Manager / Sr Manager - Legal

James Douglas; Mumbai; On-site; INR 2,400,000 - 4,200,000; Full time

Job summary

James Douglas in Mumbai seeks a senior legal professional to support the International Business legal function. You will lead drafting, review, and negotiation of international agreements, manage regulatory and contractual compliance, and provide strategic advisory on cross-border transactions and M&A activity.

Expect to work closely with business teams, drive contract lifecycle improvements, and ensure risk mitigation across global partnerships while upholding corporate governance and SOP

Qualifications

• LLB required; 8–10+ years post-qualification experience.
• Experience in pharma, healthcare, life sciences, or related fields preferred.
• Strong drafting and negotiating of international agreements and commercial contracts.
• Exposure to M&A transactions, due diligence, and corporate advisory work.

Responsibilities

• Lead drafting, review, vetting, and negotiation of international agreements including licensing, development, manufacturing, supply, and distribution.
• Review and periodically update standard agreement templates and recommend legal safeguards and risk mitigation measures.
• Support merger and acquisition activities including due diligence, agreement review, transaction support, and preparation of management reports.
• Provide legal advisory support on corporate and business law matters across multiple business functions.
• Ensure effective management and tracking of contracts through legal systems and contract management tools.
• Drive legal process improvements and provide guidance on SOP adherence across functions.
• Support other legal matters including power of attorney documentation, loan recovery matters, and general corporate legal requirements.

Skills

International agreements

Contract drafting

Contract negotiation

M&A due diligence

Due diligence

Commercial contracts

Risk management

Corporate advisory

Life sciences knowledge

Pharma/healthcare experience

Contract law

Review and vetting

SOP adherence

Process improvement

Vetting

Regulatory compliance

Education

LLB

Tools

Contract management software

Job description

About the client

A leading Indian pharmaceutical organization with a strong presence across domestic and international markets. The organization has established capabilities across formulations and strategic partnerships and continues to expand its global footprint through licensing, collaborations, and business alliances.

The Opportunity

The role will support the legal function for International Business and will play a critical role in managing contractual, transactional, and advisory responsibilities across global partnerships and strategic initiatives.

The mandate is to provide end-to-end legal support across international agreements, business transactions, risk management, and M&A activities while partnering closely with business and cross-functional stakeholders. The position will be instrumental in enabling commercial growth while ensuring legal compliance and risk mitigation.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead drafting, review, vetting, and negotiation of various international agreements including licensing, development, manufacturing, supply, consultancy, confidentiality, distribution, agency, and service agreements.
• Review and periodically update standard agreement templates and recommend legal safeguards and risk mitigation measures.
• Support merger and acquisition activities including due diligence, agreement review, transaction support, and preparation of management reports.
• Provide legal advisory support on corporate and business law matters across multiple business functions.
• Ensure effective management and tracking of contracts through legal systems and contract management tools.
• Drive legal process improvements and provide guidance on SOP adherence across functions.
• Support other legal matters including power of attorney documentation, loan recovery matters, and general corporate legal requirements.

Candidate Profile

• LLB qualification is mandatory; additional qualifications will be preferred.
• 8-10+ years of post-qualification experience with strong exposure to commercial and international legal work.
• Prior experience within pharmaceuticals, healthcare, life sciences, or related industries preferred.
• Strong experience in drafting and negotiating international agreements and commercial contracts.
• Exposure to M&A transactions, legal due diligence, and corporate advisory work preferred.
• Strong understanding of contract law, business law, and legal risk management.

Skills

• Business Law
• Commercial Contracts
• Contract Law
• Contract Management
• Corporate Advisory
• Drafting
• Due Diligence
• Healthcare Industry Knowledge
• International Agreements
• Legal Advisory
• Legal Risk Management
• Life Sciences Knowledge
• M&A Transactions
• Negotiation
• Pharmaceutical Industry Knowledge
• Process Improvement
• Review
• SOP Adherence
• Transaction Support
• Vetting