Senior Manager Legal (In-House Counsel)

Position Overview

The Senior Manager - Legal will lead the in-house legal function for Nitco Ltd s Tiles, Marble, and Mosaic businesses, providing strategic and operational legal support across manufacturing, sourcing, sales, retail, distribution, and project businesses. The role requires deep expertise in commercial contracts, real estate, channel partner arrangements, litigation management, and regulatory compliance, with strong commercial acumen to support business growth while managing legal risk.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategic Legal Advisory & Business Partnering

• Act as a key legal advisor to senior management, business heads, plant leadership, and sales leadership across Tiles, Marble, and Mosaic verticals.
• Advise on legal risks relating to manufacturing operations, sourcing, imports, distribution, retail, and large project sales.
• Support strategic initiatives including channel expansion, flagship stores, franchise models, new product launches, and long-term supply arrangements.
• Enable business decisions by balancing legal compliance with commercial practicality.

2. Contract Management & Commercial Negotiation

• Lead drafting, review, and negotiation of high-value and complex contracts, including:
• Dealer, distributor, franchise, and channel partner agreements
• Supply, procurement, and vendor contracts (domestic & international)
• Manufacturing, job-work, and logistics agreements
• Lease deeds and real estate agreements for showrooms, warehouses, and offices
• EPC / project-related contracts for institutional and B2B sales
• Marketing, branding, influencer, and advertising agreements
• Employment contracts and labour-related documentation
• Define contract templates, approval matrices, and negotiation playbooks aligned with Nitco s risk framework.
• Provide guidance on contract interpretation, performance issues, terminations, and enforcement.

3. Litigation & Dispute Management

• Oversee all litigation, arbitration, and regulatory matters including:

• Dealer, distributor, and channel disputes
• Consumer cases, commercial suits, and recovery matters
• Labour and employment-related disputes
• Real estate and lease-related disputes
• Regulatory and statutory matters
• Formulate litigation strategy in coordination with external counsel and senior leadership.
• Review and approve notices, pleadings, replies, settlements, and compromise agreements.
• Monitor case progress, legal costs, and exposure, ensuring timely reporting and resolution.

4. Compliance, Governance & Regulatory Oversight

• Ensure compliance with applicable laws including Companies Act, Contract Act, labour laws, IPR laws, consumer protection laws, environmental and factory-related compliances, IT and data protection regulations.
• Oversee statutory filings, compliance calendars, and internal audits.
• Strengthen corporate governance practices and risk management frameworks.
• Maintain oversight of statutory registers, compliance trackers, and legal risk registers across locations and plants.

5. Policy Development & Process Excellence

• Lead drafting and periodic review of internal legal policies, SOPs, and governance frameworks relevant to manufacturing, sales, retail, and projects.
• Drive standardization and automation initiatives such as Contract Lifecycle Management (CLM) systems.
• Improve turnaround time, documentation quality, and approval workflows within the legal function.

6. External Counsel Management

• Allocate work, set priorities, and ensure quality and consistency of legal output.
• Manage and negotiate with external counsels, law firms, and consultants across jurisdictions.
• Control legal spend and ensure cost-effective handling of legal matters.

7. Reporting & Senior Stakeholder Communication

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  Prepare and present periodic legal, litigation, and compliance reports to senior management.
• Highlight key legal risks, mitigation strategies, and business impact.
• Maintain strong collaboration with Sales, Procurement, HR, Finance, Projects, and Operations teams.

Qualifications & Experience

• LL.B. or LL.M. from a recognized university.
• 8-12 years of post-qualification experience, with strong exposure to in-house legal roles in manufacturing, building materials, FMCG, retail, or infrastructure sectors.
• Proven experience in commercial contracts, litigation management, compliance, and channel partner ecosystems.
• Ability to independently handle complex legal matters in a fast-paced business environment.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Advanced contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing, retail, and distribution-led business models.
• Strategic thinking with strong commercial judgment.
• Leadership, stakeholder management, and decision-making capability.
• High integrity, confidentiality, and attention to detail.