GM – Legal & Company Secretary

Job Title : General Manager – Legal & Company Secretary

Location : Gurgaon

Reporting To : CFO

Industry : Retail

Role Overview

The GM – Legal & Company Secretary will oversee all legal, compliance, and corporate governance functions for a leading retail brand with pan-India operations. The role requires a deep understanding of retail business complexities—store operations, leases, vendor contracts, consumer laws, and regulatory requirements. The position will act as a key strategic advisor to the leadership team and ensure the organization operates with strong legal discipline and governance excellence.

Key Responsibilities

1. Corporate Governance & Secretarial Functions

Ensure compliance with Companies Act, SEBI, FEMA, Shop & Establishment Act, and all applicable retail-related laws.

Manage all Board, Committee, and Shareholder meetings — preparation of agenda, minutes, resolutions, statutory registers.

Maintain timely ROC filings and ensure adherence to governance norms.

Advise management and the Board on regulatory updates, risk exposure, and compliance obligations.

Liaison with regulators, statutory bodies, and external stakeholders.

2. Legal Advisory for Retail Business

Provide legal oversight on retail operations including store openings, closures, licenses, and compliance.

Draft and negotiate agreements related to leases, franchise, vendors, marketing, logistics, ecommerce, technology, and partnerships.

Address consumer complaints, legal notices, and ensure compliance with the Consumer Protection Act.

Drive compliance for retail policies including POS, data privacy, pricing disclosures, and product / packaging regulatory norms.

3. Lease & Property Management

Lead all commercial lease negotiations for stores, warehouses, and offices.

Ensure timely renewals, compliance with lease terms, property documentation, and dispute resolution with landlords.

Support expansion teams with strong legal risk evaluation for new site acquisitions.

4. Litigation & Dispute Management

Manage litigation across consumer forums, labour matters, property disputes, and regulatory bodies.

Coordinate with external law firms and legal counsel.

Develop strategies for efficient and cost-effective resolution.

5. Risk, Compliance & Process Excellence

Identify legal risks specific to multi-store retail operations and implement strong controls.

Conduct internal compliance audits for stores and backend operations.

Train store teams on legal awareness — leases, local laws, consumer handling, etc.

Implement standardized legal templates and workflows across regions.

6. Strategic Business Partnering

Work closely with leadership on expansion, M&A, key partnerships, and strategic initiatives.

Provide practical, business-friendly legal solutions that support growth while ensuring governance discipline.

Serve as a trusted advisor to CXOs and business heads.

Skills & Competencies

Strong understanding of retail industry laws, store operations, and commercial real estate.

Excellent expertise in contracts, negotiations, and dispute management.

High integrity, judgement, and risk awareness.

Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.

Ability to work in fast-paced, multi-location retail environments.

Proactive, practical, and solution-oriented approach.

Qualifications & Experience

LLB + Company Secretary (CS) – both mandatory

12–18 years of experience in Legal & Secretarial roles, with strong exposure to retail, consumer-facing, or multi-location businesses.

Proven experience in handling Board processes, commercial agreements, leases, and regulatory compliance.

Prior experience in leading legal strategy for large-format or omni-channel retail preferred.

Why Join Us?

Opportunity to work with one of India’s most respected retail brands.

High strategic visibility and influence across business functions.

Key role in shaping legal strategy and enabling retail expansion across India.