Senior Legal Counsel

Oman Refinery; Muscat; On-site; OMR 18,000 - 30,000; Full time

Job summary

Oman Refinery seeks a Senior Legal Counsel to provide legal support across the company’s business activities, ensuring compliance with laws and governance requirements. You will draft and negotiate complex contracts, advise on corporate, commercial, financing and project matters, and coordinate with external counsel while mitigating legal risks.

You will work closely with business stakeholders to enable informed decision-making and uphold the company’s values and policies.

Qualifications

• 12 years of relevant experience in Oil & Gas, with international exposure.
• In-house and/or law firm experience required.
• Excellent drafting and negotiation skills in English.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality legal advice across business activities to protect the Company’s interests and ensure compliance.
• Draft and negotiate complex contracts and project agreements with a focus on commercial viability.
• Advise on corporate, commercial, financing and project matters and manage disputes and claims.
• Coordinate with external counsel and regulators as needed and support governance activities.
• Identify, assess and mitigate legal risks and monitor regulatory developments impacting the business.

Skills

Oil & Gas Law

Contract Drafting

Regulatory Compliance

Negotiation

Corporate Law

Litigation & Arbitration

Education

Master of Laws (LL.M.)

LL.B.

Job description

Provide high-quality, practical and commercially focused legal advice and support across OQ8's business activities to protect the Company's interests and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, contractual obligations and governance requirements.

The Senior Legal Counsel supports OQ8's strategic and operational objectives by identifying and mitigating legal risks, drafting and negotiating complex agreements, advising on corporate, commercial, financing and project matters, managing disputes and claims, supporting corporate governance activities, and coordinating with external legal counsel where required.

The role works closely with business stakeholders across the organization to facilitate informed decision-making while ensuring alignment with OQ8's values, Code of Conduct, policies and regulatory obligations.

The position shall perform its duties in accordance with OQ8's Mission, Vision, Values and Strategy, Code of Conduct, applicable policies and procedures, HSE requirements, the laws and regulations of the Sultanate of Oman, and recognized international best practices.

General:

• Coordinate and execute legal support regarding processes and procedures to assure legal compliance of OQ8 associated with all business matters and activities and provide legal advice, guidance, thoughts, and insights associated with day to day activities, relating to the legal framework & integrated into the complex end-to-end Business, for both annual cycles and ongoing re-forecasts.
• Furnish accurate and timely Legal advice for OQ8 s the specific area (Contracts, Finance, Commercial Corporate or Projects).
• Specifying internal governance requirements and regular advice on compliance related matters.
• Collaborating with business units & management to devise efficient legal risk strategies.
• Communicate and negotiate with external parties (regulators, external counsel, public authority etc.),
• Draft and negotiate project agreements, contracts and other legal documents with OQ8 interest in mind
• Deal with the relevant project complex matters with multiple stakeholders.
• Monitor legal costs and ensure efficient use of external legal resources.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement, digitalization and efficiency of the Legal Department.
• Provide legal advice and support on corporate, commercial, project, finance, procurement and operational matters.
• Identify, assess and mitigate legal risks associated with business activities and strategic initiatives.
• Monitor legal and regulatory developments and advise on potential business impacts.
• Obtaining & oversees the work of external counsels,
• Develops and maintains a Compliance program that reinforces behaviors within defined and communicated boundaries
• Draft, review, negotiate and advise contracts on a broad range of commercial agreements and legal documentation.
• Support procurement, project, financing and operational teams in contract negotiations.
• Advising the operative units on compliance issues arising from regulatory offences (e.g. logistics, working hours, loaned employees, occupational safety, environmental issues, etc.).
• Legal advice and processing of legal cases
• Spatial and temporal readiness for the legal support of investigation measures of various authorities (customs authorities, police, local government, municipality, community, public prosecutor's office, etc.).
• Provide guidance about the impact of proposed or passed legislation that affects OQ8's business activities.
• Manage pre-dispute matters, claims and contentious issues to protect OQ8's legal and commercial interests.
• Support the management of disputes, claims, investigations and litigation matters.
• Support Head of Legal on the development and execution of the Corporate Legal and Compliance long-term plan in alignment with the function and organization strategies.
• Communicate and negotiate with external parties (regulators, external counsel, public authority etc
• Draft and negotiate project agreements, contracts and other legal documents with OQ8 s interest in mind on each specific the specific area (Finance & Banking, Corporate).
• Represents the legal department at meetings
• Report progress of Corporate Legal, Corporate and the department business plans, opportunities, challenges and issues faced, mitigations taken and course correction actions, etc. as required, to make an informed decision.
• Advising on all issues relating to employment law and developing appropriate individual solutions.
• Document all the legal cases to support OQ8 in dealing with eventual legal disputes
• Advice and settlement of extrajudicial proceedings.
• Preparation, revision, and review of employment contracts, employment regulations, and other personnel-related documents, taking into account the current legal situation and case law.
• Accompanying and conducting negotiations on company agreements, developing corresponding draft templates, and conducting the corresponding negotiations.
• Drafting, revision, and negotiation of rental and lease agreements of any kind.
• Maintenance and administration of the local land register, documents, contracts, and agreements.
• Review and advice contracts with local and international suppliers (e.g. Contracts for purchasing of equipment, catalyst, technical gases, etc.).
• Training of the employees of the sites in various legal areas.
• Oversee continuous improvements & LEAN execution plans in the area. Continuously identify and recommend improvements while ensuring compliance with the group guidelines, international/local standards, and relevant legislation.
• Support the Head of Legal in relation to Board, Board Committee and Shareholder governance matters, including the review of resolutions, policies and governance documentation

Desired Candidate Profile

• Master or any other additional qualification (additional not necessary)
• 12 years of relevant experience in Oil & Gas- Downstream/Commercial experience ideally both internationally and Local, including private legal practice for downstream, commercial, project areas.
• Experience and qualified in Oman law with involvement in:
  • Operations Downstream
  • Corporate Legal Matters
  • Finance Legal
  • Labour
  • Compliance
• Excellent drafting skills and exposure to legal framework regarding commercial, Downstream, and projects
• In-house and/or Law firm experience is required.
• Knowledge in Corporate and Commercial.
• Knowledge in Litigation and Arbitration.
• Sound legal judgement and decision-making
• Analytical skills
• Forward-thinking
• Promotes Teamwork and an environment of Diversity & Inclusion
• Builds trust by meeting commitments & creating an environment of transparency and accountability
• Models and ensures commitment with business aspirations, ethics & guidelines
• Engages & inspires people to collaborate and share knowledge to achieve common goals
• Maintaining effective, accurate, and transparent communication with all stakeholders & community
• Pursues innovation & continuous improvement
• Leads a solution-based approach to plan and deliver competitive results
• Transforms strategic insight into achieving business excellence
• Takes accountability for a performance culture that delivers continuous transformation.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work under pressure.
• Excellent business and technical report writing skills. Specialist in legal English (communication, writing and Negotiation) with equivalent ELTS 7 or above.
• Very good knowledge of using PC software.
• Legal, Corporate, Commercial & Projects
• Project Finance and lender related matters