Legal Director, Australia, New Zealand

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Job Function:

Legal & Compliance

Job Sub Function:

Law Business Partners

Job Category:

Professional

All Job Posting Locations:

North Ryde, New South Wales, Australia

Job Description:

DePuy Synthes is recruiting for a Legal Director, Australia, New Zealand, located in North Ryde, Australia.

• Join our change journey at J&J—help shape what’s next

• Step into a high-impact career opportunity with real visibility

THE OPPORTUNITY

The Legal Director, Australia, New Zealand serves as the senior legal advisor for DePuy Synthes across Australia and New Zealand. This role provides strategic legal and operational counsel to senior business leaders, enabling compliant growth, risk-informed decision-making, and sound commercial execution within a highly regulated medical devices environment.   This role partners closely with commercial, supply chain, regulatory, and government affairs teams, and plays a critical role in managing risk, supporting complex transactions, and shaping ethical business practices in a highly regulated environment.  The position acts as a trusted partner to ANZ leadership and collaborates with Privacy, Health Care Compliance and other functions. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Serve as the primary legal advisor for DePuy Synthes in Australia and New Zealand, advising senior business and functional leaders on legal and compliance matters. 
• Provide strategic legal guidance on healthcare compliance, regulatory matters, advertising and promotion, product liability, legal disputes, and interactions with healthcare professionals and institutions. 
• Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of commercial agreements, including distributor, customer, government, consulting and strategic alliance contracts. 
• Identify, assess, and manage legal and compliance risks, developing practical mitigation strategies aligned with business objectives. 
• Partner closely with regional Health Care Compliance and Privacy teams to ensure alignment with company policies and standards. 
• Support investigations, disputes, regulatory inquiries and litigation matters in coordination with in-house and external counsel and manage legal spend. 
• Monitor changes in local and regional laws affecting the medical devices industry in Australia and New Zealand, proactively advising the business on implications. 
• Support ethics, compliance training initiatives, and promote a strong culture of integrity across the region. 

ABOUT YOU

Required: 

• Law degree (or equivalent legal qualification) recognized in Australia is required and must be duly admitted to practice law in a state or territory of Australia. 

Experience and Skills: 

Required: 

• Candidates should have significant post-qualification experience (typically in the region of 10-12 years, though candidates with less experience who can demonstrate the requisite level of expertise are also encouraged to apply). 
• Senior in‑house or equivalent experience advising regulated industries. 
• Strong knowledge of Australian and New Zealand healthcare, regulatory, and commercial law. 
• Strong negotiation, drafting and contract interpretation skills 
• Demonstrated ability to provide clear, commercially grounded and pragmatic legal advice to senior business leaders and cross-functional teams. 
• Experience managing complex commercial contracts, legal risk mitigation, and external counsel. 
• Strong judgment and integrity, with the adaptability to operate effectively in a complex, fast‑evolving global organization, including comfort working through ambiguity and a demonstrated willingness to engage with innovative solutions, technology, and new ways of working and ability to operate effectively in a complex global organization  

Desirable: 

• Experience within the medical devices, pharmaceuticals, or life sciences industry. 
• Prior experience supporting multi‑country or regional operations. 
• Familiarity with competition law, data protection and privacy laws. 

Other: 

• Language: Fluent in English (written and spoken). 
• Travel: Up to 10–20%, primarily within Australia and New Zealand. 

COMPANY CULTURE

• Competitive remuneration package.

• Continuous training and support.

• Award-winning leadership development programs.

• Inclusive, flexible, and accessible working arrangements.

• Equal opportunity employer supporting diversity and inclusion.

WHY CHOOSE US:

• Competitive remuneration package and continuous training.

• Supportive environment with award-winning leadership development programs.

• Inclusive, flexible, and accessible working arrangements for all.

Johnson & Johnson announced plans to separate our Orthopaedics business to establish a standalone orthopaedics company, operating as DePuy Synthes. The process of the planned separation is anticipated to be completed within 18 to 24 months, subject to legal requirements, including consultation with works councils and other employee representative bodies, as may be required, regulatory approvals and other customary conditions and approvals. Should you accept this position, it is anticipated that, following conclusion of the transaction, you would be an employee of DePuy Synthes and your employment would be governed by DePuy Synthes employment processes, programs, policies, and benefit plans. In that case, details of any planned changes would be provided to you by DePuy Synthes at an appropriate time and subject to any necessary consultation processes.​

 Johnson & Johnson is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local law. We actively seek qualified candidates who are protected veterans and individuals with disabilities as defined under VEVRAA and Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. 

  

Johnson & Johnson is committed to providing an interview process that is inclusive of our applicants’ needs. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation, external applicants please contact us via https://www.jnj.com/contact-us/careers, internal employees contact AskGS to be directed to your accommodation resource. 

  

#LI-Hybrid 

#DePuySynthesCareers

 

 

Required Skills:

 

 

Preferred Skills:

Business Agility, Collaborating, Commercial Laws, Compliance Management, Corporate Governance, Dispute Resolution, Lawyering, Legal Documents Preparation, Legal Services, Negotiation, Process Improvements, Representing, Risk Management, Strategic Thinking, Tactical Planning, Technical Credibility