why join us?
- Award-winning culture – Join a team that’s genuinely a great place to work (and we’ve got the awards to prove it).
- Career growth – We’re big on developing our people and promoting from within.
- Extra leave – After six years with us, you’ll get five weeks of annual leave.
- Parental perks – Get 16 weeks of top-up payments during your parental leave.
- Security matters – We’ve got you covered with life and income protection insurance.
- Feel good with THRIVE – Our wellbeing program helps you be your best, inside and out.
- Exclusive discounts - Enjoy special deals on big-name brands like Clinicians, BraveFace, Avene, Ego, and more.
About Us
At Douglas, we’re more than just a company—we’re a community of people driven to make a difference. We’re proud to be one of New Zealand’s biggest pharmaceutical success stories, and we’re growing globally. Privately owned and future-focused, our team of 700 includes scientists, engineers, and all kinds of experts, working together to create high-quality healthcare products that help people around the world.
Come join us on this mission to improve lives!
Next Steps
Send your application or query to paulav@douglas.co.nz, or call Paula on +6498376409 / +64273840746 for a confidential discussion.
If you’re invited to complete a video interview as the next stage of your application, we’d love you to embrace it. Video interviews allow more people the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities to the hiring manager in a new and innovative way, giving you a better chance of securing your ideal role. Relax, be yourself and don’t worry, we all feel a bit awkward in front of the camera.
Please note, applications may close early due to high interest. Don’t miss out – apply now!
