Head - Legal, Thermal

GMR Group; Delhi; On-site; INR 4,000,000 - 7,000,000; Full time

Job summary

GMR Group in Delhi seeks a senior legal leader to drive litigation, contract management, and regulatory engagement across its Thermal Assets and related ventures. You will lead a high-performing team, oversee due diligence for acquisitions, and shape strategic legal guidance for business units.

The role requires extensive post-qualification experience in infrastructure/aviation legal environments, with a focus on risk management, compliance, and stakeholder coordination.

Qualifications

• 15-18 years of post-qualification experience in litigation and regulatory legal work, preferably in infrastructure, aviation, or regulated sectors.
• Experience leading teams and handling high-stakes matters.

Responsibilities

• Lead pending litigation across courts and regulatory forums for Thermal Assets and GKEL/GWEL assets.
• Draft, vet and negotiate commercial contracts (EPC, PPA, O&M, NDA, MoUs, land contracts).
• Advise management on counsel selection, litigation costs, and timelines.
• Coordinate with law firms and senior advocates; briefing and strategy.
• Oversee MIS, reporting, and online litigation management system updates.
• Provide strategic legal advice to internal teams and train junior staff.
• Interface with regulators and government bodies on policy matters and compliance.
• Ensure contract/concession compliance and risk mitigation in major transactions.

Skills

Litigation management

Contract drafting

Regulatory affairs

M&A due diligence

Education

Degree in Law

Job description

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

List the responsibilities/duties associated with the job. For each responsibility/duty listed, give the factors on which an individual’s performance is judged

Litigation management:

• Taking lead in conducting pending legal and regulatory litigation involving Thermal Assets pending before various courts and regulatory forums.
• Taking lead in conducting pending dispute involving GKEL & GWEL Assets pending before regulatory authorities(SERC , CERC &APTEL),High Courts & Supreme courts including Domestic /international Arbitration Matter .
• Advising management on issue such as choice of counsel, litigation cost & time pertaining to all litigation
• Coordination with the solicitor firm and briefing the senior advocates in coordination with the firm.
• Drafting, vetting, reviewing, filing and conducting the matters

External Stakeholders:

• Meeting and briefing different counsels including Sr advocaes for case discussions and hearing to arrive at optimal solutions
• Leading in conferences, briefing, meeting along with the business team(s)

Contract: Drafting, Vetting & Negotiation:

• Taking lead in drafting vetting of various commercial contracts such as EPC for Unit 4 , PPA, O&M ,SPA, Financing contracts(project finance, working capital, cost overrun), NDA, MoUs, land related contracts etc. etc..
• Vetting of documents relating to New PPA
• Assisting in negotiations pertaining to various commercial contracts , financing
• Advising and flagging apparent business / commercial /legal risks for business teams
• Extending continuous support to the business team towards development of new projects.

Merger & Acquisition Space:

• Assisiting in due diligence, documentation for acquisition of companies / sale of assets

MIS & Reporting:

• To oversee and finalize weekly, fortnightly, monthly and quarterly reporting to Management regarding status litigation and its future strategy
• Providing inputs for various MIS templates
• Ensure timely updation of online Litigation Management System
• To present important litigation and contracts before the Board Of Directors companies pertaining to Thermal assets.

Developing internal stakeholders’ confidence:

• Advice to business teams on various legal issues
• Providing written legal opinions and strategic inputs to internal teams

Training & Development:

• Conduct periodic training to junior staffs of legal department and other cross functional teams

Miscellaneous:

• Environment scanning for latest case-law and statutes/amendments specific to the Sector.
• Should have knowledge of using various AI tools relating to legal work

ORGANISATION CHART

Head Legal(Thermal) --> Head-Legal (Energy)

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Litigation handling (Success rate)
• Commercial Contracts & Agreements (Delivery of quality and within the agreed timelines)
• Contractual i.e Concession Agmt with Govt of India, Land Lease and State Support Agmt with the State Govt (Compliance %)
• Handling of critical issues having higher strategic importance like AERA, PSF, IPOs and Group Initiatives (Success rate)
• Statutory compliance by GHIAL, JVs and Subsidiaries (% of compliance)
• Providing strategic legal advise to the organization on critical issues (Effective and doable advises)
• Contribute to Business Excellence band change (BE Score)
• Providing complete legal support to all the internal departments (No. of issues closed effectively)
• Leading and Managing the Team by enhancing the employee engagement. (EE score)
• AOP adherence (AOP)

Regulatory & Government Interface

• Advise management on legal and policy matters impacting airport business, including issues under OMDA, State Support Agreements, AERA, MoCA, DGCA, BCAS, AAI, Customs, and other regulatory bodies.
• Oversee drafting and vetting of communications, responses, and representations to government stakeholders, including parliamentary queries.
• Contribute to policy advocacy and regulatory engagement for safeguarding business interests and enabling project approvals. No. of regulatory representations submitted with successful outcomes
• Timeliness of responses to government notices/queries
• Regulatory risk incidents mitigated through early engagement

Statutory Compliance & Internal Controls

• Oversee legal and contractual compliance across statutory obligations, concession frameworks, and regulatory filings.
• Implement compliance tracking systems and review legal risk registers regularly.
• Guide execution of key project-related legal documentation and institutional controls (e.g., original document safekeeping, seal policy, document version control). Statutory compliance audit score
• % Closure of compliance observations
• Accuracy of contract and concession compliance matrix

EXTERNAL INTERACTIONS

• GCM, BCMs,
• CEO and all HODs
• Other Sectors Business Heads
• Other Sectors Legal Heads and other HODs

INTERNAL INTERACTIONS

• Regulatory Authority (AERA) ;Various Statutory Authorities (both Central & State)
• Ministry of Civil Aviation
• Judicial and Quasi-judicial authorities
• Law Firms and Senior Counsel (High Court and Supreme Court)

FINANCIAL DIMENSIONS

• Protecting the interests of the organization in the potential financial litigation matters like UDF, PSF etc.
• Support in recovery of receivable/debts
• Support in availing the legitimate entitlements

OTHER DIMENSIONS

• Effectively handle teams consisting of internal and external members
• Ensuring legal support in 5 to 6 major transactions in a year

EDUCATION QUALIFICATIONS

• Degree in Law

RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

• 15-18 years of post-qualification experience in litigation and regulatory legal work, with at least 10 years in a leadership role preferably in infrastructure, aviation, or regulated sectors