Legal Specialist

Svitzer Peru S.A.; Dubai; On-site; AED 300,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Svitzer Peru S.A. is seeking a skilled Legal Counsel to act as a trusted advisor across the AMEA region, translating complex legal matters into practical business guidance.

You will lead negotiations on multi-jurisdiction contracts, guide tenders, and support high-stakes corporate transactions with strong governance oversight. The role requires 5–8 years post-qualification experience in corporate and commercial law, preferably with Middle East exposure.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in Law (LLB or equivalent) is essential.
• Qualified to practise law and admitted to a recognised legal regulatory body.
• 5 - 8 years' post-qualification legal experience.
• Experience supporting corporate and commercial legal matters within an international business environment.
• Knowledge of cross-border commercial transactions and corporate governance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Experience working in the Middle East is preferred, with candidates currently based in the region advantageous.
• Maritime, shipping or logistics industry experience is desirable but not essential.
• Experience supporting mergers and acquisitions would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Act as a trusted legal advisor and build partnerships with regional leadership and stakeholders, translating complex legal issues into practical business advice.
• Partner with business leaders to identify, assess and mitigate legal and commercial risks while enabling sound business decisions.
• Lead the review, drafting and negotiation of complex commercial contracts and agreements across multiple jurisdictions.
• Provide legal oversight on tenders, bids, commercial negotiations and new business opportunities for compliance and risk allocation.
• Advise on contractual disputes, claims and contentious matters with practical, commercial solutions.
• Oversee corporate governance across the regional portfolio and ensure compliance of entities and joint ventures.
• Manage incorporation, restructuring and governance of legal entities, including board resolutions and powers of attorney.
• Support mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, joint ventures and other corporate transactions across the region.
• Provide maritime and operational legal oversight, including charter parties and vessel transactions where applicable.
• Monitor regulatory developments and industry trends; advise on potential impacts and opportunities.
• Champion best practices and improvements in legal processes, contracts management and governance across AMEA.
• Contribute to regional legal strategy and safeguard legal, commercial and reputational interests.

Skills

Commercial awareness

Legal judgement

Stakeholder communication

Contract negotiations

Governance understanding

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Law

Job description

Specific Area of Responsibility:

• Act as a trusted legal advisor and build strong partnerships with regional leadership and cross-functional stakeholders, translating complex legal issues into practical business advice and influencing decision-making.
• Partner with business leaders to identify, assess and mitigate legal and commercial risks while enabling sound business decisions and sustainable growth.
• Lead the review, drafting and negotiation of complex commercial contracts, strategic agreements and legal documentation across multiple jurisdictions.
• Provide legal oversight and guidance on tenders, bids, commercial negotiations and new business opportunities to ensure legal compliance and appropriate risk allocation.
• Advise on contractual disputes, claims and contentious matters, recommending practical and commercially balanced solutions.
• Oversee corporate governance activities across the regional portfolio, ensuring legal entities and joint ventures comply with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Manage the incorporation, restructuring and ongoing governance of legal entities, including the preparation of board resolutions, powers of attorney and other corporate documentation.
• Support strategic initiatives, including mergers, acquisitions, restructurings, joint ventures and other corporate transactions across the region.
• Provide legal oversight for maritime and operational matters, including charter party agreements, vessel sale and purchase transactions, and related regulatory requirements where applicable.
• Monitor changes in legislation, regulatory developments and industry trends across the region, proactively advising the business on potential impacts and opportunities.
• Champion best practices, standardisation and continuous improvement of legal processes, contract management and governance across the AMEA Region.
• Contribute to the development of the regional legal strategy, supporting organisational priorities while safeguarding the company's legal, commercial and reputational interests.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Law (LLB or equivalent) is essential.
• Qualified to practise law and admitted to a recognised legal regulatory body.
• 5 - 8 years' post-qualification legal experience.
• Experience supporting corporate and commercial legal matters within an international business environment.
• Knowledge of cross-border commercial transactions and corporate governance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Experience reviewing and negotiating commercial contracts.
• Experience working in the Middle East is preferred, with candidates currently based in the region being advantageous.
• Maritime, shipping or logistics industry experience is desirable but not essential.
• Experience supporting mergers and acquisitions would be advantageous.

Personal Attributes

• Demonstrate strong commercial awareness and sound legal judgement.
• Build trusted relationships and communicate complex legal concepts clearly to non-legal stakeholders.
• Be highly organised with excellent attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Take ownership, exercise initiative and work independently while collaborating effectively within a regional and global team.
• Thrive in a dynamic, multicultural and fast-paced international environment.
• Display integrity, professionalism and sound decision-making.
• Be proactive, solution-oriented and focused on delivering practical business outcomes while managing legal risk.
• Show resilience, adaptability and a continuous improvement mindset.

Building a Diverse Workplace

In Svitzer we value the diversity of our talent and will always strive to recruit the best person for the job – we value diversity in all its forms, including but not limited to gender, age, nationality, race, sexual orientation, disability, or religious beliefs. We are proud of our diversity and see it as a genuine source of strength for building high performing teams.

Don’t meet every single requirement?Studies have shown that members from some under-represented groups are less likelyto apply for jobs if they don’t meet every single qualification. At Svitzer we are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles, and we are excited about hearing from you!