Executive Director, Commercial Counsel

The posting, as Xenon Pharmaceuticals wrote it

Who We Are

Xenon Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XENE https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/xene) is a neuroscience-focused biopharmaceutical company dedicated to drug discovery, clinical development, and commercialization of life-changing therapeutics for patients in need. We are looking for great people who thrive in a respectful, collaborative, inclusive, and productive culture to join the Xenon team.

What We Do

We are advancing an exciting product pipeline https://xenon-pharma.com/pipeline to address indications with high unmet medical need, including epilepsy, depression and pain. Our Phase 3 azetukalner program represents the most advanced, clinically validated potassium channel modulator in late-stage clinical development for multiple indications. In March 2026, we announced positive topline data from our Phase 3 X-TOLE2 study of azetukalner in focal onset seizures (FOS), and we submitted a New Drug Application to the Food and Drug Administration in the third quarter of 2026. Our Phase 3 epilepsy program also includes a second FOS study, X-TOLE3, which would support regulatory submissions outside the U.S., and the X-ACKT study in primary generalized tonic-clonic seizures, which would support regulatory submissions for an additional epilepsy indication. We also have multiple Phase 3 azetukalner clinical trials underway in major depressive disorder (MDD) and bipolar depression (BPD), based on topline data from our Phase 2 X-NOVA clinical trial. In addition, we are proud of our strong heritage in human genetics, deep understanding of ion channel biology, and expertise in novel chemistries to enable potent, selective ion channel targeting. We continue to advance an early-stage pipeline of novel therapeutic candidates, including Phase 1 studies for XEN1701 and XEN1720 (targeting Nav1.7) and XEN1120 (targeting Kv7), which are being developed for pain. Backed by a strong balance sheet to support our growth plans, we continue to build a fully integrated, premier neuroscience company with strong discovery, clinical development, corporate, and commercial operations.

About the Role

We are seeking an Executive Director, Commercial Counsel to serve as a senior legal leader and strategic partner to Xenon's rapidly evolving commercial organization. As Xenon advances toward commercialization, this individual will provide strategic legal leadership across brand strategy, commercialization and launch readiness, partnering closely with senior leaders across Commercial, Medical Affairs, Market Access, Corporate Affairs, Regulatory, Compliance and other functions.

The Executive Director will anticipate and address complex legal and regulatory issues associated with building and operating a commercial-stage organization, translate evolving legal requirements into pragmatic business solutions, and help establish scalable approaches, governance and legal capabilities that enable Xenon's long-term commercial strategy while appropriately managing ente
[…]
n a fast-paced, matrixed environment.

PREFERRED SKILLS

• Demonstrated experience serving as a senior legal advisor to Commercial and/or brand leadership within the pharmaceutical/biotechnology industry.
• Significant experience supporting commercialization and launch readiness for pharmaceutical products.
• Extensive experience advising on FDA promotional requirements, healthcare fraud and abuse considerations, scientific exchange and interactions with HCPs and patients.
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior executives on complex, high-impact business and legal decisions.
• Experience building or evolving commercial legal capabilities, processes or governance models in a growing organization.
• Demonstrated ability to influence and lead across a complex matrix without relying on formal authority.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to translate legal complexity into practical, risk-based business recommendations.
• Experience managing external counsel and specialized legal resources.
• Direct experience supporting in-house commercial, medical affairs, and market access functions.
• Federal and state privacy law expertise.
• Prior participation in MLR (medical, legal, regulatory) review committees.
• Experience with digital health, social media, and emerging technologies in the pharma industry.

Our Total Rewards program includes base salary, target bonus, and stock options, as well as a full range of benefits including medical, dental, vision, short-& long-term disability, accidental death & dismemberment, and life insurance programs, Employee Assistance Program, travel insurance, and retirement savings programs with company matching contributions.

Xenon encourages time to rest and re-charge through vacation, personal days, sick days, and an end-of-year company shutdown. Xenon highly values employee development and has an expanding Training, Learning & Development program, including a Tuition Assistance program for advanced degrees.