Senior Manager Legal-Real Estate & Commercial Operations

Shamal Holding; Dubai; On-site; AED 720,000 - 900,000; Full time

Job summary

Shamal Holding seeks a Senior Manager - Legal - Real Estate & Commercial Operations to deliver risk-managed outcomes on real estate, leasing and F&B services. The role leads the Asset Management Department’s Commercial Asset Management team, setting strategy, structuring transactions and driving matters to signing or resolution.

The role requires 8+ years in real estate transactions with post-qualification experience and a track record in leasing and related contracts.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8 years of relevant experience with at least 5 years post-qualification experience.
• Significant real estate transactional experience, including real estate sales and commercial leasing.
• Experience advising on F&B-related contracts preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide commercial asset management legal input as the team’s primary adviser with strategy and risk controls.
• Draft, negotiate and finalise real estate and F&B-related documents on commercial terms.
• Lead and manage high-priority matters end-to-end, escalating as needed to governance.
• Coordinate with external counsel to ensure fit-for-purpose advisory and cost control.
• Promote learning and adoption of legal tech to improve precedents and efficiency.

Skills

Real estate

Commercial transactions

Leasing

Contract drafting

Legal advisory

Risk management

F&B contracts

Leadership

Education

Bachelor of Law

Post-Graduate Law

Tools

Legal tech

Contract management systems

Job description

As Shamal Holding continues to grow we re in search of a strong Senior Manager - Legal - Real Estate amp Commercial Operations This role sits within the Legal - Real Estate amp Commercial Operations sub-function and is responsible to deliver commercially sound risk-managed outcomes on real estate commercial and operational matters with a particular focus on commercial leasing and F amp B services The role is accountable for ensuring the Commercial Asset Management team within the Asset Management Department achieves its commercial objectives with legal risk identified priced and controlled acting as its dedicated and primary legal adviser The role independently owns matters within its agreed portfolio end to end setting legal strategy structuring transactions leading negotiations and driving matters to signing completion or resolution on terms that protect the organisation and meet business timelines The role is accountable for improving how legal services are delivered in the sub-function strengthening precedents risk approach and ways of working and for enabling the Executive Director to deliver complex strategic high-priority and high-value matters by taking full ownership of agreed workstreams and escalating within governance and authority requirements

Responsibilities

• Commercial Asset Management Legal Partnership Commercial Asset Management decisions are made with timely practical legal input with the role trusted as the team s primary legal adviser Business planning asset commercialisation leasing licensing strategy and landlord tenant and operator arrangements progress without avoidable legal obstruction or unmanaged risk The team s legal matters are visible prioritised and reported accurately with specialist LGC input coordinated and issues escalated before they become problems
• Transactional Commercial and Operational Support Real estate and related commercial transaction documents including F amp B services are drafted negotiated and completed on commercially acceptable terms on time Transactions move from negotiation to signing and completion with conditions satisfied and post-completion obligations clearly handed over to the business Legal risk on real estate commercial and operational matters is identified early and mitigated in a way that still enables the business outcome
• High Priority Value Matters Significant matters in the portfolio land successfully with the role retaining strategic oversight where other internal lawyers or external counsel support delivery Material risks are surfaced quantified and either mitigated specialist-advised or escalated with no surprises for the Executive Director or leadership Agreed workstreams on complex strategic and high-value matters are delivered to standard releasing Executive Director capacity
• External Legal Counsel External counsel deliver fit-for-purpose advice within agreed scope quality and cost with instructions and outputs actively managed
• Business Learning and Development The LGC Department and relevant Business Units act on relevant legal developments in time to adapt The sub-function s legal strategy priorities and risk approach are informed by portfolio insight that shapes resourcing external counsel and service-delivery decisions Cycle time and cost per matter reduce through improved precedents guidance and appropriate use of AI and legal technology
• Financial Dimension Material real estate transactions and related commercial arrangements involving significant asset values and financial commitments are concluded with exposure understood and controlled No departmental budget ownership accountable for external legal spend on assigned matters being scoped managed and kept within approved budgets and delegated authorities

Minimum Qualifications & Experience: A minimum of 8 years of relevant experience with at least 5 years post qualification experience. Significant real estate transactional experience, including real estate sales and commercial leasing. Experience advising on F&B-related contracts preferred. Required: Bachelor's Degree in Law or Post-Graduate Qualification in Law. Qualified lawyer in a recognised jurisdiction. Preferred: Qualification in a common law jurisdiction, such as England & Wales, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand.