Job Summary:

The Legal and Secretarial Affairs Manager is responsible for overseeing legal and corporate governance functions across multiple regions and entities. The role involves ensuring compliance with relevant laws, managing corporate secretarial duties, mitigating legal risks, and providing legal counsel to senior management. The ideal candidate will have strong legal expertise, multi-entity management experience, and the ability to navigate complex regulatory environments.

Job Responsibilities:

• Ensure compliance with laws and regulations across multiple regions, covering corporate, labour, competition, environmental, and trade laws.
• Manage corporate secretarial functions, including maintaining corporate records, adhering to governance standards, and filing required documents.
• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts and legal documents to safeguard the company’s interests while ensuring legal compliance.
• Identify and mitigate legal risks related to operations, including cross-border transactions, mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures.
• Manage legal disputes and litigation, coordinating with external counsel when needed, and providing strategic legal advice.
• Ensure timely and accurate regulatory filings across various jurisdictions, including annual reports and compliance declarations.
• Act as the main point of contact for board members and management on legal and corporate governance matters.
• Oversee the protection of intellectual property, including trademarks, patents, and trade secrets.
• Coordinate legal and secretarial affairs across subsidiaries and entities, ensuring consistency and compliance with local laws and policies.
• Manage external legal advisors, ensuring high-quality legal support across regions.

Skills & Competencies:

• At least 10 years of experience in a similar role, preferably in the FMCG industry within the GCC.
• Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in Law.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory and governance frameworks in the GCC.
• Experience with litigation is a plus.
• Expertise in corporate, commercial, competition, and employment law.
• In-depth understanding of corporate governance and regulatory filing requirements.
• Strong contract drafting and negotiation skills.
• Proficiency in managing legal aspects of company restructuring, mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures.
• Attention to detail with strong communication skills (both verbal and written).
• Ownership and accountability.
• Stakeholder management.