Senior Legal, Contracts & Compliance Manager

Job Objective

1. Legal Advisory & Corporate Support

• Provide proactive legal advice to the business on Saudi and regional laws, regulations, and corporate requirements.
• Support all legal matters relating to commercial operations, projects, bids, tenders, and contractual arrangements, in close coordination with contracts and commercial teams.
• Assist in the management of disputes, claims, and litigation matters, including coordination with external counsel.
• Support legal risk assessment and mitigation strategies across business activities.

2. Contract Management & Commercial Support

• Support the Director in overseeing the contract lifecycle, including drafting, review, negotiation, and interpretation of commercial contracts.
• Provide legal support to project teams on contractual risk, variations, claims, and dispute avoidance.
• Ensure alignment of contracts with internal policies, compliance requirements, and delegation of authority.
• Promote contractual best practices and contribute to the development of templates, playbooks, and guidance notes.
• 3.
• Compliance & Ethics (Four Pillars Ownership Support)
• Actively support the implementation, monitoring, and continuous improvement of Thales compliance framework, with a strong focus on the following pillars:

• Data Protection & Privacy

• Third-Party Risk / Ethics & Compliance Controls

Key Responsibilities Include

• Supporting compliance risk assessments and mitigation plans.
• Assisting in compliance investigations, internal reviews, and remediation actions.
• Contributing to compliance reporting, dashboards, and regulatory submissions.
• Supporting compliance training, awareness programs, and tone from the top initiatives.
• Acting as a local compliance ambassador and trusted point of contact for business teams.

4. Corporate Governance & Corporate Secretarial

• Support the Director in managing corporate governance frameworks across KSA and Central Asia entities.
• Handle or coordinate corporate secretarial activities, including:
• Board and shareholder resolutions
• Powers of attorney
• Articles of Association updates
• Regulatory filings and statutory registers
• Ensure compliance with Saudi Companies Law and local regulatory requirements.
• Support the streamlining and optimization of corporate structures in coordination with HQ.

5. M&A, Corporate Transactions & Structural Optimization

• Support mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, joint ventures, and other strategic transactions.
• Assist with due diligence processes, transaction documentation, and regulatory approvals.
• Coordinate with HQ legal teams, external advisors, and authorities on transaction execution.
• Contribute to post-transaction integration from a legal, governance, and compliance perspective.

6. Government & External Stakeholder Interface

• Act as a key legal interface with Saudi authorities, regulators, and government entities.
• Support regulatory inspections, inquiries, and official communications.
• Manage relationships with external law firms and advisors under the Director s supervision.
• Represent the Legal & Compliance function in internal and external meetings when required.

7. Leadership, Capability Building & Future Readiness

• Demonstrate strong leadership behaviors and act as a role model for ethics, professionalism, and collaboration.
• Support the development of legal, compliance, and governance capabilities within the team.
• Contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, process optimization, and digitalization efforts.
• Be identified and developed as a potential future leader of the Legal, Contracts & Compliance function.

Work Experience Requirements

• 8 10 years of progressive experience in legal, contracts, and compliance roles.
• Strong experience in Saudi Arabia, preferably within multinational or complex regulated environments.
• Demonstrated exposure to:
• Corporate governance and corporate secretarial work
• Commercial contracts and project-based environments
• Compliance programs and investigations
• Regulatory and governmental interface
• Experience in defense, infrastructure, energy, industrial, or similarly regulated sectors is a strong advantage.