Senior Legal Manager
Position Description
Location: Singapore
Reports to: Head of Legal
About the Company
Our client is a fast-growing data centre company with projects all over Asia, Europe and the Americas
As the business continues to expand, it is strengthening its legal team to support that growth.
The Role
This is the senior legal hire in a lean in-house team. The role leads legal work on tenders, procurement and major customer and supplier contracts as the business enters new markets, taking full ownership of complex matters from first review of tender documents through to signing and contract administration.
The role works directly with senior management and the commercial, procurement and project teams, and deputises for the Head of Legal, providing continuity of senior legal support across the business.
Tenders and Bids
- Review tender and RFP packages, including instructions to tenderers, qualification and compliance requirements, evaluation criteria and draft conditions of contract, and advise bid teams on legal and commercial risk.
- Prepare deviation and clarification schedules and lead the legal input to bid / no-bid decisions.
- Advise on bid bonds, performance security, parent company guarantees and other security requirements, working closely with Finance on bank and insurer instruments.
- Where customers are public bodies or regulated utilities, advise on applicable public procurement regimes, including EU procurement directives and Australian Commonwealth and state procurement requirements.
Customer and Supplier Contracts
- Lead the drafting and negotiation of equipment supply, capacity reservation, framework and project agreements with hyperscale and colocation customers and their contractors.
- Negotiate key commercial and legal provisions, including liability caps and exclusions, liquidated damages, delay and performance regimes, warranties, change control, suspension, termination and payment security.
- Ensure supplier and subcontract terms appropriately flow down from customer contracts, closing risk allocation gaps across the supply chain.
- Support contract administration post-signing, including variations, notices, claims, extensions of time and early-stage disputes, while ensuring project teams follow contractual processes.
Market Entry and Structuring
- Work with tax advisers, Finance and local counsel on contracting structures for new jurisdictions, including permanent establishment, withholding tax and local entity considerations.
- Select, instruct and manage external counsel in new markets, ensuring practical advice and cost-effective delivery.
- Advise on trade compliance matters relating to cross-border supply chains, including Incoterms, customs, export controls and sanctions.
Team and Process
- Build and maintain contract templates, negotiation playbooks and fallback positions to support efficient and consistent contracting across the business.
- Supervise and develop a Legal Associate, including structured training on contract and tender matters.
- Deputise for the Head of Legal on legal, compliance and governance matters as required.
Experience and Requirements
- Qualified to practise in Singapore
- Around 7 - 10 years' legal work experience in sectors such as data centre, construction, EPC, energy or infrastructure.
- Experience with tender packages and negotiating high-value supply or EPC contracts.
- Experience across multiple countries
- Working knowledge of standard forms including FIDIC, NEC, AS4000 or equivalent, and an understanding of how they are amended in practice.
- Strong commercial judgement with the ability to independently assess risks, prioritise issues and provide clear recommendations.
- Comfortable operating in a lean, fast-paced environment with competing deadlines.
- Excellent written and spoken English and Mandarin
Preferred
- Experience within the data centre, MEP, power or wider critical infrastructure sectors.
- Experience supporting European and/or Australian infrastructure projects, including public procurement and civil law construction contracts.
- Mandarin language capability is advantageous but not essential.
- Experience with SIAC or ICC arbitration, or construction adjudication.
- Familiarity with performance bonds, letters of credit and other trade finance instruments.
