Senior Legal Counsel – Contracts

Company Description

Actively engaged in multi-asset class investment activities across various geographies, carried out by a highly qualified and experienced in-house team of investment professionals using an ‘Asset Allocation Matrix’ to realize risk adjusted returns on invested capital over a long-term period. Investment activities include direct investments in startups, taking stakes in established businesses, acquisitions of business enterprises and setting-up new businesses through collaborative joint venture routes. Ghobash Trading & Investment is also active in private financial investments, including private equity and debt, venture capital, real estate and publicly listed financial investments.

Job Description

The Groups’ Senior Legal Counsel is a transactional lawyer and is responsible for overseeing the end-to-end contract lifecycle across all Group companies, ensuring contracts are commercially sound, legally compliant, and aligned with the Group’s governance and risk framework. Reporting to the Group Legal Director, the role ensures consistent service delivery in line with defined SLAs, supports high-value and strategic negotiations, and drives the implementation and adoption of the Group’s Contract Management Tool. The position also leads a centralized contracts team and enables efficient, standardized contracting across multiple business units.

Contract Lifecycle Management

• Lead and oversee contract drafting, review, negotiation support, finalization, execution, renewal, and termination across the group companies spanning multiple industries
• Ensure timely, accurate, and risk-aligned contract support for wide range of agreements (sales, distribution, purchase, AMC, subcontracting, service, licensing, NDAs, MoUs, etc.)
• Oversee drafting and review of contracts using approved templates and clause libraries, while managing deviations in line with Group risk appetite
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to support negotiation of high-value, high-risk, and strategic contracts and resolve legal issues

Contract Governance and Risk Management

• Implement and enforce Group-wide contract governance standards, policies, and approval frameworks in alignment with the Group Legal function
• Ensure all contracts comply with Group policies, Delegation of Authority (DoA), regulatory requirements, and internal controls
• Identify, assess, and escalate material contractual risks to the Group Legal Director and relevant stakeholders
• Support internal and external audits by ensuring contract documentation, approvals, and governance requirements are met

Contract Management Tool (CMT) Implementation & Adoption

• Act as the business owner for the Group’s Contract Management tool (CMT) implementation
• Lead definition of functional requirements, process design, and implementation in coordination with Legal, IT, and other business stakeholders
• Drive adoption of the CMT platform across Group companies, ensuring standardized usage for drafting, approvals, repository management, and reporting
• Define and track KPIs to measure CMT effectiveness, user adoption, and value realization

Process Standardization & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain standardized contract templates, clause libraries, and negotiation playbooks across contract types
• Continuously improve contracting processes to reduce turnaround times, minimize rework, and enhance contract quality
• Promote automation and self-service contracting for low-risk, high-volume agreements, where appropriate
• Benchmark Group contract practices against regional and industry best practices and implement improvements

Team Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead and manage a centralized contracts team comprising contract managers working for different business clusters such as Tech, Energy and other businesses
• Set clear performance objectives and monitor team KPIs, including turnaround time, SLA adherence, and quality metrics
• Deliver legal training programs and develop team capabilities in contract drafting, negotiation support, risk assessment, and system usage
• Drive a culture of accountability, quality, and continuous improvement within the contracts function

Qualifications

Minimum:

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Business Administration, Finance, Engineering, or a related discipline
• Formal exposure to contract drafting and commercial agreements

Desired:

• Master’s degree or postgraduate qualification in Law, Business, or Management
• Professional certifications in contracts or procurement (e.g., IACCM / WorldCC, CLM certifications)
• 14–18 years of experience within large organizations, family groups, or conglomerates
• Prior experience leading a centralized or group-level contracts function
• Direct involvement in implementation or rollout of a Contract Lifecycle Management / Contract Management Tool

Additional Information

Experience:

• 10–12 years of extensive experience in commercial contracting and contract management
• Hands-on experience managing the end-to-end contract lifecycle (drafting, review, negotiation support, execution)
• Experience working with multiple contract types across business functions
• Strong understanding of commercial contracts, risk assessment, and governance frameworks
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders across legal, business, finance, and procurement teams
• Strong drafting, review, and negotiation support capabilities
• Ability to deliver services within defined SLAs and manage contract volumes effectively