Head of Legal

Job Description

Contracts & Commercial

• Lead the Company's commercial contracting strategy, including drafting, negotiation, approval, and lifecycle management
• Advise on liability, indemnities, warranties, service levels, and IP and data terms in customer and vendor engagements
• Build and maintain contract templates, Master Service Agreements (MSAs), approval workflows, and a central contract repository to standardize terms and accelerate deal cycles
• Develop contracting policies, delegated authority matrices, and legal approval processes

Corporate Governance & Compliance

• Provide corporate legal support to the Board of Directors, Company Secretary, and Senior Leadership on company secretarial matters, board and shareholder documentation, corporate structuring, and intra-group arrangements
• Ensure compliance with the Companies Act, corporate governance, and sector-specific regulation; monitor legislative developments and translate obligations into actionable business guidance
• Liaise with external counsel, regulatory authorities, and government agencies on legal matters across Sri Lanka and regional markets
• Manage disputes, demands, negotiations, settlements, arbitration, and litigation to protect the Company's position and minimize exposure
• Advise management on employment law, disciplinary matters, workplace investigations, restructuring, employee relations, and labor disputes
• Identify, assess, and mitigate legal and regulatory risks across the business
• Maintain the Company's legal risk register and report material legal risks to senior management and the Board

Intellectual Property & Notarial Work

• Protect Company IP through trademark registrations, filings, and enforcement, and advise on ownership and licensing of software, developed solutions, and AI-generated outputs
• Execute notarial work, legal attestations, and document certifications in line with applicable requirements

Data Protection & Privacy

• Ensure compliance with Sri Lanka's Personal Data Protection Act No. 9 of 2022 and international frameworks (e.g., GDPR), lawful basis, data subject rights, cross-border transfers, and records of processing
• Lead privacy incident and breach response with cybersecurity and IT teams, and embed privacy by design into solution design, procurement, and vendor contracting
• Support financial sector clients' regulated compliance needs, including Central Bank of Sri Lanka technology risk requirements

AI Governance & Responsible Use

• Advise on the legal and ethical risks of AI solutions, including output ownership, training-data provenance and licensing, liability allocation, and avoidance of AI washing
• Review and negotiate AI, LLM, and emerging technology arrangements and standards, and run AI risk assessments across the solution lifecycle
• Provide legal guidance, training, and awareness to internal stakeholders across contractual, regulatory, and technology matters

Person Specification

• LLB and/or Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, with a valid Notarial License to practice in English
• 18 to 20 years' post-admission experience across technology, systems integration, telecommunications, or financial services, with exposure to data protection and AI-related legal matters
• Strong knowledge of Sri Lankan commercial, corporate, contract, employment, intellectual property, data protection, and technology law
• Proven experience in contract drafting, negotiation, and documentation management, ideally including technology, cloud, or services agreements
• Excellent negotiation, drafting, and communication skills, with the ability to explain complex issues to non-legal stakeholders
• Sound commercial judgment, integrity, and the confidence to advise and challenge senior leadership
• Experience in supporting procurement, sales, and technology delivery teams
• Stakeholder management, leadership, and influencing skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced technology environment