Legal & Compliance Counsel - UAE & Oman

The Legal \& Compliance Counsel for the UAE \& Oman is a hybrid role responsible for providing comprehensive legal support and ensuring robust compliance oversight across both jurisdictions. Reporting directly to the Head of Legal \& Compliance, the Legal \& Compliance Counsel will maintain a balanced focus between legal advisory and the execution of the Local Compliance Officer (LCO) mandate. The role requires a dynamic approach, with responsibilities and performance objectives distributed between legal and compliance frameworks as directed by the Head of Legal \& Compliance to meet evolving business requirements and operational needs. **Legal Advisory \& Support** * Provide legal advice and risk analysis to all business teams; * Ensure the legal risks are identified and mitigated, and legal issues have been resolved; * Ensure proper validity, filing and timely renewal of titles, licenses \& permits with stakeholders and PROs; * Draft, negotiate and review all types of contracts such as: NDAs, purchase/sale agreements, distribution, supply, EPC, lease agreements, tenders, employment contracts and all agreements/addendums related to the general business operations of the business units; * Draft and review all types of legal documents (Power of attorney, resolutions, etc.); * Advise and assist the People Department in diverse labor tasks (resignation/termination), drafting of settlement agreements, implementation of changes of laws in templates, questions on employee overtime and others; * Advise, draft, review internal policies and procedures and secure the required internal approvals; * Support corporate secretary activities (prepare board meetings, draft minutes and resolutions); * Provide advice on legal disputes with the support of external lawyers: visit the courts (if required) and provide clear recommendations and updates to the management; * Monitor new regulations and communicate to the management the legal updates on a regular basis; * Provide training on fair competition law (for new joiners and recurring trainings); * Work closely with Internal Control to ensure the full compliance with Holcim’s Minimum Control Standards requirements; * Be the point of contact with external lawyers, auditors, national and federal authorities, as well as notaries. **Compliance Oversight \& Mandate** **Strategy \& Organization:** * Support the Head of Legal \& Compliance with the preparation and implementation of the annual Country Compliance Plan; * Provide compliance\-related advice to the local management regarding compliance risk exposure areas. **Support of the Group Functions:** * Contribute when required to investigations of potential compliance issues; * Support and assist local management to mitigate or resolve local compliance risks. **Local Implementation of the Group Compliance Program:** * Contribute in the implementation of new or revised compliance\-related policies, directives and guidance; * Ensure effective implementation of compliance\-related processes (e.g., Third\-Party Due Diligence) and adequate training of all relevant functions; * Adapt and deliver compliance trainings that meet needs of local employees and the requirements of the training program; * Contribute to new business projects by anticipating and addressing key compliance risks (e.g., via Compliance Due Diligence) and / or mitigation plans. **Reporting and Monitoring:** * Ensure reporting from country level on various key indicators related to implementation and health of the Compliance Program; * Help local management to promote speaking up culture and support Code of Ethics breaches recording; * Maintain appropriate documentation of Compliance support activities and monitor remediation resulting from conducted investigations; * Review internal / external audit reports in which compliance issues are raised at country level and support remediation. **Regulatory:** * Maintain a solid understanding of applicable local law and regulation developments; * Support the Head of Legal \& Compliance when interacting with local authorities or regulators regarding compliance matters. **Level of education:** * Bachelor’s degree in Law from a reputable Law School / University. Ideally, supplemented by a post\-graduate degree from a reputable Law School / University. * Excellent academic credentials. **Specific work experience:** * A minimum of 8 years of relevant work experience in a multinational corporate environment; * Majority of experience in areas of immediate relevance to the role, including the handling of commercial contracts and strong compliance focus (particularly in areas of anti\-bribery and corruption, anti\-money laundering, trade sanctions, data privacy). Ideally experience with compliance management systems and corporate investigations; * Proven track record of working successfully in an international and decentralized environment and in cross functional and cross\-cultural teams. **Linguistic skills:** * Bilingual English and Arabic (or Hindi) **Behavioral competencies:** * General agility and sound judgment; * Highest levels of ethics, integrity and discretion; * Highly developed legal and commercial acumen with a pragmatic and solutions\-oriented approach; * Proven ability to operate effectively (incl. influence and when needed diplomatically but firmly challenge stakeholders at all levels); * Excellent interpersonal and communications skills to ensure the right organizational outcomes and impact; * Strategic and wide\-ranging thinker who is comfortable taking commercial and other positions to advance the interests of the organization as a whole but always in an ethical and legal manner which is consistent with group policy and directives; * Forward looking, self\-motivated and outcomes\-orientated, with experience in managing in dynamic, complex, challenging and or ambiguous environments. **Mobility requirements:** (time spent travelling nationally): up to 20%