Principal Patents Manager

Location: Leeds, West Yorkshire.

Hybrid working (3 days in the office).

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct targeted patent searches (e.g., state‑of‑the‑art, prior art, FTO, competitor intelligence) using tools such as PatSnap, Espacenet and USPTO, and review/critically analyse FTO and patent landscape reports from internal teams or external counsel.
• Identify and summarise third‑party patent risks that may impact Rosemont’s current products and development pipeline, supporting strong protection for our life‑changing medicines.
• Collaborating closely with formulation scientists, you will assess technical differences between proposed and patented products and identify possible design-around opportunities.
• Use strong communication skills to link IP, Legal, R&D and Regulatory teams, ensuring patent risks are clearly conveyed and technical insights inform IP risk assessments.
• Translate complex patent issues into clear, actionable insights for cross‑functional teams, producing concise reports, risk summaries and visualisations to support decision‑making and product development.
• Assist in tracking IP status and related data for products in development, including patent expiry dates, SPCs, and data exclusivity timelines.
• Monitor competitor patent activity to identify emerging filings or granted patents that may impact current or planned developments, and highlight when proactive actions (e.g., oppositions, observations, design‑arounds or legal review) may be required to mitigate IP risks.
• Support the Head of Patents and Patent Manager with internal training and initiatives to raise IP awareness across the business.
• Maintain accurate internal IP records and coordinate with external counsel as required.

Attributes and Experience 

• Minimum of three years’ experience in an IP‑focused role within industry, private practice, IP intelligence or consultancy (essential).
• Educational background in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chemistry, Life Sciences, or a related technical discipline (essential).
• Strong understanding of patent claims, FTO principles, patentability, and the fundamentals of SPC/data exclusivity in the UK/EU and US (essential).
• Experience in the generic pharmaceutical industry, ideally within a cross‑functional or matrix environment (desirable).
• Familiarity with patent research tools (Orbit, PatSnap, Minesoft, Derwent) and IP management systems (Anaqua RightHub, IPfolio, Equinox) (desirable).
• Exposure to regulatory affairs, product development or lifecycle management within a pharmaceutical setting (desirable).
• Working knowledge of US patenting in the generic pharma space, including the FDA Orange Book, Paragraph I–IV certifications, section viii “skinny labels,” and how US patents/exclusivities impact development and launch timing (desirable).
• Clear, confident written and verbal communication skills for explaining patent risks and options to non‑IP specialists.
• Highly organised and detail‑oriented, with strong project and time‑management skills.