Company Secretary & Compliance Management

Job Description:

Position Overview

• Location: Nariman Point, Mumbai
• Company Type: Private Limited Company (JV with a Global MNC Partner)
• Industry: Healthcare / Veterinary Services / Retail Clinics
• Reporting To: Board of Directors / Head of Finance / Matrix reporting to MNC Global Legal Head

Job Purpose
The Company Secretary will ensure absolute legal, corporate, and regulatory compliance for a fast-growing, pan- India network of veterinary clinics. This role involves managing the intricate compliance of multi-state local operations, safeguarding the Joint Venture Agreement (JVA), and aligning local practices with the MNC’s strict global compliance standards.

Key Responsibilities

1. Pan-India Clinic Regulatory & Licensing Compliance

• Multi-State Approvals: Establish and monitor a compliance framework for opening and operating clinics across various Indian states.
• Veterinary Healthcare Regulations: Oversee compliance with the Indian Veterinary Council Act, State Veterinary Council guidelines, and local clinic registration acts.
• Specialized Licensing: Ensure all clinics secure and maintain mandatory operational licenses, including Bio-Medical Waste Management (BMW) rules, Pharmacy/Drug licenses, and Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) approvals for X-ray/imaging machines.
• Local Municipal Laws: Manage Trade Licenses, Signage licenses, and Shops & Establishment Act compliance across all municipal jurisdictions.

2. Joint Venture Governance & MNC Reporting

• JV Protection: Monitor and enforce the covenants, veto rights, and reserved matters agreed upon in the Shareholders’ Agreement (SHA) and Articles of Association (AOA).
• Cross-Border Reporting: Serve as the nodal point to deliver timely board packs, statutory compliance dashboards, and corporate governance updates to the MNC's global legal team.
• MNC Code of Conduct: Implement and audit global MNC policies locally, including Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption (ABAC), POSH, Data Privacy, and Whistleblower frameworks.

3. Core Secretarial & Board Management

• Board & Committee Meetings: Convene, conduct, and document Board, Committee, and Shareholder Meetings across multiple time zones.
• Secretarial Standards: Draft high-utility agendas, board notes, and minutes strictly adhering to ICSI Secretarial Standards (SS-1 & SS-2).
• MCA Filings: Manage the timely filing of all statutory e-forms and annual returns (MGT-7, AOC-4) with the Registrar of Companies (ROC).

4. FEMA, FDI, & Related Party Transactions (RPT)

• Cross-Border Funding: Manage Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows, share issuances, and compliance under FEMA regulations via the RBI's FIRMS portal.
• RPT Management: Scrutinize and formalize board approvals for commercial transactions between the JV and the MNC/domestic partner entities (such as global veterinary drug supply lines, equipment leasing, or management fees under Section 188).

5. Real Estate & Commercial Legal Oversight

• Lease Operations: Oversee the legal vetting and execution of commercial lease agreements for the pan-India clinic rollout.
• Contract Management: Review vendor contracts, procurement agreements, and service level agreements (SLAs) for clinic operations.

Skills and Qualifications

Technical Credentials

• Professional Qualification: Must be an active member of the Institute of Company Secretaries of India (ICSI) with a valid membership number.
• Academic Background: A Bachelor’s Degree in Law (LL.B.) from a recognized university is highly preferred.
• Industry Experience: Direct exposure to scaling multi-location businesses (e.g., retail clinics, hospitals, diagnostic labs, or wellness centres) is a major asset.

Core Competencies

• Cross-Cultural Communication: Exceptional English communication skills to interact neutrally and effectively with international board members.
• Compliance Automation: Experience utilizing compliance tracking software to monitor hundreds of licenses across a pan-India footprint.
• Diplomacy: Ability to act as an objective advisor, balancing the strategic business goals of both the Indian and MNC joint venture partners.