Group Legal & Contracts Manager

EmpowerU Inc; Metro Manila; On-site; PHP 1,200,000 - 2,400,000; Full time

Job summary

EmpowerU, Inc. seeks a Group Legal & Contracts Manager to build and run a disciplined group-wide contract function supporting an international UK-headquartered business.

The role involves hands-on drafting, review and negotiation of commercial contracts and advising when external counsel is needed. You will collaborate with the Head of Finance / COO and senior leaders, coordinating contract workflow, renewals and risk management across diverse areas including technology, brokerage, education and

Qualifications

• Extensive hands-on experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Experience with technology/software, licensing and data/privacy terms.
• Ability to establish contract governance, templates and an approvals workflow.

Responsibilities

• Establish and maintain a central Group contract repository and approved templates.
• Review, draft, negotiate and manage commercial contracts across multiple entities.
• Coordinate external counsel, manage legal spend and ensuring compliance with group policies.
• Oversee employment, supplier, events, education and partnership agreements.
• Identify commercial risks and provide practical recommendations to leadership.

Skills

Commercial contracts

IP and data privacy

Negotiation

Contract management

Education

Law degree / legal qualification

Job description

Core Values:

EmpowerU, Inc. is anchored in four fundamental values, known as the 4Cs: Care, Communication, Camaraderie, and Commitment. These principles guide our interactions with clients and among team members, ensuring a cohesive and supportive work environment.

Care: Our dedication to exceeding client and stakeholder expectations is paramount.

Communication: We maintain transparent and continuous communication to provide exceptional support.

Camaraderie: We foster a culture of inclusivity and unity, making our workplace feel like a second home.

Commitment: Our unwavering pursuit of excellence defines our approach to every task.

Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced and commercially minded Group Legal & Contracts Managerto establish and manage a disciplined, group-wide legal and contracts function supporting an international business headquartered in the UK.

This is a hands-on role for someone who can review, draft, negotiate, organise and manage commercial contracts, while also recognising when specialist or jurisdiction-specific legal advice should be referred to external counsel.

You will work closely with the Head of Finance / COO, with direct access to the Founder and functional heads, and will become the central point of coordination for legal workflow, contract quality, commercial risk, renewals, approvals and external legal support across the Group.

The role covers a diverse international business portfolio including technology and software, brokerage and commercial partnerships, education and coaching programmes, events and missions, logistics, suppliers, insurance, travel, employment and contractor arrangements.

Key Responsibilities

Technology & Software Contracts

• Manage agreements with software developers and technology providers.

• Review and manage technology vendor agreements, licensing arrangements, intellectual property provisions, data-related terms, service levels and commercial conditions.

• Identify and manage contractual risks relating to software development, technology providers and product partnerships.

Brokerage & Commercial Partnerships

• Review, negotiate and administer agreements relating to the Group's brokerage business.

• Manage agreements with partner brokers, software and product partners, introducers and other commercial counterparties.

• Support the business in structuring commercially practical contractual arrangements while identifying material legal and commercial risks.

Client Contracts

• Own and maintain customer-facing agreements for advanced programmes, education, coaching, subscription and other high-ticket products.

• Review and improve client terms, including commercial obligations, refund and cancellation provisions, liability and other relevant contractual protections.

• Work closely with business teams to ensure customer contracts support commercial objectives while appropriately managing risk.

Events, Missions & Operational Contracts

• Manage contracts relating to the Group's events, missions, venues, logistics and travel providers.

• Review agreements with instructors, contractors and other operational partners.

• Manage participant terms, waivers, insurance requirements and operational risk documentation.

• Identify contractual and operational risks associated with international missions, events and travel activities.

Employment & Contractor Contracts

• Maintain and manage standard templates for employees, consultants and contractors across the Group.

• Coordinate employment and contractor agreements with People Operations.

• Work with external employment specialists where local or jurisdiction-specific legal advice is required.

Supplier & Procurement Contracts

• Review supplier and procurement agreements and negotiate appropriate commercial terms.

• Manage contractual provisions relating to renewals, termination rights, liability, service levels, data processing and other commercial obligations.

• Ensure supplier contracts are properly documented, approved and monitored throughout their lifecycle.

Insurance & Risk Administration

• Maintain a central register of relevant insurance policies.

• Monitor policy renewal dates and contractual insurance requirements.

• Maintain evidence of insurance and certificates where required.

• Coordinate with insurance brokers and specialist advisers on relevant contractual and risk matters.

Legal Operations & Contract Management

• Establish and maintain a centralGroup contract repository.

• Maintain the contract approval matrix and signing process.

• Develop and maintain an up-to-date library of approved contract templates.

• Maintain a renewal calendar and ensure contractual notice dates and obligations are actively monitored.

• Maintain a live legal matter tracker covering current legal and contractual issues.

• Establish practical processes that allow the business to move quickly while maintaining appropriate legal and commercial controls.

External Counsel Management

• Identify matters requiring specialist, regulated or jurisdiction-specific legal advice.

• Brief external lawyers clearly and efficiently.

• Coordinate external counsel and monitor the progress of legal matters.

• Manage external legal spend and ensure appropriate use of specialist advisers.

• Translate external legal advice into clear, practical actions for management and operational teams.

Group & Entity Support

Provide contract and legal coordination across the Group's businesses and shared-service functions, including:

• Education and coaching businesses

• Technology and software operations

• Brokerage and financial services operations

• Events, missions and logistics operations

• Group/shared-service functions

• Other relevant Group entities

What Success Looks Like

Within your first 30 days, you will be expected to begin establishing visibility and control across the Group's legal and contractual landscape.

Your key areas of responsibility will include:

• Contract Control:Establish a complete group contract inventory, including contract owner, entity, expiry and renewal information, with appropriate risk prioritisation.

• Commercial Turnaround:Establish practical service levels for routine contract reviews, negotiations and outstanding matters.

• Risk Reduction:Identify and elevate high-risk contractual issues and exposures and ensure appropriate action owners are assigned.

• Template Quality:Establish a prioritised and controlled library of current templates for major products, suppliers, contractors and commercial partners.

• Renewals & Obligations:Implement effective 90/60/30-day renewal and notice-date controls to prevent unexpected renewals or missed contractual obligations.

• External Counsel Efficiency:Establish appropriate escalation rules, specialist counsel arrangements and budget controls.

• Business Enablement:Create an efficient contracting and approval workflow that enables the business to launch products, services and commercial relationships without avoidable legal delays.

About You

We are looking for someone withsubstantial hands-on commercial contracts experience, ideally gained within a multi-company, entrepreneurial, international or fast-moving business environment.

You should have:

• At least5 years' relevant experiencein commercial contracts, legal operations, contract management or a closely related legal role.

• Strong hands-on experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts.

• Experience withtechnology/software, SaaS, licensing, supplier, partnership and customer agreements.

• Practical knowledge ofIP, software development/provider arrangements, data/privacy provisions and commercial liability allocation.

• Experience handling customer-facing agreements, ideally involving high-value programmes, subscriptions, education, coaching or other consumer/client services.

• Strong contract-management and legal-operations discipline, including repositories, renewals, templates, approval matrices and matter tracking.

• The ability to assess commercial risk and explain legal issues clearly inplain business English.

• Good judgement in distinguishing a genuine deal-breaker from a manageable commercial risk.

• Experience coordinating employment, insurance, travel/event and international legal matters with specialist advisers.

• Excellent attention to detail and strong follow-through.

• The confidence and professionalism to follow up with senior executives, suppliers and external counterparties regarding contracts, signatures, documentation and decisions.

• Strong written and verbal communication and negotiation skills.

• ALaw degree / legal qualificationis advantageous, although practical commercial-contract capability and sound judgement are essential.

Technical & Work Requirements

• High-speed, reliable internet connection (minimum 50 Mbps download and upload).

• Backup internet connection.

• Backup power solution to ensure uninterrupted work.

• Willingness to work Australian or UK business hours.

• Flexibility to work weekends and public holidays when required.

• Available to start immediately.

What This Role Is - and Is Not

This is acommercially focused legal-operations and contracts role.

You will be expected to personally handle routine-to-complex commercial contracts, including drafting, review, negotiation, administration and risk management.

At the same time, you will be expected to recognise when an issue requiresqualified specialist or jurisdiction-specific external legal advice. You are not expected to be an expert in every country's law; rather, you will be the Group's capable owner of legal workflow, contract quality, risk visibility and external-counsel coordination.

This role is particularly suited to someone who combineslegal judgement with strong commercial sense, organisation and execution.
Confidentiality Notice: This recruitment advertisement intentionally does not disclose the names of the Group's individual companies, brands, clients, technology providers or other confidential commercial relationships.