Senior Director, Legal

Description

The Role:

The Senior Director, Legal will serve as a key member of Sagimet Biosciences' Legal team, reporting directly to the Chief Legal and Administrative Officer (CLAO). This individual will provide in-house legal support across the organization and serve as a trusted legal partner to multiple business functions including R&D, Finance, HR, Technical Operations/CMC, Commercial and HR. This is an exciting opportunity for a talented attorney with 2–4 years of experience who is ready to transition into, or deepen their practice within, a dynamic in-house biotech legal role at a publicly listed biotech company. You will gain meaningful cross-functional exposure and have a direct impact on company operations from day one. 

Essential Responsibilities: 

• Draft, review, negotiate, and finalize a wide range of contracts, including CDAs/NDAs, vendor agreements, consulting agreements, clinical trial agreements (CTAs), master service agreements (MSAs), and licensing agreements 

• Manage the end-to-end contract lifecycle, including version control, routing for internal review and approval, coordination of the signature process (e.g., DocuSign), and archiving of fully executed agreements 

• Maintain and continuously improve the company's contracts and document repository to ensure all agreements are organized, accessible, and audit-ready 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for contract-related inquiries from internal stakeholders across Finance, HR, R&D, and Clinical Operations 

• Support all company functions, including R&D, Finance, HR, Technical Operations/CMC, Commercial and HR with legal matters, providing practical advice to further business goals while mitigating legal risks 

• Assist the CLAO with SEC compliance and corporate secretary responsibilities including corporate governance documentation, board resolutions, and entity maintenance 

• Conduct legal research and provide clear, practical guidance on a variety of legal issues relevant to a clinical-stage biotech company 

• Support CLAO in due diligence activities related to business development transactions, partnerships, and financing events • Assist in the development and implementation of legal policies, procedures, and templates to improve efficiency and consistency across the organization 

• Coordinate with outside counsel as needed, managing scope of external legal work to control costs and ensure timely delivery • Support intellectual property management in coordination with the CLAO and external IP counsel, including patent docketing, inventor disclosures, and licensing matters 

• Maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgment in handling sensitive legal and business information 

• Build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships with internal clients across all departments 

• Assist with ad hoc legal projects and special initiatives as directed by the CLAO 

• Other duties as assigned 

Requirements

Education and Experience: 

• Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from an accredited U.S. law school required 

• Active bar admission in good standing in at least one U.S. state required 

• 2–4 years of legal experience; law firm, public entity legal work, or prior in-house experience all welcomed 

• Candidates with law firm or public entity legal experience seeking their first or second in-house role are encouraged to apply 

• Experience with life sciences, biotech, pharmaceutical, or healthcare-related legal matters preferred but not required 

• Demonstrated ability to draft, review and negotiate a variety of contracts and legal documents independently 

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously and meet competing deadlines 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex legal concepts into clear, actionable guidance for non-legal audiences 

• High degree of professionalism, discretion, and integrity in handling confidential and sensitive information 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and contract management platforms (e.g., DocuSign, Ironclad, or similar) preferred 

• Self-motivated and collaborative; comfortable operating with limited supervision in a fast-paced, resource-constrained startup environment 

• Intellectual curiosity and genuine interest in the business of biotechnology and drug development