Head – Legal - Objective of the role:

To lead and manage the organization’s legal, compliance, and corporate governance framework, with a strong focus on labour laws, industrial relations, and litigation, while ensuring risk mitigation, regulatory adherence, and effective union management in a manufacturing environment. The role requires experience in a multinational setup, with the ability to collaborate and report to global legal leadership, and effectively work with cross-cultural and expatriate stakeholders across geographies, aligned with business and group legal objectives

Roles & Responsibilities:

Corporate Governance & Board Compliance

• Lead end-to-end corporate governance framework in line with global standards and Indian regulatory requirements
• Ensure seamless conduct of Board, Committee, and Shareholders’ Meetings including:
• Agenda planning, documentation, and statutory compliance
• Preparation and finalization of minutes and resolutions
• Advise Board and senior leadership on governance best practices and regulatory implications

Companies Act & Secretarial Compliance

• Ensure full compliance under the Indian Companies Act and applicable corporate laws
• Oversee:
• Filing of statutory returns with Registrar of Companies (ROC) and regulatory bodies
• Implementation of Board and shareholder decisions (e.g., appointments, restructuring, buybacks, change in registered office)
• Act as a key custodian for statutory records, registers, and filings

Group Legal Strategy & Governance

• Partner with Head – Group Legal to execute India-level legal strategy aligned with global objectives
• Conduct legal audits across group entities to ensure compliance and risk mitigation
• Handle group-level legal matters and litigations in India
• Support in global compliance frameworks such as:
• Code of Conduct (CoC) testing
• Internal compliance assessments

Contract Management & Commercial Legal

• Lead drafting, vetting, negotiation, and standardization of commercial and legal agreements, including:
• NDAs, supplier agreements, technology agreements, cooperation agreements
• Tooling, leasing, licensing, and service agreements
• Terms & conditions of sales, bank guarantees, undertakings, and indemnities
• Ensure risk-balanced contracts protecting organizational interests
• Establish contract governance processes and templates

Regulatory Liaison & Government Interface

• Build and maintain strong relationships with government authorities and regulatory bodies
• Manage compliance and approvals under:
• Factories Act
• Land and revenue laws (state-specific, e.g., Maharashtra Land Revenue Act)
• Lead approvals for:
• Factory layout and expansion projects
• Land use, zoning, and industrial permissions
• Represent the organization in front of authorities for statutory matters

Litigation & Dispute Management

• Lead the company’s litigation strategy and execution across civil, criminal, labour, and regulatory matters
• Represent or supervise representation of the company in courts, tribunals, and quasi-judicial bodies
• Manage:
• External counsel and law firms
• Case strategy, documentation, and evidence preparation
• Drive out-of-court settlements and dispute resolution mechanisms where feasible
• Advise leadership on legal risks and exposure

Legal Advisory to Business Functions

• Act as a strategic legal advisor to cross-functional teams including:
• Finance, HR, Operations, Procurement, and Sales
• Provide proactive guidance on:
• Legal risk mitigation
• Documentation and record-keeping for legal defensibility
• Pre-litigation strategy and preventive legal frameworks
• Support drafting of critical communications with potential legal implications

Land & Property Legal Management

• Lead legal due diligence for land acquisition, sale, and leasing transactions
• Ensure compliance with:
• Land revenue laws and property regulations
• Title verification and documentation (7/12 extracts, mutation records, etc.)
• Oversee drafting and execution of:
• MoUs, sale deeds, lease agreements
• Coordinate with internal and external stakeholders for seamless execution

Claims, Insurance & Risk Management

• Oversee claims management and insurance-related matters at group level
• Manage policy compliance, renewals, and claim settlements
• Work closely with insurers, brokers, and internal stakeholders
• Strengthen risk mitigation frameworks through insurance planning

Compliance & Ethics Framework

• Drive organization-wide compliance programs covering:
• Anti-bribery and anti-corruption
• Fraud prevention
• Anti-trust and competition laws
• Conflict of interest
• ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) standards
• Implement compliance monitoring and reporting mechanisms
• Conduct awareness and training programs across the organization

Corporate Law & Business Enablement

• Provide practical, business-oriented legal solutions on corporate and commercial law matters
• Support strategic initiatives such as:
• M&A, joint ventures, restructuring (if applicable)
• Balance legal risk with business objectives to enable decision-making

Team Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Build and lead a high-performing legal and secretarial team
• Collaborate with global legal teams and senior leadership
• Manage external stakeholders including:
• Law firms
• Consultants
• Government authorities

Candidate Profile:

• Must be from a manufacturing background (automotive/industrial preferred)
• Strong expertise in:

Labour laws & industrial relations

Union management, wage negotiations & strike handling

Contract drafting and management

• Handling labour court cases and litigation
• Exposure to compliance systems/software (implementation or usage)
• Experience working in a multinational environment, with the ability to collaborate and report to Global/Group Legal leadership
• Language: candidates with a strong understanding of the local cultural and industrial landscape of Maharashtra will be an advantage
• Strong negotiation, stakeholder management, and conflict resolution skills