Manager Company Secretary & Legal

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic Manager Company Secretary & Legal to lead corporate secretarial, legal, compliance, governance, contract management, and dispute-resolution activities for the organization.

The role will work closely with senior management, business functions, external legal counsel, regulators, auditors, and the global FUCHS Group legal/compliance teams. The ideal candidate should have strong expertise in corporate laws and secretarial matters, along with hands-on experience in commercial contracts, FEMA, compliance, litigation management, and corporate governance.

Key Responsibilities

1. Corporate Secretarial & Governance

• Ensure compliance with the Companies Act, 2013 and other applicable corporate laws and regulations.
• Act as the Company Secretary and manage all statutory and secretarial functions relating to the Board and its Committees.
• Prepare and circulate notices, agendas, board papers, resolutions, and minutes for Board and Committee meetings.
• Maintain statutory registers, records, and corporate documentation.
• Ensure timely and accurate MCA/ROC filings and other statutory submissions.
• Manage AGMs, EGMs, and related statutory documentation and filings.
• Coordinate with regulators, auditors, external advisors, and other stakeholders.
• Advise senior management on corporate governance requirements, regulatory developments, and their business implications.

2. Legal & Contract Management

• Draft, review, negotiate, and vet a wide range of commercial and business agreements, including:
• Vendor and supplier agreements
• Customer agreements
• Distributor agreements
• NDAs and confidentiality agreements
• Rent/lease agreements
• Job-work agreements
• Service and other commercial contracts
• Provide practical legal advice on business transactions, contractual obligations, and risk mitigation.
• Partner with Sales, Procurement, HR, Operations, Finance, and other functions on legal and contractual matters.
• Develop and standardize contract templates, clauses, and legal documentation processes.
• Support and ensure compliance with applicable FEMA requirements and filings, including FLA, APR, ODI, FC-GPR, FC-TRS, and DI reporting.
• Support legal due diligence and documentation requirements in the event of M&A, restructuring, or other strategic transactions.

3. Compliance & Risk Management

• Monitor and ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including:
• Companies Act and corporate laws
• Labour and employment laws
• Environmental, health & safety laws
• Contract and commercial laws
• FEMA and applicable foreign exchange regulations
• SEBI regulations, wherever applicable
• Develop and implement compliance frameworks, policies, procedures, and SOPs.
• Conduct periodic compliance reviews, audits, and legal risk assessments.
• Track regulatory and legislative changes and evaluate their impact on the business.
• Partner with relevant functions to ensure timely implementation of compliance requirements.

4. Litigation & Dispute Management

• Manage and monitor litigation, arbitration, claims, notices, and other legal proceedings.
• Coordinate with external counsels on case strategy, pleadings, documentation, and hearings.
• Maintain an updated litigation and claims tracker.
• Provide regular updates to senior management on significant legal matters, risks, and potential liabilities.
• Drive timely resolution and closure of disputes in coordination with relevant stakeholders.

5. Corporate Governance, Ethics & Compliance Culture

• Promote and strengthen corporate governance practices in alignment with Indian regulations and global FUCHS Group standards.
• Support implementation and communication of the Code of Conduct, ethics, and compliance programs.
• Assist in internal investigations, whistleblower matters, and compliance-related inquiries.
• Ensure appropriate documentation, escalation, and closure of identified compliance issues.
• Promote a strong culture of integrity, accountability, and ethical business conduct.

6. Stakeholder & Global Collaboration

• Work closely with the FUCHS Group global Legal, Compliance, and Governance teams.
• Manage relationships with external legal advisors, consultants, auditors, regulators, and other professional stakeholders.
• Provide timely and concise updates to senior leadership on key legal, compliance, governance, and risk matters.
• Act as a trusted legal and governance partner to business leaders and functional teams.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of the Companies Act, 2013, corporate secretarial practices, and corporate governance.
• Strong expertise in contract drafting, review, negotiation, and risk assessment.
• Working knowledge of FEMA, labour laws, environmental laws, commercial laws, and SEBI regulations, as applicable.
• Hands-on experience with MCA/ROC filings and Board/Shareholder processes.
• Strong understanding of legal compliance frameworks and risk management.
• Experience in managing litigation and external legal counsel.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• High degree of integrity, confidentiality, and professional judgment.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, multinational and matrixed environment.
• Proficiency in MS Office and standard legal/secretarial documentation tools.

Behavioral Attributes

• Proactive and solution-oriented approach.
• Strong ownership and accountability.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to translate complex legal requirements into practical business solutions.
• Strong influencing and business partnering capabilities.
• High ethical standards and a strong governance mindset.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating effectively with cross-functional and global teams.

Qualification & Experience

• Qualified Company Secretary (CS) from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI).
• A Bachelor's degree in Law (LL.B.) will be preferred.
• 8-10 years of relevant post-qualification experience in corporate secretarial, legal, compliance, and governance functions.
• Experience in a multinational/company with global stakeholders will be an advantage.
• Prior experience in manufacturing, industrial, automotive, chemicals, lubricants, or a similar sector will be preferred.

Key Deliverables / Success Measures

• Zero avoidable non-compliance in statutory and regulatory filings.
• Timely and accurate completion of Board, Committee, AGM, and EGM processes.
• Effective management and reduction of legal and regulatory risk exposure.
• Efficient contract lifecycle management and improved contractual governance.
• Timely resolution and closure of litigation and disputes.
• Strong compliance culture and effective implementation of governance frameworks.
• Timely identification and communication of regulatory changes and business risks.
• Effective collaboration with global FUCHS Group legal and compliance stakeholders.