Job Role:
Reporting to the General Counsel, the Director of Legal & Compliance, South Asia, acts as the primary legal counsel and compliance lead to the organisation’s South Asia group. In that capacity they provide strategic legal and compliance advice and guidance to the management team and others on complex, high-risk legal matters. They also have supervisory responsibility for the local Compliance team. They are expected to provide proactive, strategic legal input in respect of legal, managerial and organizational issues and work closely with the General Counsel, leadership team, external law firms, and employees at all levels. They are an active member of the L&BA Senior Team, which assists in formulating the function’s strategy, articulating its culture and mission and developing and managing its talent. Some travel to support these responsibilities may be required.
Principal accountabilities:
- Act as the primary legal counsel and compliance lead to the organisation’s South Asia group. In that capacity they provide strategic legal advice and guidance to the management team and others on complex, high-risk legal and compliance matters, taking a commercial, pragmatic and responsive approach.
- Effective and efficient management of legal advisory services and of legal and compliance risks primarily for South Asia, and additionally globally as required.
- Drafting and / or reviewing a wide range of sale and purchase agreements, corporate documents, editorial agreements and licences, technology agreements, terms and conditions, employment, property and finance agreements. Dealing with trademarks, copyright, data protection, competition law, business registration and company secretarial requirements. Managing disputes and litigation. Providing compliance and regulatory support.
- Maintaining up to date knowledge of legal developments in these fields.
- Be an active member of the Legal & Business Affairs (L&BA) Senior Team, which assists in formulating the function’s strategy, articulating its culture and mission and developing and managing its talent. This also includes providing oversight, direction and strategic guidance and advice to L&BA team.
- Working with appropriate colleagues in L&BA, ensuring the availability of legally accurate and appropriate precedents and template documents.
- Providing an appropriate mixture of commercially focused pro-active and reactive advice, guidance and training in each of these areas to business stakeholders.
- Building and maintaining appropriate relationships with relevant external counsel, both in India and in other key overseas markets where requested to do so.
Supporting the Group Compliance Officer with ABC and other compliance issues (including third party due diligence). Being a point of contact in India to assist with providing feedback on the ABC programme, attending workshops related to the policies, procedures and guidelines document as they are developed, and to assist in the roll out of the compliance programme where requested by the Compliance team. Responsible for approving any gifts or hospitality offered to or accepted from employees in their CUPA Office escalating to the Compliance team where appropriate. Responsible for approving any donations requests by employees in their CUPA Hub Office, escalating to the Compliance team where appropriate. Port-of-call for any concerns staff may wish to express about ABC issues or the ABC programme within their area of the business, another port-of-call being the Whistleblowing Hotline; may be asked to investigate claims as appropriate. Assisting with providing feedback on the ABC programme, attending training and workshops related to the policies, procedures and guidelines documents as they are developed, and to assist in the roll-out of the compliance programme where requested. Main sponsor for the risk assessment process related to ABC risks for India. Assisting in the roll out of the Compliance Due Diligence Procedures to ensure they are in fact embedded in India by fully understanding and engaging with the procedures in their day to day role. Assisting with any periodic ABC reviews for India as appropriate.
Skills and experience:
- Qualified lawyer with significant experience in advising on commercial, corporate and contentious issues, ideally in a media or digital business and with some knowledge of intellectual property.
- Qualified lawyer with significant experience in advising on commercial, corporate and contentious issues, ideally in a media or digital business and with some knowledge of intellectual property.
- Qualified lawyer with significant experience in advising on commercial, corporate and contentious issues, ideally in a media or digital business and with some knowledge of intellectual property.
- Qualified lawyer with significant experience in advising on commercial, corporate and contentious issues, ideally in a media or digital business and with some knowledge of intellectual property.
- Ability to balance the legal issues of a project with the goals of the business through strong, pragmatic business acumen and the ability to recognize the business consequences of legal advice.
- Strong, logical legal mind with the ability to apply abstract concepts of law to make timely, well-reasoned and appropriate decisions to solve problems.
- Strong advocacy and negotiation skills.
- Skilled at managing large, complex legal projects and adapting to changing environments in an international/multi-jurisdictional context.
- Ability to handle multiple priorities and a heavy workload simultaneously, and to work under pressure to meet short deadlines, completing tasks speedily but without compromising quality or accuracy
- Ability to function autonomously yet understanding of the need to advise management of work progress and unusual situations.
- Exemplary personal and professional integrity and business ethics. Exercises discretion and maintains confidentiality of sensitive information.
- Having a keen interest in the external context with strong networks within the organisation and externally.
- Experienced at dealing with litigation including using the support of law firms.
Salary: Competitive
Location: New Delhi
Country: India
Division: Legal & Business Affairs
Vacancy Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 31 January 2022