The position
The
Manager – Legal & Risk Management will be a key member of the Finance function, reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). This position is the central resource for all legal, regulatory, contractual, and risk management matters across AKES, India’s 9 schools, 19 pre-schools, and 1 residential hostel.
Key Responsibilities & Duties:
Legal Advisory & Regulatory Compliance:-
Serve as the primary internal legal advisor to the CFO and senior leadership; address all legal framework issues and provide timely, practical legal guidance to departments and school leadership.
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Ensure full compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, including:
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State Education Department regulations (affiliation, recognition, and approval requirements for CBSE, ICSE, IB, and state board schools)
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Labour laws – PF, ESI, Gratuity, Maternity Benefits, POSH Act, Minimum Wages Act, Contract Labour (R&A) Act, and applicable state Shops & Establishments Acts
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Child Protection laws – POCSO Act, Juvenile Justice Act, and related child safety regulations
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Hostel & residential school regulations under applicable state laws
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Right to Education (RTE) Act obligations applicable to the organization
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Other applicable statutes (FCRA if applicable, Rent Control Acts, Transfer of Property Act, Registration Act, Stamp Acts, etc.)
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Monitor changes in legislation and regulatory frameworks and proactively brief management on implications for the organization.
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Review all contracts, correspondence, and documentation to assess and flag legal implications requiring management attention.
Contract Management & Documentation:-
Draft, review, vet, and finalize all legal documents, including:
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Employment contracts (teaching and non-teaching staff) – templatize to the extent possible
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Vendor and supplier agreements
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Service contracts and outsourcing agreements
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Lease and license agreements for school premises, hostels, and pre-school properties
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Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with academic partners, donors, and other stakeholders from a legal perspective
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Procurement contracts and purchase orders above defined thresholds
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Fee and admission-related agreements with parents/guardians, if any
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Coordinate land and property-related legal matters: conduct legal due diligence on new sites, liaise with government authorities on land-related issues, and ensure regulatory compliance for all school and hostel structures.
Litigation & Dispute Management:-
Monitor, track, and manage all pending and active litigation matters (labour disputes, consumer complaints, land/property disputes, etc.) with assistance from relevant functional teams.
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Maintain a litigation register and provide periodic status updates to the CFO and senior leadership.
Risk Management:-
Develop and implement an organization-wide Risk Management Framework aligned to AKES, India’s operating context.
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Conduct periodic risk assessments across key areas including:
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Academic operations and institutional compliance risks
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Residential hostel operations and child safety risks
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Labour and HR-related risks
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Vendor/procurement compliance risks
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Reputational and communication risks
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Property, facilities, and infrastructure risks
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Work with Finance and Internal Audit teams to strengthen internal risk controls and ensure potential risk observations are addressed in a timely manner.
Policy Review & Governance Support:-
Review and advise management on the legal implications of internal policies and procedures to ensure they are in compliance with all statutory and legal requirements.
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Support functional heads in periodic review and update of key institutional policies, including HR policies, procurement policies, safeguarding policies, and operational guidelines.
Training & Risk Awareness:-
Build a risk-conscious culture across all campuses by promoting awareness of legal obligations, child safety norms, and institutional compliance requirements.
About the Agency
The Aga Khan Education Services (AKES) is one of the largest private, not-for-profit, non-denominational educational networks in the Global South. AKES currently operates over 190 pre-primary, primary, secondary and higher secondary schools and more than 100 non-formal education programmes in diverse geographic locations in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Tanzania, Uganda and the United Arab Emirates. Most schools offer their respective country's national curricula, with some schools in East Africa and Bangladesh also offering the International Baccalaureate (IB) and the International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE). AKES employs over 6,500 teachers and staff and educates over 104,700 students.
