Senior Manager & Counsel, Operations – South Asia

This is an in-house attorney position providing legal support in South Asia (India, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bangladesh) 

1. to hotels operated by Hilton as well as business partners in Operations; 

2. to business partners in various departments (including development, operations and finance) in relation to hotel estate retention, amendment, interpretation, and owner relations matters; and 

3. generally, to support the Company’s wider business affairs in South Asia, including compliance with laws, deployment and implementation of Hilton policies and procedures, and other general legal support.

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

Your role is important, and below are some of the fundamental job duties that make your work unique.

What your day-to-day will be like: 

• Provide advice relating to day-to-day hotel operations.

• Assist in retention matters and drafting of Management Agreements and Franchise Agreements.

• Assist and/or oversee assistance to business partners with

  • drafting, negotiating, or counseling on business-critical matters in a manner consistent with Hilton policies, procedures, forms and past practice and with the highest level of legal service, and/or 

  • obtaining local counsel advice where business partners have additional legal needs

• Provide legal support for ongoing operational matters across South Asia, including marketing, advertising, promotions, hotel operations, compliance with laws, and deployment of Hilton policies and procedures.

• Draft, review and, where appropriate, negotiate standard form contracts such as confidentiality agreements, services agreements and sales agreements, taking into account business requirements, legal requirements, and Hilton policies and procedures.

• Ensure a high standard of frontline and local backup support and implementation for other business and legal areas, including Compliance, Corporate, Brands & Commercial Services, Employment and Dispute Resolution, and partnering with Legal Department colleagues in APAC, EMEA and US where needed

• Develop and implement legal strategies to address operational issues.

• Under the direction and supervision of senior attorneys, provide advice to business partners in accordance with Hilton’s policies, procedures and past practices, so similar matters are handled consistently and directly.

• Conduct training and prepare practical guidance on areas of expertise, including how to prepare and use form contracts and how to manage recurring operational, marketing and commercial legal issues consistently.

How you will collaborate with others:

• Partner with hotel-level and corporate business partners to provide practical legal support and frontline guidance.

• Collaborate with Legal Department colleagues in APAC, EMEA and the U.S. to ensure advice is aligned with Hilton policies, procedures, forms and past practice.

• Work directly with outside counsel, counterparties’ counsel, vendors and outsourced professionals as needed.

What you will take ownership of: 

• Maintain and improve standard form contracts, legal guidelines, educational tools and reference materials, including ensuring the latest approved form contracts are uploaded to the appropriate repositories and available for business partner use.

WHY YOU’LL BE A GREAT FIT

You have these minimum qualifications:

• Law degree from a common law jurisdiction

• Called to the bar in a common law jurisdiction 

• 3-5 years of post-qualification experience in private practice and/or an in-house legal role.

• Strong foundation in corporate and commercial law, with knowledge of legal and regulatory frameworks and exposure to multi-jurisdictional matters in South Asia.

• Proven experience drafting, negotiating, and managing complex commercial transactions and contracts.

• High standards of professional ethics, integrity, judgment, and regulatory compliance.

• Fluent in spoken and written English, with flexibility to collaborate across global time zones.

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook

It would be useful if you have:

• Prior exposure to hospitality or hotel operations legal work 

• Post-qualification experience in a law firm with some prior in-house legal experience 

• exposure to legal frameworks in multiple jurisdictions 

• “Generalist” with experience in general corporate and commercial law 

• Transaction management experience including negotiating documents to conclusion 

• Experience working for or advising MNCs 

• Experience in managing a pool of very demanding clients

• Strong commercial awareness

• Good management skills in a multicultural, decentralized environment 

• Effective communication skills, both verbally and in writing

• Ability to work irregular hours to accommodate global time differences

• Excellent interpersonal skills

Join an Award-Winning Workplace Culture

At Hilton, we don’t just deliver exceptional experiences for our guests—we build an exceptional workplace for the Team Members who make it all possible. As a global leader in hospitality, we’ve welcomed more than 3 billion guests worldwide, all while staying true to our founding vision: to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.

Our award-winning culture has earned us repeated recognition on the World’s Best Workplaces list by Great Place to Work and Fortune. With our suite of world-class brands, and a company-wide commitment to providing the best stay for every guest, we’re setting new standards for the future of travel.

Whether you’re starting your career or exploring something new, Hilton supports your journey every step of the way. Come for the job, stay for the career—and help us make every stay a little more magical.

Curious about life at Hilton? Explore our Careers Blog to see why we’re more than a great place to stay—we’re a great place to work.