Director, Assistant General Counsel- IP Immunology & Ophthalmology

The Position

Genentech's Intellectual Property team is seeking a Director, Assistant General Counsel of IP Immunology & Ophthalmology whose passion lies in creating and leveraging game-changing IP strategies that enable Genentech to "do now what patients need next." As a senior business strategist and people leader, this individual will push the boundaries of what is possible in a highly competitive industry while operationalizing, leading, empowering and developing their team across a matrixed global organization. This position reports into the Therapeutics IP Practice Group in Genentech's Legal Department.

The Opportunity

Key areas of oversight and responsibility of this leadership role includes the following:

Practice Group Management

• Develops and drives practice area strategies that are high value, business enabling, and global in impact and alignment across our affiliates. This includes strategic IP procurement through partnerships and acquisitions, out-licensing transactions, due diligence assessments, freedom-to-operate, infringement and validity analyses, and risk evaluation and mitigation strategies for our innovative and diverse therapeutics across the enterprise.

• Leads and manages a team of patent professionals in the design and delivery of global IP portfolios in the areas of Immunology and Ophthalmology; assessing, communicating and mitigating risk; identifying and exploiting new opportunities and approaches; and leveraging both a knowledge of industry trends and of the competitive landscape across the global Genentech business.

• Provides leadership, empowerment, and coaching to their direct reports, inspiring them to perform at their best, optimizing growth opportunities and capabilities in their team to successfully contribute and operate in the global IP environment.

• Develops and drives operational models to create value and mitigate risk using fit for purpose solutions, while ensuring high quality legal strategy and counsel in a high performing, fast-paced, agile team setting.

• Proactively evolves and innovates our substantive practices in the Legal practice area or broader Legal Department to meet changing legal and business needs, focusing on solutions that are good for the enterprise rather than particular stakeholders.

• Ensures that Genentech remains a great, inclusive place to practice game-changing IP law, have fun, and make a difference for patients!

IP Legal Leadership

• Active engagement and contribution as a member of Genentech's IP Leadership team, Genentech's legal department and Roche's global legal and patent departments.

• Contributes to the development and implementation of the IP team's longer term strategies and annual goals, as well as talent management and succession plans.

• Acts as a role model in, for example, clear communication, active listening, poise under pressure, solution-oriented mindset, collaboration across local and global teams, persevering in the face of obstacles, tackling new challenges with curiosity and openness to learning, effectively utilizing available resources.

• Exemplifies winning as "one team" in IP through building effective relationships, communicating and collaborating enthusiastically across time zones and cultures.

Business Support

• Partners effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the global organization and across all phases of research, drug development and commercialization to provide business enabling strategies, counseling and options.

• Effectively partners with Legal colleagues in other practice groups of Genentech/Roche to provide strategic advice and strategy, and operational efficiencies in all intellectual property-related transactions, adverse proceedings, and litigation activities.

• Sustainably builds enduring, productive external relationships with outside counsel and third party collaborators and partners.

• Impacts the business by sensing and proactively seizing opportunities to create value; being an excellent strategist and influencer; displaying and acting with courage and integrity in tackling difficult or challenging issues within as well as beyond the practice area.

• Prioritizes efforts, creative energy and attention to ensure robust value-added practices and operational efficiencies on a day-to-day basis.

• Maintains and shares deep expertise and knowledge on legal case law, rules or regulations before the US Patent & Trademark Office as well as other relevant jurisdictional IP offices.

Leadership Competencies

• Visionary: An ability to impact the business by sensing and proactively seizing opportunities to create value; being an excellent strategist and influencer; displaying and acting with courage and integrity in tackling difficult or challenging issues within as well as beyond the practice area.

• Architect: Equipped to design, define, and build out expansion of operational support to clients as needed, ensuring practice team, clients, and relevant stakeholders are aptly ushered and empowered through changes as business priorities evolve.

• Coach: Adopts an agile mindset to embrace and drive change, as well as adeptly addressing and navigating occurrences of VUCA, while also modeling and fostering these agilities in their team.

• Catalyst: Displays agility and focus on prioritization and improvement of systems and processes to enhance efficiency and productivity within the Practice Group.

Who You Are

• 8+ years of experience in biopharma or biotechnology intellectual property portfolio creation, strategy, and counseling.

• 2+ years of experience in a pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, or biotechnology corporation.

• Admission to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) required.

• A U.S. law degree (J.D.) and a current "good standing" admission to at least one U.S. state bar.

• An advanced degree in the biological, chemical, or other areas relevant to pharmaceutical IP therapeutics practice. A Ph.D. is a plus.

• Demonstrated experience and track record of success in:

  • Building and leveraging global IP portfolios. Experience in life sciences, including therapeutic molecules is a plus.

  • Developing and implementing global IP strategies or initiatives, both substantive and operational.

  • Leading or directing significant IP transactions including but not limited to due diligences, M&A, complex collaborations, asset acquisitions and settlement agreements.

  • Leading or directing adverse proceedings including but not limited to US litigation, USPTO adverse proceedings, EPO adverse proceedings and the like.

  • Leading teams and managing people directly or matrixed.

  • Leading teams or managing people within a corporate environment.

This role is located onsite at Genentech's South San Francisco, California campus, and a remote working arrangement is not available.

Relocation benefits are not available for this job posting.

This role will be posted to receive applicants through 9am PST on Monday, August 4, 2025.

The expected salary range for this position based on the primary location of California is$234,600 to $435,800. Actual pay will be determined based on experience, qualifications, geographic location, and other job-related factors permitted by law. A discretionary annual bonus may be available based on individual and Company performance. This position also qualifies for the benefits detailed at the link provided below.

Benefits

Genentech is an equal opportunity employer. It is our policy and practice to employ, promote, and otherwise treat any and all employees and applicants on the basis of merit, qualifications, and competence. The company's policy prohibits unlawful discrimination, including but not limited to, discrimination on the basis of Protected Veteran status, individuals with disabilities status, and consistent with all federal, state, or local laws.

If you have a disability and need an accommodation in relation to the online application process, please contact us by completing this form Accommodations for Applicants.