Legal Manager – Malaysia, Singapore

Role: Legal Manager – Malaysia, Singapore & Indonesia (Based in Malaysia)

Company description:

We are the food travel experts. So what does that mean? It means that we are experts in creating and running food outlets in locations where people are on the move. Whether it's jetting off somewhere more exotic, getting on a train or stopping off at a motorway service area, we will make sure the food and drink on offer is the ideal selection to meet the needs of the many different types of traveller.

Globally, we now operate in 35 countries worldwide at around 600+ sites, and we have an extensive portfolio of more than 500 international, national, local and speciality brands. These include our own brands, such as Upper Crust, Ritazza and Camden food co. as well as brands we franchise, including M&S, Starbucks and Burger King. We've also work with a number of famous chefs, including Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsey, to create bespoke brands.

We strongly believe that by creating a culture where our values are front and centre and lived and breathed, we will achieve our vision of being the leading food and beverage operator in travel locations worldwide.

Our values, listed below, are integral to our business and underpin everything we do. They were developed in consultation with our teams across the world and reflect what it means to be part of the SSP team.

• We are one team
  … working together and sharing our best ideas to fulfil our global potential.
• We are results focused
  … delivering great food and service for our customers and outstanding results for our clients, shareholders and colleagues.
• We all make a difference
  … respecting each other, acting responsibly and being accountable for the contributions that we make.
• We are bold
  …seizing opportunities, innovating and quickly adapting every day.
• We celebrate success
  … recognising and valuing everyone's achievements.

This is an excellent and exciting opportunity for an entrepreneurially minded corporate and commercial lawyer to join our team, working on a broad range of legal matters in a global fast‑paced business. Your work will be varied, with the primary focus on supporting our APAC business. Our APAC operations currently span Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia — and are growing rapidly

Main Responsibilities

Your work will include drafting, negotiating, advising and/or supporting on:

• Tenders to operate food & beverage concessions in travel locations across Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, including airport concession and lease agreements
• Heads of terms, franchise and licence agreements to operate both local and international brands in the APAC region
• Existing and new joint ventures, joint venture agreements, and compliance matters within the three countries
• A broad range of commercial agreements, such as supply agreements, consultancy agreements, and NDAs
• Review and management of existing contractual arrangements and assessment of legal risk across Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia
• Finance and treasury‑related matters, including bank guarantees and parent company guarantees
• Providing training and legal updates to the business on relevant APAC laws and regulatory developments
• Supporting our Company Secretariat teams on company secretarial matters in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia
• Reviewing and approving trade announcements relevant to the APAC region
• Corporate support work, including M&A transactions and joint ventures in APAC markets
• Liaising with and managing external counsel effectively across Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia
• Providing support on general legal and litigation matters within the region
• Supporting our compliance team in implementing our compliance strategy and related policies and procedures, such as our Speak Up policy, Anti‑Bribery and Corruption policy, Privacy policy, and Group Authorisation policy

Person Specification

Essential experience

• Strong command of English, written and spoken
• Qualified lawyer with at least 5 years' post‑qualification experience
• Broad commercial drafting experience, including drafting without precedent
• Corporate, M&A and joint venture experience
• Experience in both private practice and in‑house roles
• Proficiency in MS Office 365, including Microsoft Excel

Desirable experience

• Franchise and concession experience
• Finance and treasury exposure
• Company secretarial knowledge
• In house compliance experience
• Familiarity with legal technology and systems

To be successful

Your legal knowledge and technical skills will be a given. To thrive in this role, you'll need:

• A growth mindset and curiosity to learn about our expanding business, take on new projects, broaden your legal and commercial expertise, demonstrate resilience, and support the development of others. Commercial acumen and financial awareness are essential.

• The ability to create value through a positive, solutions‑oriented approach. You'll simplify and communicate complexity, act as a pragmatic self‑starter, and deliver results in a fast‑moving environment. You'll anticipate change, scan for upcoming issues, and develop strategies to address them. We welcome fresh ideas on how we can improve.

• Strong judgment to assess legal risk and manage uncertainty.

• Relationship‑building skills to gain trust and influence colleagues at all levels, internally and externally. A collaborative approach is key, with the confidence to work independently as well as within a global team.

SSP are proud to be an equal-opportunity employer that seek to recruit and retain the most talented individuals from a variety of backgrounds, skills and perspectives.

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