Assistant Vice President/ Director – Legal

Job Description:

Role Overview

The incumbent will act as the legal advisor for US and India operations, providing strategic and hands-on legal leadership across US and India jurisdictions. The role demands independent ownership, strong exposure to US contracts, vendor management, taxation, compliance, and SLA governance, while partnering closely with global stakeholders, leadership teams, and external counsels.

This is a high-impact individual contributor role with leadership influence, reporting directly to the CFO/CEO.

Key Responsibilities

1. US Contracts & Vendor Management- Draft, review, negotiate, and finalize complex US commercial contracts, including:

·          Master Service Agreements (MSA)

·          Statements of Work (SOW)

·          Vendor & outsourcing agreements

·          Technology licensing and SaaS contracts

·          Independently handle US-based vendors, partners, and third-party service providers.

·          Ensure contracts are risk-optimized, commercially viable, and legally compliant with US laws.

2. SLA Governance & Risk Mitigation

·          Define, review, and govern Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for US clients and vendors.

·          Monitor contractual compliance to SLAs, KPIs, penalties, and indemnities.

·          Proactively identify legal risks and provide mitigation strategies aligned with business goals.

·          Lead dispute resolution, contract breaches, and escalation management.

3. US Taxation & Regulatory Advisory- Provide legal oversight and advisory on US taxation matters, including:

• Federal and State tax implications
• Transfer pricing considerations
• Withholding tax exposure
•  Cross-border transactions
• Work closely with tax advisors, finance teams, and auditors to ensure regulatory alignment.

4. Legal Compliance & Governance- Ensure compliance with US laws and regulations relevant to the ITeS industry, including but not limited to:

• Data privacy & information security lawsCorporate governance normsEmployment-related legal considerations (cross-border context)
• Oversee India legal compliances applicable to GCC/ITeS operations.
• Act as the custodian of corporate governance frameworks for India operations

5. Strategic Legal Partnering

• Function as a strategic business partner to leadership, enabling informed decision-making.
• Provide legal inputs for business expansion, new service offerings, and strategic initiatives.
• Support M&A, restructuring, or global expansion initiatives from a legal standpoint (as applicable).

6. External Counsel  & Stakeholder Management

• Manage and coordinate with US and India-based external legal counsels.
• Control legal costs, ensure quality of legal opinions, and drive outcome-focused engagements.
• Engage with global stakeholders across Legal, Finance, Compliance, Risk, and Business Heads.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong expertise in US commercial contracts & vendor negotiations
• Deep understanding of US taxation, compliance, and regulatory frameworks
• Proven experience managing SLAs and complex contractual risk
• Exceptional stakeholder management and executive communication skills
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision

Educational Qualifications:

• LLB / LLM from a reputed university (India or International)
• Additional certifications in US Law, International Business Law, or Taxation will be an advantage

 Desired Profile

• Experience working with US-based MNCs / GCCs / ITeS organizations
• Prior exposure at senior leadership or critical IC roles
• Demonstrated ability to handle high-stakes legal matters independently
• Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, global, matrixed environment