Senior Counsel Governance

Meraki Talent; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 350,000 - 600,000; Full time

Job summary

Meraki Talent is partnering with an established international energy and investment group to recruit a Senior Counsel / Manager – Governance in Abu Dhabi. The role will support the development and implementation of a robust governance framework across a complex, multi-jurisdictional organisation.

Based in Abu Dhabi, the successful candidate will advise on corporate governance, risk and strategic transactions, working closely with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams to embed effective

Qualifications

• A law degree, Juris Doctor, Master of Laws or equivalent relevant academic qualification.
• At least 10 years' relevant experience in legal, corporate governance, compliance or regulatory advisory roles.
• Experience advising on cross-border transactions, investments, acquisitions, joint ventures or strategic partnerships.
• An understanding of governance requirements across complex groups of subsidiaries, affiliates and jointly held entities.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to translate complex legal and governance issues into practical, actionable advice.
• The confidence to influence senior stakeholders, challenge constructively and communicate risk and mitigation strategies clearly.
• The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across legal, governance and wider business functions.

Responsibilities

• Governance Advisory: Act as a trusted adviser to business leaders and functional stakeholders, providing clear, commercially focused guidance on governance matters, corporate structures and legal risks.
• Governance Framework Development: Support and lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of governance policies, procedures and frameworks, including delegations of authority and committee terms of reference.
• Transaction Support: Identify, assess and mitigate governance risks throughout the transaction lifecycle, including deal planning, due diligence, approvals, execution and post-completion integration.
• Corporate Governance: Support and oversee company secretarial activities for relevant committees, ensuring appropriate governance processes, documentation and approvals are maintained.
• Multi-Jurisdictional Governance: Assess governance requirements across multiple jurisdictions, including subsidiary and affiliated entities, cascading authorities, regulatory obligations and the governance of jointly held entities.
• Risk Management: Identify governance gaps and opportunities, develop appropriate mitigation measures and elevate material risks where necessary.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships across the business and functional teams, ensuring governance is considered early in commercial planning and strategic decision-making.
• Policy Implementation and Training: Support the communication, implementation and evaluation of governance policies, including training and reporting on their effectiveness.
• Project Leadership: Coordinate and contribute to key governance initiatives, working collaboratively with colleagues across the governance function.

Skills

Governance advisory

Stakeholder engagement

Risk management

Commercial judgement

Independent working

Education

Law degree

Juris Doctor

Master of Laws

Job description

Senior Counsel / Manager – Governance

Location: Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

Function: Legal, Governance & Compliance

Reporting to: Associate Director – Governance

The Opportunity

An established international energy and investment group is seeking a Senior Counsel / Manager – Governance to support the development and implementation of its governance framework across a complex, multi-jurisdictional organisation.

This is a senior, business-facing role offering the opportunity to advise on corporate governance, commercial risk and strategic transactions across a diverse portfolio of entities and investments. The successful candidate will work closely with senior stakeholders and cross-functional teams, providing practical, risk-based advice and helping ensure robust governance standards are embedded throughout the business.

Key Responsibilities

• Governance Advisory: Act as a trusted adviser to business leaders and functional stakeholders, providing clear, commercially focused guidance on governance matters, corporate structures and legal risks.
• Governance Framework Development: Support and lead the development, implementation and continuous improvement of governance policies, procedures and frameworks, including delegations of authority and committee terms of reference.
• Transaction Support: Identify, assess and mitigate governance risks throughout the transaction lifecycle, including deal planning, due diligence, approvals, execution and post-completion integration.
• Corporate Governance: Support and oversee company secretarial activities for relevant committees, ensuring appropriate governance processes, documentation and approvals are maintained.
• Multi-Jurisdictional Governance: Assess governance requirements across multiple jurisdictions, including subsidiary and affiliated entities, cascading authorities, regulatory obligations and the governance of jointly held entities.
• Risk Management: Identify governance gaps and opportunities, develop appropriate mitigation measures and elevate material risks where necessary.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build strong relationships across the business and functional teams, ensuring governance is considered early in commercial planning and strategic decision-making.
• Policy Implementation and Training: Support the communication, implementation and evaluation of governance policies, including training and reporting on their effectiveness.
• Project Leadership: Coordinate and contribute to key governance initiatives, working collaboratively with colleagues across the governance function.

Candidate Requirements

The successful candidate will ideally demonstrate:

• A law degree, Juris Doctor, Master of Laws or equivalent relevant academic qualification. Professional certifications in governance, compliance, risk, audit or accounting would be advantageous.
• At least 10 years' relevant experience in legal, corporate governance, compliance or regulatory advisory roles.
• Experience advising on cross-border transactions, investments, acquisitions, joint ventures or strategic partnerships.
• An understanding of governance requirements across complex groups of subsidiaries, affiliates and jointly held entities.
• Strong commercial judgement and the ability to translate complex legal and governance issues into practical, actionable advice.
• The confidence to influence senior stakeholders, challenge constructively and communicate risk and mitigation strategies clearly.
• The ability to work independently while collaborating effectively across legal, governance and wider business functions.

Experience within the energy sector, financial services, private equity, infrastructure, sovereign investment, asset management or another complex international industry would be particularly advantageous.

The Role and Environment

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to the continued development of a sophisticated governance framework within an international organisation operating across multiple jurisdictions.

The successful candidate will work at the intersection of legal, commercial and strategic decision-making, helping strengthen governance standards, manage risk and support the organisation's investment and business activities.

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE.