Job Title - Legal Manager 

Location: Madurai, India

Coats is a world leader in thread manufacturing and structural components for apparel and footwear, as well as an innovative pioneer in performance materials. These critical solutions are used to create a wide range of products, including ones that provide safety and protection for people, data and the environment.

Trusted by the world's leading companies to deliver crucial, innovative, and sustainable solutions, we provide value-adding products including apparel, footwear and speciality threads.

With a proud heritage dating back more than 250 years and a spirit of evolution to constantly stay ahead of changing market needs, we have operations across 50 countries with a workforce of over 17,000, serving our customers worldwide.

Role Purpose-This role will lead a team of Sales Operations Executives and Business Analysis with standardised, improved processes & best practices to provide the best in class support and drive new ways of working with digitised and automated platforms and tools in the Commercial and Customer Service team to ensure optimal service and support for our customers in the most timely and efficient manner for sustainable and profitable business growth.  

Role Purpose: 

Contribute to the success of MCPL and the wider Coats group (together, the “Company”) by providing a professional in-house legal and risk management function. This includes managing litigation (both in-house and through external law firms); acting as Legal Business Partner for the allocated region to support the Company in meeting its commercial objectives; facilitating new business by providing commercially oriented legal advice; and protecting the Company by ensuring compliance with regulatory obligations and safeguarding its IP.

Supporting the Senior Legal Lead and the Legal Director, this is a highly commercial role working closely with the business to deliver the Company’s growth strategy.

Principal Accountabilities and Key Activities:

• Drafting and vetting all types of commercial agreements required for the business.

• Managing litigation, both in-house and through instructing and managing external counsel, and representing the Company before the appropriate courts.

• Managing the Company’s contracts database on a day-to-day basis, including migration from the current provider to an internal system.

• Liaising with the Accounts team to process legal services invoices and maintain updated legal records.

• Supporting implementation of Company policies aimed at meeting regulatory obligations.

• Overseeing legal administrative functions, including document archiving, regular updates, issuing the weekly legal movement sheet, and filing.

• Managing relationships with external counsel and law firms.

• Advising management on industrial relations matters, including coordination with legal advisors to defend various cases before Central and State Government Authorities in respect of direct and indirect tax and excise matters pertaining to its mill/office/depot locations.

• Assisting management on intellectual property matters, coordinating with external counsel and business, and working with legal advisors and trademark attorneys to file or defend infringement and passing-off cases.

• Filing legal cases and police complaints against customers, employees and suppliers (e.g., for recoveries, breaches of contract, trademark violations), and against local authorities.

• Assisting during audits conducted by local authorities.

• Supporting the Company in ensuring regulatory and legal compliance with both Company policies (Sanction law, Competition law, Data Protection, Ethics Code, ABC, G&E, etc.) and procedures and State laws and regulations (including the upkeep and monitoring of Lexplosion).

• Conducting legal research.

• Facilitating the execution of agreements and compliance statements and supporting the preparation of mid-year and year-end litigation reports across the group.

• Providing legal support on large-scale corporate projects, including assisting external counsel in sourcing relevant legal documents and helping meet regulatory obligations.

• Provide comprehensive assistance to the Heads of Procurement, Commercial, and Export Administration teams in addressing queries and clarifications sought by the Indian Customs Authorities under the Customs Act and Customs Tariff Act, as well as by authorities administering the Foreign Trade Policy under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, in relation to both imports and exports.

• Act as a Legal Business Partner for the allocated region, supporting the Company in achieving its commercial objectives while ensuring legal and regulatory compliance.

• Ensure safe custody of the registered title deeds and all related property documents for properties owned by the Company in India, jointly maintained by the Legal and Finance teams at Madurai.

• End to End accountability and tracking of legal dossier along with provisions and contingent liabilities next actions and timelines. Review and challenge provisions based on legal precedents.

• Preparing and sending responses to legal notices received from any stake holders.

• This list is not exhaustive, and the role may require providing support on other legal matters and assignments as and when required. 

Education, Qualifications and Experience:

Essential:

• Qualified lawyer from reputed college or university with minimum 7 years’ PQE or equivalent
• Good academics – 3.1 and above and training at a reputable law firm and in-house
• Strong background in commercial law with an excellent knowledge of contract law, with knowledge of English contract law desirable
• Business insight - clearly understands the sources of growth and the integral dynamics of the business
• Excellent written and verbal English language skills
• Excellent drafting, negotiating and influencing skills
• Able to deal with high volumes of work from different stakeholders quickly, effectively and to a high standard
• Ability to set and manage expectations and prioritise work accordingly
• Able to work autonomously, and demonstrate flexibility and adaptability 
• Naturally good at collaborating; and resilient
• Strong work ethic and enthusiasm displaying a positive “winning” attitude.

Desirable:

Personal Characteristics:

• First rate interpersonal skills

• A ravenous desire to learn and a passion to develop themselves and members of their team
• Adaptable - to work with solicitors, professionals and business colleagues of differing levels and qualifications

• High level organisational skills
• The highest standards of integrity and punctuality
• Proactive and assertive in approach
• Credible and professional
• Manufacturing background
• Expertise in Digital Contracting; Sanction Law Competition Law; or Data Protection
• A sense of humour

At Coats Group, we are committed to innovation, excellence, and fostering a diverse and collaborative environment where every team member can thrive. If you are passionate about making an impact in the textile industry and eager to join a global leader with a rich heritage and a forward-thinking approach, we invite you to take the next step in your career with us.

Apply now to be part of our dynamic team and help shape the future of textiles.