Associate Director, Contracts and Negotiations - Exciting Challenge

Required Professional and Technical Expertise: 

• Broad business experience, normally accompanied by relevant educational and/or professional/experience-based qualifications, which is used effectively in identifying and prioritizing new/complex business issues. 
• Demonstrated success in negotiating large and complex deals in complex situations. 
• Knowledge of IT, consulting services, hardware and software industries a strong plus.
• General knowledge of contract law, anti-trust, company law, labour law, intellectual property, data privacy laws, procurement law (including public procurement laws and regulations), dispute resolution and litigation. Cross-border legal knowledge and expertise is preferred

Preferred Professional and Technical Expertise: 

• Admitted to practice as an advocate or solicitor in Malaysia or in any ASEAN or common law countries.
• Minimum 5+ years post admission experience in practice as an attorney, solicitor or advocate or other relevant and transferrable professional experience, preferably as leader of an in-house department in a company, and/ or law firm experience. Regional and cross-border experience preferred.  
• Proficiency in Bahasa Malaysia or Bahasa Indonesia or any of the ASEAN local language is preferred.
• Experience working with IT firms.
• Experience working on large and complex RFP/RFI for both private and public sector.

Your role and responsibilities:

Kyndryl is currently looking for an experienced contracts/negotiations professional to join its Legal/Contracts team . The successful candidate will be based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with a focus on Kyndryl’s business operations in ASEAN, as well as the greater Asia Pacific regions. Whilst the role is primarily based in Kuala Lumpur, the candidate may be required to travel within the ASEAN region, as and when required to provide transactional and contract negotiation support.

The role will primarily be contract transactional support and involve negotiating, drafting, managing and analysing a wide variety of technology services transactions, including strategic outsourcing, software, cloud, analytics, sales, business partner, finance, supplier and teaming agreements with both local and multinational customers and suppliers in the country and wider regions. Successful candidate will be capable of providing leadership to the development of standard practices, terms, and conditions; the development of business relationships; and the support of sales organizations and working at the highest management levels of our customers to close new opportunities and drive customer satisfaction.

Successful candidate will be capable of undertaking the proper maintenance and follow-on administration of signed complex contracts and schedules during the term of the contract including working with senior management to address and resolve contract interpretations and issues in a creative manner, balancing customer satisfaction, risk mitigation, and the long-term implications of changes or solutions.

The successful candidate should also be capable of providing advice and support to the business and assisting country and/or regional General Counsels in legal matters, including but not limited to regulatory matters, operational issues, HR matters, troubled projects, litigation, investigation, transactional support, compliance and ethics matters.

Candidates must be highly motivated, articulate, demonstrate sound communication, experienced in negotiation, drafting, people and organizational skills, and be comfortable and confident in dealing directly with all levels of local management. Knowledge of IT, networking, services, hardware, and software industries is a strong plus. The successful candidate will be able to work independently but collaboratively with a high energy and talented team of professionals. Your job responsibilities may include:

• Preparing, reviewing and negotiating tender, RFP and RFIs for both private and public sector opportunities. This includes, working collaboratively in cross functional environment as part of a team addressing contract drafting, preparation of table of compliance response, proposals, mark-up of tender and/or contract terms. 
• Negotiating agreements with customers, vendors and other stakeholders. The role will interface with external entities and hence requires that the candidate have significant experience of handling and negotiating complex deals with external entities. 
• Advise management on the commercial/legal / ethical aspects arising from day-to-day business activities and/or within a specialty area of legal practice such human resources related issues. 
• Assist other Law Department staff with the preparation for litigation or arbitration proceedings and queries from regulators including the coordination of efforts by corporate staff and outside counsel. 
• Provide general advice on regulatory matters and assist in maintaining a compliance posture of business. This includes providing advice on corporate secretarial requirements as part of general corporate governance requirement. 
• Manage and work collaboratively with external counsel and/or external advisors. 
• Provide and lead internal education for various functional teams within the organisation on various issues such as general contracting and negotiations,, contract management and related legal matters.
• Handle multiple deals/matters concurrently and is able to prioritise matters as appropriate. 
• Assumes additional responsibilities as assigned.

Competencies and Skills:

• Ability to lead and function in a team and work independently.
• Ability to accept responsibility/high ethical standards.
• Strong analytical and communication skills. Ability to speak articulately and persuasively to individuals at all management levels. Being able to work and collaborate in a cross functional team within the organization to achieve common goals and objectives.
• Ability to identify and assess risks and make objective decisions in the best interest of the company, taking the relevant legal, business and commercial issues into consideration. 
• Sound drafting, negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to react positively to a changing environment.
• Ability to express clearly both verbally and writing.
• Ability to work in a dynamic and fast paced environment and meet critical deadlines.