Legal Counsel & Contract Manager

WHO ARE WE? The Job Holder will be part of the Legal, Contract and Compliance Department of Thales international division (DGDI) for Southeast Asia, supporting all Thales businesses in Southeast Asia and Taiwan (“the Region”). Within DGDI, you report hierarchically to the Legal, Contract and Compliance Director for Southeast Asia. Thales has been present and has grown from strength to strength in the Asian region for over 50 years, providing state-of-the-art solutions for customers in the avionics, secure communications and information systems, defense mission systems and strategy, research and technology, and digital security domains. The position particularly covers IBS Business Line (Identity and Biometrics Solutions) activities in the Region. The IBS Business Line offers Identity and Biometrics Solutions to governments, public authorities, police forces, and private entities in the field of civil identity, with more than 200 programs deployed worldwide: secure documents (biometric passports, electronic ID cards, driving licenses, other documents), management of sovereign identity, trusted digital infrastructures, border crossing management solutions, biometric solutions for criminal investigations. This is a rapidly growing activity for several years. WHO ARE YOU? You hold an advanced academic background in Law, Contract Management, Business, or related field, equivalent to a Master’s degree level qualification (EU/UK/SG/US or other comparable higher education systems) including a Specialization in Law, You have 10 years of demonstrated experience as a legal counsel working in an international context, as part of the legal department of a multinational company, Endowed with analytical and synthesis skills, you assess situations accurately and can easily propose pragmatic solutions, You understand the stakes associated with a major international Group’s compliance program, You master the techniques related to third-party review (third-party screening) and are able to conduct compliance analyses, During your experience, you have developed strong proactivity towards stakeholders and good ability to manage priorities, You enjoy sharing your experiences and best practices, with a collective and collaborative mindset, You also have good listening and communication skills, You are keen to work in diverse teams and have inter-cultural awareness and interest, You have full mastery of IT tools, all types of data exchange platforms, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint, You can travel on regular basis over the Region (once a month) and from time-to-time to Europe (once a year). WHAT WE CAN ACHIEVE TOGEHTHER? The position particularly covers IBS Business Line (Identity and Biometrics Solutions) activities in the Region. It also covers transversal activities in the Region for dedicated countries like Philippines and Thailand. On both sides, it covers a wide range of activities, mainly on export markets. The role includes managing performance, ensuring contractual compliance, setting standards and processes, and ensuring timely and effective execution across the contract lifecycle. Key Responsibilities: -Own contract lifecycle delivery for the perimeter -Lead negotiation strategy and provide commercial/legal recommendations -Manage contract risks and ensure governance processes are followed -Maintain auditable contract documentation and reporting 1. Contractual Support for Tender, Offers, Variations & Extensions Recommend contractual structures that enhance competitiveness while respecting applicable regulations and internal governance Draft, revise, and negotiate contractual documents with customers, partners, and subcontractors Contribute to internal risk reviews, financial exposure assessments, and mitigation plans Ability to identify opportunities to protect or improve projects’ financial performance Support the capture and preparation of variations, extensions, new phases or related offers connected to existing program Prepare and present contractual sections of internal approval documentation, including clear recommendations to management Participate in the risk analysis process and the construction of mitigation plans with the help of operations (possibly estimating financial provisions for risks such as delay, if necessary), 2. Contract Management Throughout Project Execution Establish, manage, and continuously update the contractual baseline from contract signature to project closure Ensure full contractual awareness across…