Legal Counsel

In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.

GOVERNANCE & CORPORATE, COMPLIANCE & LEGAL SUPPORT

Work with the Corporate and GBUs in a coordinated, integrated manner, in compliance with the Group’s procedures and organization to implement the instructions and guidelines decided at Group level within Thales legal entities in Mexico and CAC.  

Governance & Corporate Law

Manage Governance within Thales entities registered within Mexico & CAC perimeter:

• Draft, update, implement and monitor the governance rules and delegations of authority/signature within the Thales entities in the perimeter in line with Thales rules and local laws;
• Perform secretarial responsibilities for corporate bodies (Board(s), General Meeting(s) and Management Meetings);
• Responsible for addressing corporate law, governance and compliance aspects for local Thales entities;
• Draft and sign on behalf of shareholders the statutory resolutions required for the compliance of companies with local companies laws/regulations;
• Secure the legal sustainability and continuity of companies, particularly to adapt to changes in laws, regulations and succession of management;

• Compliance

• Be the Thales Mexico and CAC entities’ support to the Compliance Officer as defined in Thales instructions;
• Contribute to the implementation of Thales Group Compliance Program, and as such participate notably to the strict application of the compliance instructions and provide communication and trainings;
• Support audit reviews (internal and external);
• Ensure the organization’s compliance with the Group’s directives as well as with applicable laws and regulations, including Trade Compliance, Competition Laws, Data Protection and Anticorruption (including Third Party Integrity assessment, Gifts and Hospitality instruction, Community Investment, Sponsorship and Corporate Membership Instruction, Conflict of Interest and others).

• Legal Support to Business across Value Chain

• Provide expertise in local legal and contractual schemes to the Corporate/GBUs legal teams related to their activities in Mexico and CAC and support the business of Thales Group in Mexico and CAC;
• Responsible for drafting, negotiating, preparing and managing the contracts to be executed across the value chain from proposal to completion of projects, including partnerships and supply chain;
• In compliance with Group policy, the Job Holder will interface with external counsels and law firms for analysis and management of specific legal issues in the framework of complex contractual and/or legal arrangements;  
• Provide legal guidance, advise and promote legal awareness across the Thales companies within the perimeter;
• Support the resolution of disputes and litigation relying on local law firms and in coordination with and under authority of Corporate Dispute Resolution & Litigation Legal Department.

• Contracts Management (support bids, projects and procurement)

  Support to Bids

• Identify, analyse, manage and reduce the main contractual risks while optimizing contractual opportunities in bids and projects, support contractual analysis, negotiate with customers, partners and suppliers, manage claims and disputes on both sales side and supply side;
• Ensure Thales’ rights are protected and the undertaken obligations are understood and adhered to by being involved in bids/projects reviews;
• Manage formal clarification process related to T&Cs with bid teams to update and reflect them in the Legal analysis and memos;
• Prepare slides and legal memos all along the opportunity validation process (opportunity identification, go/no go decision, offer submission, contract signature) and check the exhaustiveness and the validity of the supporting documents in close coordination with GBUs supervisory authorities for contract signature by the authorized management;
• Understand, with the help of the technical team, key elements of the customer’s technical requirements and of the Company’s proposed solution, including its deliverability;
• Support the Capture/Bid team in negotiations with the customer;
• Support the Purchasing Department in negotiations with subcontractors by ensuring appropriate flow-down of terms and conditions to the supply chain;
• Ensure contractual consistency with co-contractor(s);
• Identify and evaluate the risks and opportunities related to the various contractual obligations, including recommending the appropriate level of contractual contingencies
• Propose necessary dedicated Contract Managers for specific projects awarded in Mexico and CAC, in coordination with GBUs;
• Perform hand-over review for transition between Bid and Project implementation with particular focus on conditions for contract to come into force (Site take over, Advance Payment, Work Permits, Guarantees etc...) and main risks identified at bid stage;
• Develop the Contract Baseline;

• Support to Projects implementation

• Ensure members of the Project team are fully briefed on all material elements of the contract;
• Administrate the contract baseline during the project implementation;
• Monitor and interpret the contractual obligations during the project implementation;
• Manage changes to the contract baseline;
• Manage the level of risks throughout the project life cycle;
• Identify and manage amendment opportunities throughout the project life cycle;
• Manage any pre-litigation
• Coordinate all the claims towards the customer, Partners and subcontractors and manage any dispute arising during the project implementation (in coordination with GBU and Group Litigation Department when necessary);
• Build and follow up of the Company’s claims and defend the Company against all claims;
• Ensure all contractual obligations are completed before project closure.

Qualification

Education and Experience

• Bachelor or Master Degree in laws (Private Law, Commercial Law, Corporate Law);
• +10 years of relevant experience as in-house legal counsel with a focus on contracts and commercial management and public procurement in an international multinational environment;
• Substantial experience in public procurement in Mexico;
• Knowledge in Anti-corruption, Data Protection and Antitrust Laws;

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