Legal Manager - Group Functions

Position: Legal Manager (Full-Time)

Location: Bengaluru, Karnataka

About the Role: upGrad is India's leading online higher education platform, partnering with higher education institutions (HEIs) across India and globally to deliver transformative learning experiences. As we continue to scale our HEI partnerships, we are looking for a sharp, commercially minded Legal Manager to join our legal team in Bengaluru.

This role sits at the intersection of legal, business and strategy. You will own the contracting lifecycle management for our core partnerships, work closely with cross-functional teams, and be a trusted advisor to business and leadership. If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, enjoy working on complex agreements, and have a strong grasp of the regulatory landscape governing higher education and online learning, this role is for you.

Key Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of agreements, particularly higher educational HEI partnership contracts and related agreements in the online education space.

• Lead end-to-end contract management — from initial structuring and drafting through negotiation, execution, and ongoing compliance monitoring.

• Advise internal stakeholders on legal risks, deal structures, and regulatory considerations relevant to the proposed partnerships and initiatives.

• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure contractual obligations are understood, tracked and fulfilled; flag material deviations and manage escalations proactively.

• Monitor and interpret developments in the regulatory framework governing higher education in India, including UGC, AICTE and other statutory bodies, and advise the business on implications for existing and prospective partnerships.

• Undertake compliance audits / due diligence exercises for existing and prospective partnerships and identifying risk areas.

• Develop and maintain standard contract templates, SOPs and internal legal playbooks to improve

contracting efficiency.

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• LL.B from a reputed institution.

• 3–5 years of post-qualification experience, preferably at a law firm; candidates with prior in-house

exposure in regulated sector, particularly the education space, will be preferred.

• Demonstrable experience drafting and negotiating complex commercial agreements across multiple jurisdictions, both domestic and international, particularly in regulated services.

• Experience in and working knowledge of intellectual property rights, including ownership, licensing, and protection of intellectual property rights.

• Strong business and commercial acumen. Ability to understand business objectives and translate them into workable legal positions.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; able to present legal issues clearly to non-legal

audiences including senior leadership.

• Organised, detail-oriented, and capable of managing multiple matters and deadlines simultaneously in a high-growth environment.

• Collaborative team player who is comfortable engaging with finance, business, and leadership

stakeholders.