Associate Legal Counsel, India

**Ethics and Compliance**:

- Provide guidance with respect to compliance program in India and SW Asia, including identifying gaps and instituting corrective actions.
- **Brand Protection & IP**:

- Closely work with the Brand Enforcement Team as an advisor on investigator appointments & due diligence, conducting raids, handling counterfeit actions, police actions, etc.
- **Commercial Business Partnering**:

- Draft negotiate & finalize critical contracts related to India & SW Asia growth projects (including plant health business projects), channel engagement initiatives and digitization activities/ digital tools/ Precision Ag.
- Advise the operations and supply chain teams with respect to customs and tolling operations.
- Support Distributors’ and Marketing Agency documentation, handle queries from licensing & compliance perspective and support to review and strengthen channel control framework.
- Support commercial colleagues handling Corporate Partnerships, GSS business and Channel Engagements.
- Work closely with MarCom and Digital Initiatives team and provide legal advice on Precision Ag, social media compliance, privacy issues (in alignment with Data Privacy lead), etc.
- **General Legal Advice and risk management**:

- Legal advisor to Tax team on needs basis.
- Advise on the Real Estate Matters and bring hands on experience in merger & acquisition.
- Provide strong support to Credit Control & Customer Service team.
- Review the HR onboarding & exit process/ documentation and have oversight on labour & payroll compliances (corporate & Branch office, R&D site and factories).
- Provide legal inputs to CSR initiatives and advise on documentation, compliances & due diligence of third parties.
- Work closely with Procurement (commercial) & Sourcing and Controllership teams on contracts and DOA framework.
- Effectively support global initiatives on contracts and legal spend and ensure stakeholders follow the global mandated processes.
- Handle other matters that may be assigned by the India Counsel.
- Work with key external law firms to ensure Company’s interest is protected from various aspects.
- Keep abreast with latest legislation changes, timely analysis and update to the Legal Counsel and Sr. Mgt on impact of relevant legislative changes and take pro-active steps to address and mitigate identified risks.
- Participate in Industry Association meetings as required.
- **Litigation support and management**:

- Monitor the ongoing court cases such as Civil, Criminal, Arbitration, 138 matters, Legal Metrology, Consumer Cases, Misbranding Cases, Labour Cases, Insecticides / FCO cases etc. and advice business operations on litigation strategy.

**Requirements**:

- LLB degree from reputed law school with at least 15 years law firm and MNC combined experience
- Qualified company secretary (preferable but not essential);
- Knowledge of the manufacturing industry (esp. agro-chemical, pharma, FMCG industry) and understanding of general issues facing MNCs in India
- In depth knowledge of Insecticides Act, Fertilizer Control Order, Legal Metrology, Manufacturing related laws (preferred)
- Ability to liaise well with regulatory / external stakeholders including service provider across India & SW Asia
- Ability to interact with wide spectrum of internal stakeholders, including, senior management, effectively.
- Commercial understanding and keen interest to closely work with business & operations.
- Strong Legal and business acumen having solutions-oriented mindset.
- Ability to take ownership of multiple workstreams.
- Ability to work in agile operating environment and matrix organization.
- Adept at coordinating with cross-functional teams and understand regulatory issues / risks.
- Experience / exposure to indirect tax issues would be a plus.
- Strong multi-tasking capability and interpersonal skills;
- Team player with ability to work independently and under pressure;
- Fluency in English (both written and spoken) required; and
- Legal drafting expertise.

**Competencies**
- Functional/Technical Skills
- Problem Solving
- Informing
- Conflict Management
- Perseverance
- Written Communications
- Interpersonal Savvy
- Negotiation skills
- Integrity and Trust
- Ethics and Values
- Dealing with Ambiguity
- Self-Knowledge
- Proactive

**Location**

Mumbai, Maharashtra