Legal Counsel

Role Overview

Legal Counsel at ADNOC, located in Abu Dhabi, providing legal advice and services with a particular focus on Legal Commercial and Operational matters.

Company Overview

ADNOC is a major energy company with a multi-directorate structure including Business Line Directorates (BLDs), Business Support Directorates (BSDs), and Business Support Functions (BSFs) across multiple group companies.

Role Purpose

Provide comprehensive legal advice and support to Business Line Directorates, Business Support Directorates, Business Support Functions and group companies on commercial, non-commercial and operations-related agreements, projects and matters, while ensuring conformity with laws and regulations and safeguarding ADNOC Group's interests.

Key Responsibilities

Legal Commercial & Operations Advisory

• Provide legal counsel and advice to Business Line Directorates (BLDs), Business Support Directorates (BSDs), Business Support Functions (BSFs) and group companies in relation to commercial, non-commercial and operations-related agreements, projects and matters.
• Provide legal advice and support relating to agreements, documents, projects and investment transactions for BLDs, BSDs and BSFs.
• Advise on general commercial contracts, employment law, health and medical law matters, real estate, hospitality, corporate transactions, corporate governance, policies and procedures.
• Advise on intellectual property, projects and activities.
• Serve as a Legal Business Partner to various parts of the Business.

Legal Documentation & Compliance

• Draft, review, and amend legal opinions, agreements and documents.
• Produce legal agreements that reflect the ADNOC Group's risk appetite and safeguard its best interests.
• Ensure conformity with all applicable laws and due and proper compliance requirements.
• Prepare standard form agreements, guidelines and deliver training sessions to BLDs, BSFs, BSDs and group company LGC business unit colleagues on relevant legal requirements for commercial and operations-related agreements.

External Counsel Management

• Instruct and supervise external legal counsel advising on legal matters relating to BLDs and group companies under each BLD.
• Manage and monitor performance of external legal counsel.
• Monitor legal spend and budget.
• Assist with the appointment of external lawyers and experts.
• Assess the performance of external lawyers and experts.

Budget & Operations Management

• 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 and Section budgets.
• Assist in the implementation of approved budgets and work plans.
• Investigate and highlight any significant variances to support effective performance and cost control.
• Assist VP/Manager/Section Head Legal Commercial & Operations with day-to-day operations of the Legal Disputes & Executive Affairs Business Unit.

Policies, Systems & Procedures

• Input into the development and implement appropriate Business Unit policies, processes, systems, standards, procedures, guidelines and internal controls.
• Implement approved Function, Division, Department and Section policies, processes, systems, standards and procedures.
• Support execution of the Function's work programs in line with Company and International standards.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Contribute to achievement of the Legal Commercial & Operations KPIs and Performance objectives.
• Establish monitoring mechanisms to ensure delivery of objectives.
• Contribute to analyses of business operations and input into recommendations on ways to enhance current business practices.
• Contribute to continuous improvements within the Legal Commercial & Operations to achieve and sustain performance levels reflective of external benchmarks.
• Design and implement new tools and techniques to improve the quality and efficiency of operational processes.
• Identify improvements in internal processes against best practices in pursuit of greater efficiency in line with best industry standards.
• Recommend improvements in internal processes against best practices in pursuit of greater efficiency in line with approved standards to define intelligent solutions for issues confronting the Business Unit.

People Management & Development

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

Stakeholder Management & Communications

• Represent Legal Commercial & Operations in various task forces, events and committees.
• Prepare, deliver and present reports.
• Collaborate with various internal and external stakeholders.
• Maintain regular contacts with legal advisors across ADNOC Group.
• Maintain regular contacts with counterparts and focal points of Business customers across ADNOC Group.
• Maintain contacts with ADNOC's cross-functional management teams.
• Maintain contacts with ADNOC Legal, Governance and Compliance leadership.
• Maintain contacts with lawyers of major governmental, legal, financial and commercial institutions.
• Maintain contacts with suppliers and business partners.
• Maintain contacts with external legal firms and advisors.

Risk Management, HSE & Sustainability

• Input into Corporate Integrated Risk Management System within the Business Unit.
• Support the implementation of an HSE culture and compliance with relevant HSE policies, procedures, systems and controls.
• Comply with applicable HSE 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.

Management Information & Reporting

• Contribute and input into Business Unit MIS and deliver progress reports.
• Provide accurate and timely reports and necessary information to effectively manage operations of the Legal Commercial & Operations Business Unit.
• Provide inputs to prepare Function, Division, Department and Section MIS and progress reports for Company Management.

Innovation & Culture

• Assist VP/Manager/Section Head Legal Commercial & Operations in promotion of an organisation culture that encourages innovation and enhances employee motivation.
• Support initiatives for implementation of Change Management to continuously improve the Business Unit operations and services.

Organisation Structure & Development

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

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Law.
• Qualified lawyer in a civil and/or common law jurisdiction.
• Minimum 5 years of Post Qualification Experience in transactional work in a reputable international law firm and/or in-house legal department, preferably within the energy or technology industry.
• Knowledge of applicable legislations and regulations.
• Knowledge of business and international best practices.
• Strong background and expertise in a broad range of commercial areas, business strategy, stakeholder management and advisory.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent English language (written and spoken).
• Fluent Arabic in addition is an advantage.

Additional Information

• Work Environment: Air-conditioned office environment.
• Physical Effort: Minimal.