Chief Legal Officer

What if the work you did every day could impact the lives of people you know? Or all of humanity?

At Illumina, we are expanding access to genomic technology to realize health equity for billions of people around the world. Our efforts enable life-changing discoveries that are transforming human health through the early detection and diagnosis of diseases and new treatment options for patients.

Working at Illumina means being part of something bigger than yourself. Every person, in every role, has the opportunity to make a difference. Surrounded by extraordinary people, inspiring leaders, and world changing projects, you will do more and become more than you ever thought possible.

Position Summary

The Chief Legal Officer (CLO) serves as a strategic advisor to the Chief Executive Officer, Executive Leadership Team, and Board of Directors, providing enterprise-wide leadership across legal, compliance, intellectual property, government affairs, regulatory legal affairs, and corporate governance. As a key member of the executive leadership team, the CLO is responsible for anticipating and mitigating legal, regulatory, and business risks while enabling the execution of Illumina's growth strategy and protecting the company's reputation, assets, and interests.

The CLO acts as a trusted business partner and counselor, balancing legal risk management with commercial objectives and strategic priorities. This role provides leadership for a global legal and compliance organization and is accountable for ensuring the company operates with the highest standards of integrity, ethics, governance, and regulatory compliance.

The CLO also provides executive legal oversight of obligations applicable to a global public company and federal contractor, including public company governance, SEC and disclosure requirements, government contracting requirements, equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, pay equity, audit readiness, and related reporting and recordkeeping obligations. The CLO also serves as Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors and plays a critical role in supporting enterprise transformation, business development activities, and global market expansion.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Enterprise Legal Leadership

• Serve as the principal legal and government affairs advisor to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, and Board of Directors on strategic, operational, regulatory, governance, and risk matters.

• Lead the development and execution of Illumina's global legal and government affairs strategy in support of enterprise objectives and long-term business priorities.

• Provide proactive guidance on legal and business implications of strategic initiatives, organizational changes, commercial activities, and emerging risks.

• Ensure legal support is aligned with business objectives while maintaining compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and corporate policies.

• Oversee the delivery of legal services through internal teams and external counsel with an emphasis on effectiveness, efficiency, and fiscal stewardship.

Corporate Governance and Board Leadership

• Serve as Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors.

• Advise the Board and executive leadership on corporate governance, securities laws, fiduciary responsibilities, and public company requirements.

• Lead governance processes supporting Board and committee operations, including meeting preparation, records management, director onboarding, and governance best practices.

• Oversee preparation of proxy statements, shareholder communications, SEC-related governance matters, and compliance with applicable securities regulations.

•   Provide executive legal oversight of public company disclosure governance, partnering with the Chief Financial Officer and other relevant executive leaders to ensure effective disclosure controls, insider trading policies, Regulation FD compliance, SEC reporting governance, shareholder engagement, and related Board and committee processes.

Compliance and Ethics Oversight

• Provide executive oversight for Illumina's global compliance program and compliance governance structures.

• Lead efforts to strengthen and sustain a culture of ethics, integrity, and accountability throughout the organization.

• Partner with the Chief Compliance Officer and cross-functional leadership to monitor program effectiveness and implement enhancements as needed.

• Ensure appropriate governance, controls, reporting mechanisms, and risk mitigation processes are established and maintained globally.

• Provide executive legal oversight of federal contractor compliance obligations, partnering with the Chief People Officer and other relevant members of the Executive Leadership Team on cross-functional execution related to OFCCP, affirmative action, equal employment opportunity, pay equity, hiring and selection practices, recordkeeping, audit readiness, and related compliance governance.

• Oversee legal governance for ethics, investigations, whistleblower matters, hotline reporting, conflicts of interest, anti-retaliation, and remediation processes.

Regulatory Affairs Leadership

• Oversee global Regulatory Legal Affairs activities supporting product approvals and market access across international markets.

• Ensure legal, regulatory, and business considerations are effectively integrated into product development, commercialization, and market expansion strategies.

• Partner with business leaders, Regulatory, and Quality functions to navigate evolving global regulatory environments and emerging policy developments.

Government Affairs and Public Policy

• Provide executive oversight of Government Affairs, including engagement with policymakers, regulators, industry associations, and competition authorities.

• Support company priorities related to public policy, genomics adoption, market access, reimbursement, national security, and geopolitical matters.

• Build and maintain relationships that advance Illumina's strategic interests globally.

• Advise leadership regarding legislative and regulatory developments that may impact business operations or growth strategies.

Transactions and Corporate Development

• Oversee legal support for mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, joint ventures, strategic partnerships, and other significant corporate transactions.

•  Provide executive oversight of legal support for complex commercial agreements, ensuring appropriate risk mitigation while enabling business objectives and strategic growth.

• Ensure appropriate legal diligence, transaction governance, integration planning, and risk management for strategic transactions.

• Develop scalable contracting frameworks, policies, and standards to support business growth and operational excellence.

• Advise on government contracting risk, including contractual representations and certifications, flow-down obligations, federal acquisition requirements, and related compliance controls where applicable.

Intellectual Property Strategy

• Provide executive leadership for Illumina's global intellectual property portfolio, including patents, trade secrets, licensing, and technology protection.

• Guide intellectual property strategy to support innovation, commercialization, and competitive differentiation.

• Advise on antitrust, competition, and intellectual property matters affecting business operations and strategic initiatives.

• Monitor competitive activities and oversee enforcement and defense of intellectual property rights.

Litigation and Risk Management

• Lead the company's approach to litigation, investigations, disputes, and regulatory proceedings.

• Advise executive leadership regarding litigation risks, exposure assessments, settlement strategies, and defense approaches.

• Oversee legal strategies related to intellectual property disputes, antitrust matters, employment issues, government investigations, and other complex legal proceedings.

•  Provide oversight of legal risk associated with employment and labor compliance, fair hiring and selection processes, federal contractor audits, government inquiries, internal investigations, and remediation activities, partnering with the Chief People Officer and other relevant members of the Executive Leadership Team on workforce, operational, and remediation-related matters.

• Develop enterprise legal risk management frameworks and ensure alignment with corporate objectives and risk tolerance.

Executive Leadership and Organizational Development

• Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing global legal, compliance, regulatory legal, and government affairs organization.

• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and business-oriented culture focused on partnership, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Build organizational capabilities, succession plans, and leadership depth across the function.

• Ensure effective talent management, performance development, and resource allocation aligned with enterprise priorities.

Key Competencies

Enterprise Legal Leadership – Provides strategic legal counsel that enables business growth while protecting enterprise value.

Business and Commercial Acumen – Balances legal risk with commercial objectives and organizational priorities.

Corporate Governance & Board Advisory Expertise – Demonstrates deep knowledge of public company governance, securities regulation, and board engagement.

Strategic Risk Management – Anticipates emerging risks and develops proactive mitigation strategies.

Executive Influence & Leadership Presence – Advises and influences senior executives and directors with credibility and sound judgment.

Regulatory & Compliance Leadership – Creates effective governance and compliance structures in highly regulated global environments.

Federal Contractor & Employment Compliance – Provide executive legal oversight of federal contractor compliance obligations, in partnership with the Chief People Officer and Chief of Global Operations, including OFCCP, affirmative action, equal employment opportunity, pay equity, hiring and selection practices, recordkeeping, audit readiness, and related compliance governance.

Government Affairs & External Engagement – Effectively navigates complex stakeholder landscapes and public policy matters.

Transaction & Corporate Development Leadership – Guides complex transactions and integrations aligned with strategic priorities.

Global & Cross-Cultural Leadership – Operates effectively across geographies, cultures, and regulatory jurisdictions.

People Leadership & Talent Development – Builds diverse, high-performing teams and develops future leaders.

Decision Quality & Judgment – Makes sound decisions in complex, ambiguous, and high-risk situations.

Collaboration & Enterprise Partnership – Builds strong relationships and drives alignment across a matrixed organization.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This role leads a global organization of approximately 180 professionals across Legal, Compliance, Intellectual Property, Regulatory Affairs, and Government Affairs. Responsibilities include organizational design, talent acquisition, performance management, leadership development, succession planning, resource allocation, and fostering a high-performing and inclusive culture.

Qualifications & Experience

• Juris Doctor (JD) or equivalent law degree from an accredited institution.

• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.

• Minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible legal leadership experience, including significant in-house leadership experience within a publicly traded global organization.

• Prior experience serving as General Counsel, Chief Legal Officer, Deputy General Counsel, or equivalent senior legal executive preferred.

• Significant experience supporting global healthcare, life sciences, biotechnology, medical device, diagnostics, or similarly regulated industries.

• Demonstrated expertise across corporate governance, securities law, commercial transactions, mergers and acquisitions, litigation, intellectual property, compliance, employment law, regulatory affairs, and government affairs.

• Proven success advising CEOs, Boards of Directors, and executive leadership teams on strategic business and legal matters.

• Experience leading global legal and compliance organizations and developing high-performing, diverse teams.

• Strong understanding of public company governance, SEC reporting, shareholder engagement, and Board operations.

• Experience advising a global public company on federal contractor compliance obligations, government contracting requirements, OFCCP and EEO obligations, affirmative action, pay equity, audit readiness, SEC governance, and complex regulatory risk matters preferred.

• Demonstrated experience leading government affairs and public policy strategy in a complex, regulated global environment, including engagement with policymakers, regulators, industry associations, and other external stakeholders.

• Demonstrated ability to serve as a strategic business partner while effectively managing legal and regulatory risk.

• Experience operating globally with the ability to navigate diverse legal, regulatory, cultural, and business environments.

• Outstanding communication, executive presence, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills.

Other Requirements

• Ability to lead and influence across global markets, functions, and cultures.

• Demonstrated commitment to the highest standards of ethics, integrity, and corporate responsibility.

• Flexibility to travel domestically and internationally up to 30% of time as business needs require.

• Must be capable of operating effectively in a highly matrixed, fast-paced, and evolving global environment.

The estimated base salary range for the Chief Legal Officer role based in the United States of America is: $453,600 - $680,400. Should the level or location of the role change during the hiring process, the applicable base pay range may be updated accordingly. The range reflects long‑term growth in the role; therefore, most candidates are hired between the minimum and middle of the range. Placement depends on experience, skills, location, and internal equity. Additionally, all employees are eligible for one of our variable cash programs (bonus or commission) and eligible roles may receive equity as part of the compensation package. We offer a wide range of benefits as innovative as our work, including access to genomics sequencing, family planning, health/dental/vision, retirement benefits, and paid time off.

We are a company deeply rooted in belonging, promoting an inclusive environment where employees feel valued and empowered to contribute to our mission. Built on a strong foundation, Illumina has always prioritized openness, collaboration, and seeking alternative perspectives to propel innovation in genomics. We are proud to confirm a zero-net gap in pay, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or race. We also have several Employee Resource Groups (ERG) that deliver career development experiences, increase cultural awareness, and offer opportunities to engage in social responsibility. We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer committed to providing employment opportunity regardless of sex, race, creed, color, gender, religion, marital status, domestic partner status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, sexual orientation, pregnancy, military or veteran status, citizenship status, and genetic information. Illumina conducts background checks on applicants for whom a conditional offer of employment has been made. Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with applicable local, state, and federal laws. Background check results may potentially result in the withdrawal of a conditional offer of employment. The background check process and any decisions made as a result shall be made in accordance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws. Illumina prohibits the use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) in the application and interview process. If you require accommodation to complete the application or interview process, please contact accommodations@illumina.com. To learn more, visit: https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf. The position will be posted until a final candidate is selected or the requisition has a sufficient number of qualified applicants. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.