Director Legal

Job Description:

Responsibilities

• Contracts COE Strategy & Leadership
• Define and execute the vision and strategy for the Contracts COE aligned with global Legal and business priorities.
• Build and scale a centralized contracting model supporting multiple business functions (procurement, merchandising, technology, HR, supply chain, etc.).
• Establish governance frameworks, operating models, and KPIs for contracting excellence.
• Drive continuous improvement through benchmarking, automation, and best practices.
• Serve as a strategic advisor to senior leadership across Legal, Procurement, Finance, Technology, and business teams.
• Collaborate with global stakeholders to align contracting practices and drive consistency.
• Influence decision-making by balancing legal risk with business objectives.
• Contract Lifecycle Management & Governance
• Lead the integration of a cutting-edge Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) tool, setting a new global standard for how we leverage technology to drive speed, accuracy, and compliance.
• Oversee end-to-end contract lifecycle management (CLM) including drafting, review, negotiation, execution, and post-contract management.
• Ensure strong contract governance, version control, audit readiness, and repository management.
• Lead CLM tool strategy, implementation, and adoption across the enterprise.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal, financial, operational, and regulatory risks in contracts.
• Ensure alignment with global compliance, regulatory requirements, and internal policies.
• Partner closely with Compliance, Risk, Audit, and Legal teams to embed risk-based contracting practices.
• Establish controls and monitoring mechanisms for contract compliance and audits.
• Provide strategic oversight and guidance on high-value, complex, and global contracts, especially US contracts.
• Support negotiation strategies involving indemnities, liability, IP, data privacy, and regulatory provisions.
• Act as an escalation point for critical negotiations and risk decisions.
• Team Leadership & Capability Building
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing Contracts COE team, including Senior Manager – Contracts.
• Drive talent development, succession planning, and capability enhancement.
• Establish performance metrics, quality standards, and delivery excellence frameworks.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Provide periodic reporting and insights to senior leadership on contracting risks, performance, and trends.
• Present key metrics, risks, and strategic initiatives to Legal leadership and business stakeholders.
• Drive transparency and data-driven decision-making in contracting operations.

Qualification & Experience    

• 15+ years of experience working in a Leadership position within the legal department of a multi-national company.
• LLB/LLM graduate.
• Proven ability to build and scale centralized COE models
• Strong expertise in US and international contracting frameworks
• Deep understanding of risk management, compliance, and regulatory environments
• Experience leading and developing large, high-performing teams
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills at senior leadership levels
• Exceptional communication and executive presentation skills
• Secondary Skills (desired)
• Experience implementing CLM tools and digital transformation initiatives
• Exposure to enterprise risk management frameworks
• Background in shared services or global capability centers (GCCs)