Senior Legal Manager

We are seeking a highly experienced and commercially astute Senior Legal Manager to join our in-house Legal function in Mumbai. This role will serve as a senior member of the Legal team, supporting complex cross-border transactions, commercial contract review and negotiations, regulatory matters, and dispute strategy across international operations in the oil & gas and marine sectors.

The Senior Legal Manager will work closely with the Head of Legal and senior business leadership and will be expected to independently manage critical legal matters (predominantly linked to commercial contracts, claims, liabilities, compliance and risk allocation), mentor junior team members, and act as a key advisor to internal stakeholders and global partners.

This is a high-visibility role offering significant engagement with executive leadership and exposure to multi-jurisdictional commercial and regulatory frameworks.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic & Transactional Support

• Lead drafting, review, and negotiation of complex domestic and international contracts, including service agreements, framework agreements, charter party agreements, consortium agreements, MOUs, and consultancy contracts.
• Independently manage high-value, cross-border commercial transactions and strategic business initiatives.
• Provide commercially pragmatic advice on contractual structuring, risk allocation, and liability management.
• Support and shape negotiation strategy for critical tenders and long-term international engagements.

Risk Management & Advisory

• Assess, calibrate, and clearly communicate legal and commercial risk exposure to senior management.
• Advise on dispute avoidance strategies, claims management, and pre-litigation positioning.
• Liaise with and manage external counsel on international disputes, arbitration, and regulatory matters.
• Provide guidance on regulatory compliance across multiple jurisdictions relevant to the energy and marine sectors.

Leadership & Governance

• Deputise for the Head – Legal & Contracts, where required, including representation in internal governance discussions.
• Support the development and enhancement of contract templates, playbooks, and legal workflows aligned with international best practices.
• Ensure adherence to internal approval matrices, risk thresholds, and governance processes.
• Mentor and supervise junior legal team members, ensuring quality control and knowledge development.

Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a trusted advisor to business units, balancing commercial objectives with legal safeguards.
• Work closely with finance, operations, procurement, and project teams on cross-functional initiatives.
• Support Board-level and executive-level reporting where required.

Experience & Qualifications

• 8–12 years of post-qualification legal experience.
• Substantial in-house experience in a multinational or internationally operating organisation.
• Strong experience handling complex cross-border commercial contracts independently.
• Exposure to oil & gas, marine, shipping, offshore services, infrastructure, or adjacent sectors strongly preferred.
• Experience managing arbitration and international dispute frameworks is advantageous.
• Proven ability to engage with senior stakeholders and external counsel confidently.