In-House Counsel

RRecruiter; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

RRecruiter is seeking an experienced commercial contracts lawyer to manage the full lifecycle of contracts in a fast-paced environment in Singapore. You will draft, review, and negotiate main contracts, vendor agreements, and subcontracts while ensuring compliance with corporate policies and statutory requirements.

The role emphasizes risk control and effective dispute resolution to protect business interests.

Qualifications

• Qualified legal professional, admitted to the Bar in Singapore or other recognized common law jurisdiction.
• LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) or equivalent legal degree.
• 5–8 years PQE, in-house or at a reputable law firm.
• Experience in commercial, trade and contractual matters for construction/engineering sectors.
• Strong drafting, analytical and negotiation capabilities.
• High commercial awareness and ability to deliver pragmatic legal solutions.
• Proven track record in navigating complex contractual disputes.

Responsibilities

• Contract Administration: partner with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless delivery and management of contracts.
• Drafting & Negotiation: lead review, negotiation and finalization of main contracts, vendor agreements, and subcontracts.
• Risk Control: optimize contracting workflows and minimize exposures.
• Lifecycle Oversight: manage contracts from drafting to close-out with milestones and compliance obligations.
• Conflict Resolution & Compliance: resolve variations, claims, and conflicts to safeguard the business.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Risk management

Legal advisory

Stakeholder management

Education

LL.B. or equivalent

Job description

• Contract Administration: Partner with cross-functional departments (such as Operations and Finance) as well as external partners to guarantee the seamless delivery and daily management of contractual agreements.
• Drafting & Negotiation: Lead the review, negotiation, and finalization of diverse agreements—including main contracts, vendor agreements, and subcontracts. Ensure all documents align strictly with corporate policies and statutory requirements.
• Risk Control: Coordinate with procurement and project groups to optimize contracting workflows, preemptively spotting and minimizing commercial and legal exposures.
• Lifecycle Oversight: Direct the contract lifecycle from initial drafting to close-out. This includes diligently monitoring milestones, project deliverables, and compliance obligations.
• Conflict Resolution & Compliance: Evaluate ongoing contract execution to maintain alignment with agreed terms. Effectively manage and resolve any variations, claims, or conflicts to safeguard the business's interests.

Commercial & Advisory Duties

• Strategic Counsel: Deliver actionable legal and commercial guidance regarding pricing strategies, trade terms, and negotiations to optimize project margins while maintaining legal integrity.
• Tendering Assistance: Evaluate bid submissions for legal compliance, accuracy, and completeness, proactively highlighting potential risks and commercial opportunities within tender packages.
• Project Documentation: Guide the formulation of essential project paperwork, ensuring that time extension requests (EOT), progress billing, and expense/damage claims are well-supported and legally defensible.
• Commercial Negotiations: Serve as the primary legal advisor for commercial disputes. Assist the commercial department during negotiations with vendors, subcontractors, and clients to drive projects to a successful and timely conclusion.
• Project Recovery: Assist operational teams in driving supplier performance to hit deadlines, advising on and structuring legal recovery strategies when projects face delays.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Licensing: Qualified legal professional, admitted to the Bar (in good standing) in Singapore or another recognized common law jurisdiction.
• Education: LL.B. (Bachelor of Laws) or equivalent legal degree.
• Experience: 5 to 8 years of Post-Qualification Experience (PQE), acquired either in-house or within a reputable law firm.
• Industry Knowledge: Demonstrated expertise handling commercial, trade, and contractual matters specifically tailored to the construction or engineering sectors.
• Outstanding legal drafting, analytical, and negotiation capabilities.
• High level of commercial awareness, focusing on delivering pragmatic, business-friendly legal solutions.
• Proven track record of navigating and resolving complex contractual disagreements.
• Superb interpersonal and communication skills to engage seamlessly with external partners and cross-functional internal teams.
• Meticulous and highly organized, capable of balancing competing priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced work setting.