Legal Counsel

Role Overview

Legal Counsel at ADNOC, based in the United Arab Emirates. The role provides legal advice and services with a particular focus on Legal Commercial and Operational matters.

Role Purpose

Provide legal advice and services relating to commercial and operational matters across ADNOC Group. Draft, review, and amend legal opinions, agreements and documents. Ensure conformity with laws and regulations and safeguarding of ADNOC Group's interests.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Commercial & Operations

• Provide legal counsel and advice to PT&CS and TEO as a Legal Business Partner.
• Provide legal counsel and advice to Business Line Directorates, Business Support Directorates, Business Support Functions and group companies in relation to commercial and operations related agreements, projects and matters.
• Provide legal support to ADNOC Group for commercial and operations related agreements, projects and matters.
• Deliver legal advice relating to PT&CS related agreements, projects and investment transactions.
• Deliver legal advice relating to GC&ICV related agreements, projects and investment transactions.
• Deliver legal advice relating to GBS&ST related agreements, projects and investment transactions.
• Deliver legal advice relating to procurement and supply chain related agreements, projects and investment transactions.
• Deliver legal advice relating to drilling and oilfield related agreements, projects and activities.
• Deliver legal advice relating to ADNOC Group Corporate support activities, including recharging and service level arrangements.
• Instruct and supervise external legal counsel advising on legal matters relating to Business Line Directorates and group companies.
• Manage and monitor performance of external legal counsel along with legal spend and budget.
• Produce legal agreements that reflect ADNOC Group's risk appetite and safeguard its best interests.
• Ensure due and proper compliance with all applicable laws in all legal agreements.
• Prepare standard form agreements, guidelines and training materials for Business Line Directorates, Business Support Functions, Business Support Directorates and group company legal colleagues on relevant legal requirements for commercial and operations related agreements.

Stakeholder Management

• Assist VP/Manager/Section Head Legal Commercial & Operations with day-to-day operations of the Legal Disputes & Executive Affairs Business Unit.
• Represent Legal Commercial & Operations in various task forces, events and committees.
• Collaborate with various internal and external stakeholders.
• Assist with the appointment of external lawyers and experts.
• Assess the performance of external lawyers and experts.
• Maintain regular contact with legal advisors across ADNOC Group.
• Maintain regular contact with counterparts and focal points of Business customers across ADNOC Group.
• Maintain contact with lawyers of major governmental, legal, financial, and commercial institutions.
• Maintain contact with suppliers and business partners.
• Maintain contact with external legal firms and advisors.

Reporting & Communications

• Prepare, deliver, and present reports.
• Contribute and input into Business Unit Management Information Systems.
• Deliver progress reports to provide accurate and timely information to effectively manage operations of the Legal Commercial & Operations Business Unit.
• Provide inputs to prepare Function/Division/Department/Section Management Information Systems and progress reports for Company Management.

Budget Management

• Provide input into the development of annual budget in line with the Business Unit's business objectives and operational plans.
• Provide input for preparation of Function/Division/Department/Section budgets.
• Assist in the implementation of approved budgets and work plans to deliver objectives.
• Investigate and highlight any significant variances to support effective performance and cost control.

Policies, Systems, Processes & Procedures

• Input into the development and implement appropriate Business Unit policies, processes, systems, standards, procedures, guidelines and internal controls.
• Implement approved Function/Division/Department/Section policies, processes, systems, standards and procedures.
• Contribute to continuous improvements within Legal Commercial & Operations to achieve and sustain performance levels reflective of external benchmarks.
• Design and implement new tools and techniques to improve quality and efficiency of operational processes.
• Identify improvements in internal processes against best practices in pursuit of greater efficiency.

Performance Management

• Contribute to achievement of Legal Commercial & Operations key performance indicators and Performance objectives.
• Establish monitoring mechanisms to ensure delivery of these objectives.
• Contribute to achievement of approved Performance Objectives for the Function/Division/Department/Section in line with Company Performance framework.
• Contribute to analyses of business operations and input recommendations on ways to enhance current business practices.

People Management and Development

• Plan, supervise and coordinate all activities in assigned area to meet functional objectives.
• Train and develop assigned staff on relevant skills to enable them to become proficient and deliver respective section objectives.
• Input into the development of knowledge, competencies and innovative spirit within Legal Commercial & Operations.
• Input into initiatives for training and continuous learning of developees within Legal Commercial & Operations.
• Support the development of junior Emirati lawyers.

Organisation Structure and Development

• Input into review and evaluation of Business Unit organisation structure.
• Aim to best utilise human capital while proactively incorporating sustainability into ongoing work practices to meet business objectives.

Risk Management

• Input into Corporate Integrated Risk Management System within the Business Unit.

Innovation and Continuous Improvement

• Assist VP/Manager/Section Head Legal Commercial & Operations in promotion of an organisation culture that encourages innovation.
• Enhance employee motivation and support initiatives for implementation of Change Management.
• Continuously improve Business Unit operations and services.
• Recommend improvements in internal processes against best practices in pursuit of greater efficiency in line with approved standards.
• Define intelligent solutions for issues confronting the Business Unit and function.

Health, Safety, Environment & Sustainability

• Support implementation of an HSE culture and compliance with relevant HSE policies, procedures, systems and controls.
• Comply with applicable legislation and sustainability guidelines across the Business Unit in line with ADNOC Code of Practices.
• Comply with relevant HSE policies, procedures, controls, applicable legislation and sustainability guidelines in line with international standards, best practices and ADNOC Code of Practices.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor Degree in Law.
• 5 years of Post Qualification Experience in transactional work in a reputable international law firm and/or in-house legal department.
• Experience preferably within the oil and gas industry.
• Must be a qualified lawyer in a civil and/or common law jurisdiction.
• Knowledge of applicable legislations and regulations.
• Knowledge of business and international best practices.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent English language (written and spoken).
• Fluent Arabic is an advantage.
• Technical competencies as per the approved competency dictionary.
• Behavioural competencies as per the approved competency dictionary.

Additional Information

• Minimal physical effort required.
• Air-conditioned office environment.