We are looking for a Legal Manager to own end-to-end contract lifecycle management, lead a team of legal/compliance associates, and act as a trusted legal advisor across commercial, operations, and compliance functions. E-commerce spans a wide range of business domains — logistics and fulfilment, marketing and brand partnerships, technology and vendor tie-ups, finance and lending, consumer policy, cross-border trade, and more — each with its own commercial logic and risk profile. This role requires someone who can quickly understand the business context behind any given arrangement, identify the legal and commercial risks specific to it, and drive the contracting process forward in close coordination with management at every step, rather than someone specialized in any one transaction type.

The role sits at the intersection of legal, business, and compliance, and requires someone who can translate complex legal and regulatory issues into practical, commercially sound guidance for a fast-moving e-commerce business.

Key Responsibilities

Contract Lifecycle Management

Draft, review, and negotiate commercial contracts across the full breadth of the business's operating domains — including but not limited to logistics/fulfilment, vendor and marketplace arrangements, technology and licensing tie-ups, marketing and brand partnerships, finance and lending, and cross-border distribution — with domestic and international counterparties.
For any new or unfamiliar arrangement, get up to speed on the underlying business model and commercial objective first, so that contract structuring and risk flags are grounded in how that part of the business actually works, not applied generically.
Own the full contract lifecycle: intake, drafting, negotiation, execution, amendment (including deeds of variation/restatement), renewal, and closure/termination — keeping management informed and looped in at each stage rather than only at sign-off.
Build and maintain a contract repository/tracker with key dates, obligations, and renewal triggers.
Structure and vet complex or novel commercial arrangements (e.g., service-to-lease conversions, related-party transactions, multi-party deeds) to avoid unintended legal characterisation, tax, or regulatory consequences.

Business Risk Identification & Mitigation

Proactively identify legal and commercial risks embedded in business proposals, vendor arrangements, and internal transactions — including conflict-of-interest, related-party, and self-dealing exposures.
Design and implement risk mitigation frameworks: escalation protocols, approval matrices, indemnity structures, and insurance alignment.
Produce structured risk assessments/registers for high-value or high-risk agreements, with clause-level recommendations and prioritized action items.
Coordinate with Finance and Tax on structuring decisions that carry legal risk (e.g., GST characterisation, stamp duty, related-party pricing).

Regulatory Monitoring & Advisory

Track and interpret developments across applicable laws — corporate, contract, consumer protection, e-commerce/FDI, labour, IT/data security and privacy, trade/customs, and IP — and translate them into actionable guidance for management.
Advise business and product teams on compliance implications of new initiatives, policies, or features (e.g., consumer-facing policy design, fulfilment models, cross-border trade structures).
Support statutory and regulatory filings/compliance in coordination with company secretarial, tax, and compliance teams.
Handle consumer forum matters (District/State/National Consumer Commissions) end-to-end — drafting replies, coordinating with external counsel, tracking hearings, and advising business on settlement vs. contest strategy.

IP Protection (Domestic + Global)

Manage the company's IP portfolio — trademarks, brand assets, and proprietary tools/processes — across domestic and relevant international jurisdictions.
Draft and enforce IP assignment, licensing, and confidentiality provisions in vendor, employee, and partner agreements.
Lead or support responses to trade secret misuse, confidentiality breaches, or IP infringement, including civil/criminal remedy assessment and internal communications (circulars, employee notices).
Advise on IP exposure in cross-border commercial structures and technology/vendor arrangements.

Team & Inter-Team Coordination

Lead and mentor a team of legal/compliance associates — allocating work, reviewing output quality, and building their drafting and negotiation capability.
Act as the legal point of contact for Business, Operations, Finance, HR, and Compliance teams, ensuring legal input is embedded early in commercial decision-making rather than bolted on at signature stage.
Coordinate with external counsel, insurers, and regulatory consultants as needed.
Support leadership with clear, decision-ready legal recommendations rather than open-ended risk lists.

Requirements

Experience: 6–8 years of relevant legal experience, with a strong preference for in-house experience in e-commerce, D2C, retail, or a fast-scaling commercial environment.
Qualification: LLB (or equivalent); LLM or specialized certification in IP, technology, or corporate law is a plus.
Core Expertise:
Contract drafting and negotiation across commercial, vendor, and cross-border agreements
End-to-end contract lifecycle management
Team leadership — managing, mentoring, and reviewing the work of junior legal/compliance associates
Business risk identification and mitigation design
Working knowledge of IT/data security law and its business implications
IP protection and enforcement, domestic and global
Handling consumer forum/consumer commission matters, including litigation strategy and external counsel coordination
Cross-functional coordination with Business, Finance, Operations, and HR
Regulatory Familiarity: Indian corporate, contract, consumer protection, and IP law; working exposure to international/cross-border regulatory considerations (trade compliance, tax structuring touchpoints, data protection) is highly valued.
Other Attributes:
Strong commercial judgment — able to balance legal precision with business pragmatism
Comfortable operating with significant autonomy and ownership
Clear, concise written and verbal communication for both legal and non-legal audiences
High attention to detail, especially in high-value or high-risk agreements

Senior Legal Manager