Legal & Contracts Director / Compliance Officer - KSA & Central Asia

Location: Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaIn fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.We have been present in Saudi Arabia for 40 years and with over 600 employees to date, we are growing rapidly. Together we are delivering our signalling, control and train protection systems for the North –South Railway (NSR), the longest system of it’s kind in the world. Together we are key suppliers of In-flight entertainment and connectivity systems as well as air traffic management solutions in Saudi. We are making Saudi Arabia a safer place by securing the country’s critical infrastructure and e-security solutions that secure the country’s electronic payment systems. Thales has been selected to supply major electronic systems for air defence and the Group also supplied communication and optronic systems for the Army, the Saudi Arabia National Guards and the Air Force.

JOB OBJECTIVE                         

Lead the Legal & Contract Management function to deliver the highest standard of Legal, Contract Management and Compliance management services to the companies of Thales in Saudi Arabia and Central Asia and provide proactive relevant legal counseling to the management to address business challenges.

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES         

• Provide full range of legal services to the business including advice, analysis and counsel on governance, legal, compliance and contracts management issues in KSA and Central Asia.
• Direct and lead the team of legal experts and commercial contracts managers supporting the business.
• Primary point of contact for all transactional legal issues related to all business across the KSA & Central Asia region.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements of countries and Corporate.
• Responsible for providing support to global legal team, functions and business units on corporate transactions in the region.
• Managing relationships with external law firms and legal advisors.
• Contribute to the strategic and operational development of business through membership in the Leadership Team.

WORK EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS      

• Leadership role and Management of legal team in multinational or international organization.
• Experience in providing legal support to manage corporate and governance topics.
• Previous experience and exposure to provide legal support to local/international tenders, bids, projects and commercial contracts,
• Management of Compliance, Ethics and ESG.
• Defending the best interests of the company in disputes and litigation.

QUALIFICATION, CERTIFICATION & EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS         

• Master Degree in laws (Private Law, Commercial Law, Corporate Law).
• 15+ years of relevant experience in In-house Legal, contracts and commercial management in international environment with exposure to FIDIC contracts, Public Procurement contracts, Corporate Laws and compliance.
• Practical experience in various legal systems and Laws (Shariah, Civil Law and Common law) and comparative legal practices.
• Familiarity with KSA /Central Asia and Middle East legal environment.

PREFERRED SKILLS          

• Shall have a perfect command of English and Arabic languages.
• French language would be a strong plus.
• The Job Holder shall also be Computer Literate with proficient use of Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Strong Team Leadership with Ability to manage Complexity, Manage change and multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to interact with Senior Management and getting consensus.
• Strong interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills.
• Manage time effectively and prioritize workload.

HSE RESPONSIBILITIES

• Ensure both your own safety and the safety of others at all times.
• Maintain an active role in achieving the objectives and adhering to the HSE Thales Policy
• Comply with local HSE laws and legislation.
• To use safety equipment (including PPE) as required and intended.
• Lead by example and actively encourage departments to look at ways to conserve water & energy, minimise the generation of waste, and encourage recycling.
• Every one within Thales has the right to stop work if they believe that their activities may affect their health and safety or that of others. In this circumstance, such conditions must be reported immediately to their line manager and the HSE department.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Great journeys start here, apply now!