About the Role
The Manager (Patents and IP) will be responsible for driving Tanla Platforms intellectual property (IP) strategy, with a strong focus on identifying, drafting, filing, and prosecuting patents in areas such as telecom technologies, CPaaS platforms, AI-driven communication systems, cybersecurity, and distributed systems. This role will work closely with engineering, product, and legal teams, as well as external law firms, to protect innovations and optimize the company's IP investments globally.
What You'll Be Responsible For
• Patent Strategy & Portfolio Development:
- Develop and execute a comprehensive IP strategy aligned with Tanla's product roadmap and innovation pipeline.
- Identify patentable inventions across engineering and product teams.
- Build and manage a robust patent portfolio in telecom, messaging platforms, APIs, AI/ML, and messaging security domains.
• Patent Drafting & Filing:
- Draft high-quality patent specifications, claims, and drawings.
- File patent applications in India and internationally (USPTO, EPO, WIPO/PCT).
- Ensure technical depth and legal strength in all filings.
• Patent Prosecution & Lifecycle Management:
- Handle end-to-end patent prosecution, including responding to office actions and examiner queries.
- Collaborate with external counsel for global filings and prosecution.
- Maintain docketing, timelines, and documentation for all filings.
• External Counsel Management & Budgeting:
- Coordinate closely with external law firms and patent attorneys for drafting, filing, prosecution, and advisory services across jurisdictions.
- Plan, track, and optimize budgets for patent filings, prosecution, renewals, and IP-related activities.
- Provide periodic reporting on IP spend and cost forecasts.
• Innovation Mining & Collaboration:
- Conduct invention disclosure sessions with engineering and product teams.
- Translate complex technical concepts into defensible patent claims.
- Drive IP awareness and training programs internally.
• IP Risk & Competitive Analysis:
- Perform prior art searches, patent landscape analysis, and freedom-to-operate (FTO) studies.
- Monitor competitor filings and emerging technology trends.
- Support licensing, enforcement, and litigation activities when required.
- Trademark Management (optional, but preferred):
- Coordinate with external law firms for trademark searches, filings, prosecution, and renewals across jurisdictions.
- Support brand protection strategy by ensuring timely filing of trademarks for products, platforms, and services.
What We're Looking For
- Bachelor's degree in technology/engineering
- Registered Patent Agent (India) is mandatory
- 10+ years of experience in patent drafting and prosecution, preferably in telecom, SaaS, CPaaS, or IT domains.
- Strong understanding of IT technologies such as APIs, cloud infrastructure, AI/ML, and distributed systems.
- Experience working with external law firms and managing multi-jurisdictional filings.
- Demonstrated experience in managing IP budgets, cost optimization, and vendor negotiations.
- Proven ability to draft high-quality patents with strong claim coverage.
- Strong analytical, technical writing, and stakeholder management skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in patent/IP law firms, telecom, CPaaS, IT or SaaS product companies
- Prior experience in managing global IP vendors and legal ecosystems.
- LLB degree is preferred.
Why Join Us
- Impactful Innovation: Play a key role in protecting cutting-edge technologies that power global communication platforms.
- Strategic Ownership: Own both the technical and financial aspects of Tanla's IP function, including global counsel management.
- High-Growth Environment: Be part of a rapidly scaling telecom and CPaaS leader with strong innovation focus.
- Collaborative Culture: Work alongside world-class engineers, product leaders, and legal experts.
- In house Opportunity: Ideal opportunity for patent agents and patent attorneys in law firms seeking a transition to an in-house role.
Tanla is an equal opportunity employer. We champion diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.
www.tanla.com
