Head of Legal & Compliance

About Nxtwave:

NxtWave was founded by Rahul Attuluri (ex-Amazon, IIIT Hyderabad), Sashank Reddy (IIT Bombay), and Anupam Pedarla (IIT Kharagpur). In February 2023, NxtWave raised 275 crore, led by Greater Pacific Capital, a leading international private equity firm . The startup is also backed by Orios Ventures, Better Capital, and marquee angels, including the founders of some of India's unicorns.

NxtWave is one of India's fastest-growing Ed-Tech startups , revolutionizing the 21st-century job market by transforming youth into highly skilled tech professionals irrespective of their educational background with its CCBP 4.0 programs.

As an official partner for NSDC under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Government of India, and recognized by NASSCOM, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, and Startup India, NxtWave has earned a reputation for excellence. The startup has received accolades such as 'The Greatest Brand in Education' in a research-based listing by URS Media, a leading international media house. NxtWave has also been honored with the "Startup Spotlight Award 2023" by T-Hub on its 8th Foundation Day.

Recently, NxtWave's founders, Anupam Pedarla and Sashank Gujjula, were honored in the 2024 Forbes India 30 Under 30 for their exceptional contribution to transforming the tech education landscape in India.

The edtech brand eliminates the entry barrier to learning tech skills by offering vernacular content and interactive learning. Learning in one's mother tongue helps achieve higher comprehension, deeper attention, longer retention, and greater outcomes.

Presently, NxtWave has paid subscribers from 647+ districts across India. In just 2.5 years, CCBP 4.0 learners have been hired by 1750+ companies , including Google, Amazon, Nvidia, Goldman Sachs, Oracle, Deloitte, and more.

Know more about NxtWave:

• Map curriculum outcomes to NSQF levels (47) , qualification packs , and job-role frameworks for national validity.
• Establish and maintain compliance checklists, internal audits, and monitoring mechanisms for zero deviation.

Role Overview:

We are looking for a highly qualified and experienced Head Legal & Compliance to lead our corporate legal, regulatory, compliance, and secretarial functions. This is a strategic leadership role involving risk management, legal structuring, fundraising documentation, corporate governance, IPO preparedness, contract negotiation, and stakeholder management.

Key Responsibilities:

Legal Strategy & Governance

• Develop and execute the companys legal strategy aligned with business goals and compliance needs.
• Lead all legal risk mitigation efforts and provide strategic legal inputs to the board and CXOs.
• Stay ahead of regulatory changes in the EdTech, education, and fintech sectors impacting business operations.

Contract Management

• Draft, review, and negotiate high-value contracts including MSAs, NDAs, vendor agreements, content partnerships, SaaS, licensing, lease and LOIs.
• Establish a standardised, tech-enabled contract lifecycle management process.
• Guide internal stakeholders on contractual obligations and dispute resolution strategies.

Corporate Secretarial & ROC Compliance

• Ensure end-to-end compliance under Companies Act, 2013 and other relevant laws.
• Manage all Board, General Meetings, and Committee Meetings including drafting minutes, resolutions, and regulatory filings.
• Maintain statutory registers and coordinate with external consultants/auditors.

Fundraising & Investor Compliance

• Support due diligence, drafting of SHA, SSA, term sheets, side letters, and condition precedent fulfilment during fundraising rounds.
• Coordinate with external counsel and investor legal teams.
• Ensure compliance with FEMA, FDI regulations, and RBI reporting for foreign investments.

IPO Readiness & Capital Markets Compliance

• Lead legal due diligence and compliance groundwork for proposed IPO (SEBI/Companies Act/Stock Exchange/NSDL).
• Work closely with merchant bankers, legal advisors, and internal departments for DRHP preparation.
• Set up systems for ongoing listing and disclosure compliance (if listed).

Policy Development & Regulatory Compliance

• Develop internal policies (e.g., POSH, Whistleblower, Ethics, Data Privacy) and ensure organization-wide adherence.
• Monitor compliance with NSDC, MCA, UGC/AICTE (where applicable), and other education sector norms.
• Liaise with regulatory authorities including SEBI, MCA, ROC, RBI, GST, and Education Regulators.

Dispute Resolution & Litigation

• Manage pre-litigation strategy, notices, consumer disputes, IP enforcement, and court filings.
• Coordinate with external counsel for ongoing legal proceedings and settlement strategies.
• Represent the company in legal forums when required.

Intellectual Property Management

• Oversee filing, registration, and protection of IP including trademarks, copyrights, patents, and domain names.
• Guide product, content, and marketing teams on IP usage and infringement avoidance.

Team Management & Leadership

• Build and mentor an internal legal and compliance team.
• Create a culture of proactive compliance and legal awareness within the organization.
• Engage in cross-functional collaboration with Finance, HR, Product, Marketing, and Tech teams.

Qualifications & Experience:

1. Bachelor of Law (LLB) and Qualified Company Secretary (CS), 810 years of experience in corporate legal, secretarial, and compliance functions, preferably in a startup or high-growth company.
2. Prior experience with fundraising, due diligence, and IPO preferred.
3. Strong understanding of contract law, company law, SEBI regulations, education sector laws, and commercial negotiations.

Key Competencies:

1. Strategic legal mindset with hands-on execution capabilities.
2. High integrity and a solution-oriented approach.
3. Strong negotiation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
4. Ability to manage ambiguity, fast-changing regulations, and scaling businesses.

What We Offer

1. Opportunity to be part of a leadership team shaping one of Indias fastest-growing EdTech companies.
2. Ownership of a mission-critical vertical with visibility to the Board and investors.
3. Competitive compensation
4. A culture of innovation, agility, and execution excellence.