Associate Director, Corporate Legal
Cytokinetics
Summary
Cytokinetics is seeking an Associate Director, Corporate Legal Affairs to support public company disclosure practices and SEC compliance, proper corporate governance, Board of Directors administration, and corporate financing activities. They will collaborate closely with Legal, Finance, and Corporate Affairs colleagues and provide those functions with contracting support.
Job description
This position will report to the Chief Legal and Administrative Officer and will be based in South San Francisco, CA with on-site expectations.
Key Responsibilities
- Prepare and support SEC filings, including Exchange Act reporting (Forms 10-K, 10-Q, 8-K), proxy statements, Section 16 and related filings.
- Gather input and collaborate across the enterprise to support accurate and timely public disclosures.
- Review and provide legal guidance on disclosure controls and procedures, earnings releases, investor presentations, and other investor communications.
- Take primary internal responsibility for the organization of capital markets transactions, including equity offerings, debt financing, and other corporate financing activities.
- Support corporate governance activities, including Board and committee meeting preparations, corporate records, charter documents, and corporate policies.
- Support insider trading compliance, executive compensation and equity compensation matters, and Rule 10b5-1 trading plans.
- Monitor developments in securities laws, SEC regulations, and corporate governance practices, and assist with implementing applicable changes.
- Assist with ESG disclosures and related corporate governance initiatives, as applicable.
- Provide contracting support for the business transactional needs of the Legal, Finance, and Corporate Affairs functions.
- Contribute to the development and improvement of legal systems, processes, policies, and procedures related to securities compliance, corporate governance, board administration, and contracting.
Qualifications
- J.D. from an accredited law school; active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
- 6+ years of relevant corporate securities law experience, including experience with public company securities reporting and compliance.
- Experience at a law firm and/or in-house at a publicly traded company; life sciences or biotechnology industry experience preferred.
- Strong working knowledge of U.S. securities laws, SEC reporting requirements, and corporate governance practices.
- Experience supporting SEC filings, public company disclosures, and corporate governance activities.
- Familiarity with capital markets transactions, Board and committee processes, and corporate financing activities preferred.
- Excellent legal drafting, analytical, organizational, and communication skills.
- Demonstrated experience using AI-assisted legal research and advanced contracting tools and systems.
- Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional stakeholders and external legal advisors.
- Strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and ability to manage multiple competing priorities in a dynamic environment.
Requirements
- J.D. from an accredited law school
- Active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction
- 6+ years of relevant corporate securities law experience
- Experience with public company securities reporting and compliance
- Experience at a law firm and/or in-house at a publicly traded company
- Strong working knowledge of U.S. securities laws, SEC reporting requirements, and corporate governance practices
- Experience supporting SEC filings, public company disclosures, and corporate governance activities
- Excellent legal drafting, analytical, organizational, and communication skills
- Demonstrated experience using AI-assisted legal research and advanced contracting tools and systems
- Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional stakeholders and external legal advisors
- Strong attention to detail, sound judgment, and ability to manage multiple competing priorities
Benefits
- Health Insurance
- Dental Insurance
- Vision Insurance
- Life Insurance
- Disability Insurance
- 401(k) Matching
- Learning Stipends
- Wellness Stipends
- Paid Time Off
- Stock Options
- Restricted Stock Units
Company overview
Cytokinetics, Incorporated is a late-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South San Francisco, California, specializing in muscle biology research and drug development. Founded in 1997 by leading scientists from Stanford, UCSD, and UCSF, the company focuses on discovering, developing, and commercializing first-in-class muscle activators and next-in-class muscle inhibitors for debilitating diseases characterized by impaired or declining muscle function. With over 25 years of scientific expertise, Cytokinetics has built a robust pipeline targeting cardiovascular and neuromuscular conditions including heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The company's innovative approach centers on directly targeting the sarcomere, the fundamental unit of muscle contraction, to develop potential treatments that may preserve and extend independence for patients. Cytokinetics operates as a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: CYTK) and has established itself as a leader in muscle biology with more than 115 publications, over 100 clinical trials, and hundreds of issued patents.