Senior Legal Counsel Lead

Amadeus; Abu Dhabi; On-site; AED 480,000 - 720,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Rewards package

Global DNA

Learning opportunities

Caring environment

Hybrid work model

Diversity & inclusion

Company stability

Mission and purpose

Job summary

Amadeus is seeking a Senior Legal Counsel Lead in Dubai to drive high-stakes IT, SaaS and outsourcing contracts with airline customers across the Middle East & Africa. You will lead negotiations, advise on strategic issues, and collaborate with commercial, sales and finance teams, bringing strong English-law expertise and autonomous problem-solving.

You will work closely with senior stakeholders, contributing to policies and best practices while maintaining a pragmatic commercial mindset in a

Qualifications

• 8+ years of post-qualification experience in legal roles.
• Strong background in technology contract negotiation (IT, SaaS, outsourcing).
• Drafting and negotiating contracts under English law.
• Experience in a law firm/private practice.
• Common law background or qualification strongly preferred.
• Excellent professional English.
• Ability to work autonomously with senior cross-functional stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate IT, SaaS and outsourcing agreements with airline customers.
• Lead negotiations of contracts governed by English law.
• Support strategic customer accounts throughout the contracting lifecycle.
• Identify legal and commercial risks and translate into practical recommendations.
• Partner with Sales, Commercial, Finance and other legal teams.
• Advise on existing contracts, issues and potential disputes.
• Coordinate stakeholders and drive complex negotiations forward independently.
• Contribute to contracting policies, templates and best practices.

Skills

Technology contract negotiation

Contract negotiation

English law

Legal drafting

Autonomy & stakeholder management

Job description

Job description

Senior Legal Counsel LeadSummary of the role

Join our Legal team in Dubai as Senior Legal Counsel Lead, taking a key role in some of our most strategic and complex technology agreements with airline customers across Middle East & Africa.

You will lead contract negotiations, advise the business on significant customer matters and work closely with commercial teams, senior stakeholders and legal specialists. This role offers a high level of autonomy, direct customer exposure and the opportunity to combine strong legal expertise with a pragmatic commercial mindset.

Main responsibilities

• Draft and negotiate complex IT, SaaS and outsourcing agreements with airline customers.
• Lead negotiations of contracts governed by English law.
• Support strategic customer accounts throughout the contracting lifecycle.
• Identify legal and commercial risks and translate them into clear, practical recommendations.
• Partner closely with Sales, Commercial, Finance and specialist legal teams.
• Advise on existing contracts, contractual issues and potential disputes.
• Coordinate multiple stakeholders and drive complex negotiations forward independently.
• Contribute to contracting policies, templates and legal best practices.

About the Ideal Candidate

• Qualified lawyer with significant post-qualification experience, ideally 8+ years in relevant legal roles.
• Strong background in technology contract negotiation, especially IT, SaaS and/or outsourcing agreements.
• Proven experience drafting and negotiating contracts under English law.
• Previous experience in a law firm/private practice.
• A common law background or qualification is strongly preferred.
• Strong commercial judgement and confidence handling complex customer negotiations.
• Experience working autonomously with senior, commercial and cross-functional stakeholders.
• Excellent professional English.
• Proactive, self-motivated and detail-oriented.

What we can offer you

• A complete rewards offer - Amadeus provides attractive remuneration packages, covering all essential components of a competitive reward offer.
• A truly global DNA - Everything at Amadeus is global, from our people to our business, which translates into our footprint, processes, and culture.
• Great opportunities to learn - Learning happens all the time and in many ways at Amadeus, through on-the-job training, formal learning activities, and day-to-day interactions with colleagues.
• A caring environment - Amadeus fosters a caring environment, nurturing both a fulfilling career and personal and family life. We care about our employees and strive to provide a supportive work environment.
• A hybrid working model - We want our employees to do their best work, however the hybrid model works best for them.
• A diverse and inclusive community - We are committed to leveraging our uniquely diverse population to drive innovation, creativity, and collaboration across our organization.
• A Reliable Company - Trust and reliability are fundamental values that drive our actions and shape long-lasting relationships with our customers, partners, and employees.
• A critical mission and purpose - At Amadeus, you will be powering the future of travel and pursuing a critical mission and extraordinary purpose.

#LI-EMEA

Diversity & Inclusion

Amadeus aspires to be a leader in Diversity and Inclusion in the tech industry, enabling every employee to reach their full potential by fostering a culture of belonging and fair treatment, attracting the best talent from all backgrounds, andas a role model for an inclusive employee experience.

Amadeus is an equal opportunity employer and committed to an accessible recruitment process. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation,age, beliefs, disability or any other characteristics protected by law.