Intellectual Property Manager

Actual Talent is the talent acquisition consultancy that offers Executive Search, RPO and Talent Solutions.

Our purpose is to drive the growth and fulfillment of individuals and organizations. We facilitate individuals in finding inspiring opportunities and help organizations discover professionals who will take them to the next level. We do this through talent acquisition and development solutions that focus on people, diversity and inclusion, innovation, and cutting-edge technology.

About the client:

Our client is a leading global pharmaceutical company dedicated to developing, manufacturing, and distributing high-quality generic and biosimilar medicines. With a strong presence in the European market, they commit to improving access to healthcare through innovation and strategic growth.

Job description:

The Intellectual Property Manager will be responsible for providing comprehensive IP support to the company regarding new product launches and IP-related queries. This role involves conducting and managing the review of the regulatory and patent landscape of pharmaceutical products, as well as identifying IP opportunities and mitigating potential risks.

Key Responsibilities:

• Product Launches & Queries: Provide IP support to internal business units during new product launches (NPL) and address ad-hoc IP queries.

• Landscape Analysis: Review the regulatory and patent landscape of target products to identify strategic opportunities and risks.

• Freedom-to-Operate (FTO): Conduct thorough IP reviews of new product launches to ensure freedom-to-operate.

• Due Diligence: Perform IP due diligence evaluations for in-licensed products and potential business development opportunities.

• IP Strategy & Litigation: Support the design and implementation of IP strategies. Liaise and collaborate with external counsel and lawyers on litigation strategies.

• Oppositions: Draft and file patent oppositions, and manage/coordinate oppositions handled by external patent attorneys.

• Patent Prosecution: Handle the prosecution of the company’s European patent applications before the European Patent Office (EPO).

• Competitive Intelligence: Monitor competitors’ launches, dossier registrations, and IP strategies.

• Database Management: Support the maintenance and update of internal patent databases and tracking tools.

• Training & Enablement: Deliver basic IP training to new employees and design product-specific IP sessions for the NPL and Portfolio teams.
  

Requirements & Qualifications:

Education & Professional Background:

• Academic Degree: Bachelor’s degree or PhD in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Pharmacy, or a closely related scientific field.

• IP Qualification: Partially or fully Qualified European Patent Attorney (EQE).

Experience & Skills:

• Proven experience in a similar IP role within a pharmaceutical company (generic, biosimilar, or innovative sector).

• In-depth, hands-on knowledge of European Patent Law and the prosecution process before the EPO.

• Strong understanding of EU regulations on medicinal products.

• Demonstrated ability to support internal business units with clear, valuable, and actionable data analysis.

• Advanced analytical, drafting, and communication skills.

• Strong business and commercial acumen.

• Ability to work both independently with high autonomy and collaboratively within cross-functional teams.

Core Competencies:

• Action-Oriented: Proactive, energetic, and comfortable taking initiative in a fast-paced environment.

• Drive for Results: Focuses on achieving key milestones, overcoming obstacles, and delivering high-quality outputs.

• Time Management: Highly organized, able to prioritize critical tasks, and efficient in managing multiple projects simultaneously.

• Stakeholder Focus: Dedicated to meeting the expectations of internal stakeholders (Portfolio, Regulatory, Legal) and establishing trusting professional relationships.