Head - Contracting -

Job Purpose

The Head – Contracting, owns Business -level Contracting standards and governance, with a primary focus on high-value and critical contracts. The role holder is accountable for sector specific clause library outcomes, template and playbook standardization for the related business, contract risk frameworks, regulatory-aligned processes, and sector-informed guidance so that business units operate within defined risk appetite while achieving commercial objectives.

Additionally, the role Ensure all executed contracts and key metadata (obligations, SLAs, LD triggers, price revisions, securities, insurance, extensions) are accurately captured in CLM / contract repository and appropriately interfaced with business systems (e.g., SAP, billing, project controls) for critical contracts.

Drive periodic contract performance reviews with Business, Projects, Procurement, Finance, and Operations to track performance against scope, time, cost, quality, and risk commitments for critical and high‑value contracts, and agree corrective actions.

Monitor compliance with contractual obligations (both GMR and counterparty) for critical contracts, including notices, conditions precedent, approvals, insurance renewals, bank guarantees, and change control, and escalate non‑compliances.

ORGANISATION CHART

EVP - Contracts & Compliance --> Head- Contracting

Key Accountabilities

Accountability / Focus Area

Key Activities

Clause Library Ownership & Quality

Build, maintain, and expand a Group/Business-wide clause library for commercial, legal, technical, and compliance risk areas. Own lifecycle of clauses including fallback: design, approval, deployment,. Convert fallout / lessons from Contracting into updated clauses and positions.

Governance, Version Control & Auditability

Establish and operate governance for clause creation, amendment, approvals, and version control. Institutionalise CLM as single source of truth for approved clauses, templates, and playbooks with traceable history. Provide audit-ready documentation and dashboards for pre-contract governance, especially for critical contracts.

Standardization of Templates & Playbooks

Develop and maintain standardized templates, drafting guidelines, and negotiation playbooks for key contract types and risk categories. Drive adoption of templates and playbooks across BUs; - Control template proliferation and formalize criteria for non-standard use in critical contracts.

Risk Assessment & Mitigation for Critical Contracts

Define framework for identifying critical contracts and associated risk thresholds. Approve risk mitigation plans for critical contracts. Maintain pre-contract risk registers and link risks to clauses, templates, and approval thresholds.

Role in Negotiation Bottlenecks (Critical Contracts)

Advise negotiation teams in bottleneck situations on risk positions, fallback options, and internal alignment for critical contracts. Provide structured decision support without owning day-to-day drafting or frontline negotiations. Feed recurring negotiation bottlenecks back into playbooks and standards.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES - Additional Details

Regulatory & Policy Compliance in Contracting

Embed applicable laws and regulations (GST, RBI, sectoral, local labor, etc.) into templates, clauses, checklists, and workflows. Coordinate periodic reviews with Legal, Tax, Compliance, HR to reflect regulatory changes. Own and update Group policies and standards governing Contracting and use of clauses/templates.

Cross-Functional Engagement & Workshops

Lead cross-functional forums with Legal, Procurement, Finance, Risk, Operations, and Business for standards, positions, and risk discussions on critical contracts. Translate outcomes into updated artefacts and actions with clear owners and timelines. Act as single point of accountability for reconciling BU needs with Group standards.

Training, Adoption & Change Management

Design and roll out training programs on clause library, templates, playbooks, and risk frameworks for all relevant functions. Drive adoption metrics and behavioural change; publish performance reports and improvement plans if any. Communicate changes and implications for all stakeholders involved in critical contracts.

Contracting Governance & Performance Management

Set up and operate a structured framework for handover of signed contracts to business owners, including allocation of obligation owners, milestones, and KPIs for critical and high‑value contracts. Ensure all executed contracts and key metadata (obligations, SLAs, LD triggers, price revisions, securities, insurance, extensions) are accurately captured in CLM / contract repository and interfaced with business systems (e.g., SAP, billing, project controls) for critical contracts. Drive periodic post‑award contract performance reviews with Business, Projects, Procurement, Finance, and Operations to track performance against scope, time, cost, quality, and risk commitments for critical and high‑value contracts, and agree corrective actions. Monitor compliance with contractual obligations (both GMR and counterparty) for critical contracts, including notices, conditions precedent, approvals, insurance renewals, bank guarantees, and change control, and escalate non‑compliances. Establish and oversee mechanisms for managing variations, claims, disputes, extensions of time, price escalations, and contractual reliefs in coordination with Legal and Business for critical contracts. Analyse post‑award issues, claims, and disputes and translate lessons learned into strengthened clause library, templates, playbooks, and risk frameworks. Provide post‑award advisory to business leadership on exercise of contractual levers (LDs, incentives, termination, step‑in, audit rights, service credits) for critical and high‑risk contracts. Ensure timely and controlled contract close‑out for major contracts, including defect‑liability obligations, warranties, document handback, securities release, and final account / reconciliation.

EXTERNAL INTERACTIONS

There will not be any direct interaction with the external parties however participation with vendor/ client/ government stakeholder along with legal, procurement, business team etc. as and when required.

INTERNAL INTERACTIONS

GMR Procurement team, GMR Legal team, GMR Finance team, GMR Operations team, GMR Business team for various sector such as airport, energy etc.

FINANCIAL DIMENSIONS

NA

Other Dimensions

NA

Education Qualifications

LLB from a reputed institution or LLM/PG Diploma in Business Law, or Contract Management certification is a plus.

Relevant Experience

12–15 years of contracts / legal / commercial experience, with substantial exposure to at least one of Airport, Energy, Land Development, Sports,Proven leadership in pre-contract governance, risk frameworks, and critical contracts in complex, multi-BU settings.Experience with CLM / digital contracting and data-driven reporting on deviations, risks, and adoption.

COMPETENCIES

Capability Building Strategic Orientation Social Awareness Entrepreneurship Execution & Results Teamwork & Interpersonal influence Problem Solving & Analytical Thinking Planning & Decision Making Personal Effectiveness Stakeholder Focus Networking