Head of Legal

Job description / Role

Our client is a growing Retail and Consumer business with a portfolio of many renowned brands across the MENA region.

Due to their expansion they are currently looking to recruit an experienced Head of Legal to manage their in-house legal department as well as lawyers and other third parties who contribute to overall legal function.

The key responsibilities will cover the following:
- Providing legal advice and support to all the company's trading divisions
- Drafting, negotiating and/or vetting commercial contracts relating to joint ventures, distributorships/franchises, leases, mergers and acquisitions
- Attending to corporate matters including incorporation of companies, restructuring, secretarial support for the meetings of Board of Directors and shareholders
- Arranging for the protection of intellectual property rights
- Outsourcing legal services and liaising with external counsels as may be necessary
- Providing advice on employment contracts, contractor agreements and marketing agreements
- Providing advice on all legal issues relating to the business in terms of consumer products, retail and leasing.
- Being a good Ambassador for the company with relevant authorities and ministries.
- Ensures the best adherence to legality in business activities and protect the company's legal interests.
- Prepare opinions on legal questions arising in the course of business.
- Ensure good methodical management of legal work for the company and provide legal assistance to all departments in claims, preparation and transmission of the necessary materials to judicial and arbitral bodies.
- Represent company in court and other state and public organizations in the process of considering legal issues.
- Develops proposals to eliminate violations of contract terms in supplying products, shortcomings and improve production and economic-financial activity.
- Controls the observance of the company legally established order of product acceptance.
- Develops proposals on improvement of economic and financial activity.
- Manage the department's employees.

Requirements

- 10+ year's good commercial experience.
- Prior experience of working in UAE/GCC and/or MENA preferable.
- Experience of managing junior lawyers and a team of legal professionals.
- Bilingual capability (fluency in English & Arabic)
- LLB (preferably LLM) degree qualified with strong exposure to litigation, compliance and commercial contracts.
- 12 years professional legal experience

The successful applicant will be highly intelligent, a strong team player, ambitious and ethical with a great sense of cultural empathy and understanding gained in the MENA region and elsewhere.

Quest Search and Selection is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

About the Company

Quest Search & Selection is a specialist recruitment consultancy with over 20 years' experience in sourcing the world's best candidates for the global Retail, FMCG and Hospitality sectors.

With offices in the UK & Dubai, we have an international presence and a global reach. Our recruiters place candidates locally and internationally for a wide variety of roles focusing on the following areas:

Retail Buying & Merchandising, E-commerce & Digital, Food & Beverage, Hotels, Hospitality & Operations, Retail Stores & Operations, HR & Recruitment, Procurement, Supply Chain & Logistics, Sales & Marketing, Technical and New Product Development.

We work in partnership with our clients who range from famous international brands within the Retail, Restaurant, Hotel and Consumer products space. Our reputation is built on our in-depth understanding of the industry and our consultants' skill, knowledge and passion for their sectors.