Portfolio Managers I - Legal

Role overview

Portfolio Managers I - Legal at American Express

This role will lead legal collection strategies, manage external law firms, ensure compliance with Indian laws and regulatory frameworks, and drive legal recovery performance while mitigating legal and reputational risks.

Responsibilities

• Monitor case progress and ensure timely resolution to maximize recoveries. 2.
• Review pleadings, affidavits, evidence documentation, and legal notices.
• Track court hearings, ensure proper representation, and maintain case MIS. 3.
• Provide legal insights to shape credit and recovery policies.
• Manage escalations from customer complaints, regulatory bodies, and senior management.
• Ensure alignment of external partners with company values and compliance standards. 4.
• Conduct periodic performance reviews and audits of vendors.
• Ensure adherence to company policies and regulatory guidelines. 5.
• Support internal and external audits.
• Provide legal inputs for policy updates and process improvements. 7.
• Provide insights to optimize legal recovery ROI. 8.
• Support management in strategic recovery decisions.

Required qualifications

• Minimum Qualification- Law Graduate

Employment details

• Location: Gurugram [HR] [India]

Additional role details

• The Legal Debt Collection Manager – India Market will be responsible for managing and overseeing all legal recovery actions related to delinquent accounts.
• The ideal candidate will have strong knowledge of Indian debt recovery laws, litigation management & regulatory compliance. 1.
• Legal Recovery Strategy & Execution Develop and implement legal debt recovery strategies across various delinquency buckets.
• Initiate and manage civil/criminal proceedings for recovery, including arbitration, DRT, NI Act (Section 138) cases, NCLT Proceedings, Willful Defaulter process where relevant.
• Oversee pre-litigation recovery efforts including legal notices and settlement negotiations.
• Litigation & Case Management Manage a portfolio of litigated accounts across multiple jurisdictions in India.
• Coordinate with empaneled law firms & advocates.
• Stakeholder Management (Core Focus Area) Internal Stakeholders Partner closely with Risk, Compliance, Controllership, Finance, Customer Experience, and Senior Leadership teams.
• Present portfolio performance, litigation risks, and recovery trends to leadership.
• External Stakeholders Manage relationships with panel law firms, advocates, recovery agencies, and investigators.
• Engage with regulators, ombudsman offices, and quasi-judicial authorities when required.
• Negotiate settlements directly with high-value or sensitive customers.
• Vendor & Law Firm Management Appoint, evaluate, and manage panel advocates and legal recovery agencies.
• Negotiate fee structures and SLAs with external partners.
• Regulatory & Compliance Oversight Ensure compliance with: RBI guidelines (if applicable) Consumer Protection Act Civil Procedure Code (CPC) Negotiable Instruments Act DRT Insolvency & Bankruptcy Code (IBC) Data privacy and fair practices codes Ensure ethical recovery practices and minimize reputational risk.
• Handle escalations related to regulatory complaints and legal notices. 6.
• Risk Mitigation & Governance Identify legal risks in recovery processes and recommend corrective measures.
• Maintain proper documentation and audit readiness.
• Reporting & Analytics Track legal recovery metrics including: Recovery rate Cost per case Case aging Legal TAT Settlement ratios Prepare dashboards and reports for senior management.
• Stakeholder Management Work closely with Collections, Risk, Compliance, and Finance teams.
• Handle high-value customer negotiations and settlements.