
Chief Legal Counsel (Global)
- Singapore
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Provide strategic legal counsel and legal strategies to the Board, Group CEO and senior leaders across jurisdictions.
- Lead and oversee all legal aspects of corporate transactions, including but not limited to M&A, joint ventures, partnerships and disputes and claims resolution.
- Monitor overall legal developments as well as emerging developments on disputes/claims involving projects and clients in operating jurisdictions and assess their potential impact on the Group’s interest, operations and compliance obligations.
- Ensure proper legal oversight on terms and conditions for bid and consultancy proposals submissions and work closely with Group Finance and Tax on proper structuring.
- Lead the execution and continual enhancement of the Group’s established global compliance frameworks, covering anti-bribery and corruption, sanctions, data privacy, competition and related regulatory areas.
- Ensure effective implementation of policies, controls, training and monitoring programs in line with the Group’s ISO37001 certified Anti-Bribery Management System across jurisdictions and business lines, ensuring high standards of ethical conduct and continuous improvement.
- Oversee internal investigations, whistleblowing matters and disciplinary actions with potential compliance or reputational implications, working closely with Internal Audit, Risk, People & Culture teams.
- Prepare and present regular compliance reports to the Audit and Risk Committee (ARC), ensuring appropriate escalation of emerging risks and alignment with corporate governance protocols.
- Champion an ethical culture across the organization by reinforcing compliance in decision-making, operations and leadership behaviours.
- Support the Group Board, Board Committees as well as SJ Group’s Management Committees on governance matters, including preparation of Board papers, minutes and statutory filings.
- Ensure compliance with applicable company laws and governance standards across all jurisdictions where the Group operates, including timely filings, maintenance of statutory registers, and legal entity management.
- Coordinate the establishment, restructuring and dissolution of legal entities, ensuring proper documentation and alignment with Group policies.
- Provide oversight of subsidiary governance frameworks, ensuring appropriate delegation of authority, board composition and compliance with constitutional documents.
- Act as liaison for directors on governance and fiduciary matters, supporting sound decision-making and corporate integrity across the private group structure.
- Oversee the Group’s corporate insurance program, including annual renewals, claims management, broker engagement and internal stakeholder alignment.
- Provide strategic oversight of the Group’s captive insurance arrangements, including governance, capital adequacy and alignment with the Group’s overall risk financing strategy.
- Ensure the Group maintains adequate and cost effective insurance coverage across operations, projects, professional indemnity, cyber and other emerging risks.
- Partner with Finance, Risk and operational teams to assess insurable risks and ensure that insurance strategies support the Group’s business continuity and project delivery objectives.
- Timely and effective legal support for key corporate transactions and business operations.
- Reduction in legal disputes or regulatory enforcement actions.
- Strength and maturity of compliance and governance frameworks (eg audit scores, training completion rates)
- Insurance cost efficiency and adequacy of coverage.
- Quality of Board and Committee support and governance documentation.
- Team engagement and development.
- Qualified lawyer with strong academic credentials; admitted to practice in a common law or civil law jurisdiction.
- At least 15-20 years’ post qualification experience including in-house leadership roles within multinational organisations, as well as past involvement in construction contracts and disputes.
- Proven experience in managing complex legal regulatory and governance matters across jurisdictions.
- Deep knowledge of corporate law, commercial contracts, M&A, compliance frameworks and corporate governance best practices.
- Familiarity with infrastructure, engineering or consulting industries preferred.
- Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and the ability to balance legal rigor with commercial pragmatism.
- Strong leadership, stakeholder engagement and team management skills.