Legal Counsel

Job Objectives

I. Group Wide Legal Coordination

• Act as the central point of legal coordination across all Group entities, ensuring consistency of legal standards, processes, and documentation Group-wide.
• Liaise directly with the management of each entity to understand local legal needs and to ensure Group level legal positions are properly implemented and observed.
• Manage and instruct external legal counsels in the UAE, MENA, Germany, the United Kingdom, and other jurisdictions, controlling scope, cost, and turnaround of external legal advice.
• Provide periodic legal updates and reports to the Group Finance Director covering ongoing negotiations, contractual exposures, disputes, regulatory developments, and any matters requiring management attention.
• Maintain a Group-level overview of legal commitments, key contract dates, regulatory deadlines, and renewal obligations across all entities.

II. Group Legal Policies, Standards, and Frameworks

• Develop, document, and roll out a clear set of Group legal policies, covering matters such as contracting authority, delegation of signing powers, NDA handling, supplier and consultancy engagement, dispute escalation, and external counsel engagement.
• Establish a Group standard for contract review and approval, including templates, escalation thresholds, and sign-off workflows that all entities are required to follow.
• Define, implement, and update Group-wide compliance policies, including anti-bribery and corruption, conflicts of interest, data protection, and confidentiality, in coordination with management.
• Review legal policies periodically to ensure they remain aligned with legal developments,
• Provide training and guidance to staff across all entities on Group legal policies, contract handling, and risk identification.

III. Contracts and Tenders

• Review, draft, and negotiate legal contracts for projects and tenders pursued by any Group entity, ensuring commercial terms are properly captured, risks are identified, and obligations are clearly defined.
• Support project and commercial teams in preparing tender submissions, including reviewing tender documents, flagging risky or non-standard clauses, and recommending qualifications or clarifications.
• Support negotiations with clients, main contractors, and partners during the tender and award stages of project bids.
• Maintain a Group contracts register covering all material project and tender contracts, tracking milestones, key dates, and renewal obligations.

IV. Consultant and Supplier Agreements

• Draft, review, and negotiate service contracts and consultancy agreements with external consultants, advisers, and suppliers engaged by any Group entity.
• Ensure such agreements include appropriate scope of work, deliverables, payment terms, confidentiality, intellectual property, indemnity, and termination provisions.
• Coordinate with procurement, finance, and project teams to ensure consultant and supplier engagements are properly contracted before work commences.

V. NDAs, Standard Terms, and Legal Templates

• Maintain a Group-wide library of standard legal templates, including mutual and one-way NDAs, standard terms and conditions of sale and purchase, framework agreements, and other commonly used instruments.
• Periodically update standard terms and conditions to reflect developments in GCC law and Group commercial practice and roll out updated versions consistently across all entities.
• Draft and process NDAs requested by any Group entity in a timely manner and maintain a central record of NDAs in force.

VI. Compliance and Regulatory Support

• Support each Group entity in maintaining compliance with applicable commercial, corporate, and employment laws in the jurisdictions in which they operate.
• Monitor changes in legislation and regulation that may affect Group operations, and brief management on relevant developments.
• Assist with corporate documentation, trade licence renewals, regulatory filings, and similar legal administrative requirements, in coordination with PRO and Admin/HR teams.

VII. Dispute Management

• Manage pre-litigation correspondence, demand letters, and legal notices issued by and received by Group entities.
• Coordinate with external counsel on litigation, arbitration, or other proceedings involving Group entities, and keep management informed of status, risk exposure, and cost.
• Maintain proper records of disputes and claims and support business teams in resolving commercial issues before they escalate.

Qualifications & Skills

• Bachelor's degree in law from a recognized and reputable university. Postgraduate qualification in commercial, corporate, or international business law is preferred.
• Excellent written and spoken English is essential. Working knowledge of Arabic (reading, drafting, and reviewing legal documents) is a significant advantage.
• Strong contract drafting and review skills, with attention to detail and a clear, plain language drafting style.
• Strong negotiation skills, with the ability to balance commercial objectives against legal risk and to engage constructively with counterparties.
• Sound knowledge of MENA commercial law, with awareness of cross-border legal issues affecting groups operating in the UAE, GCC, and wider region.
• Demonstrated ability to develop legal policies, frameworks, and templates from first principles.
• Ability to work independently, prioritise effectively across multiple entities and matters, and manage a varied workload with minimal supervision.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to explain legal issues clearly to non-lawyer management and operational teams.
• Proficient in standard office software (Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook) and comfortable with contract management and document-handling tools.
• Years of Experience:
• Minimum of 5–7 years of post-qualification legal experience, gained in a reputable law firm and/or an in-house legal function.
• Practical experience advising on UAE and broader MENA commercial law,
• Exposure to industrial, engineering, or industrial-services sectors is preferred; prior experience supporting tender-driven businesses is highly valued.