Legal Contracts Manager📣 Job Ad

About the Legal Contracts Manager Role

Thales is seeking a Legal Contracts Manager to join its team in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. This full-time position is integral to the Legal Contract Management Team, supporting operations in KSA & CA. Thales has a significant presence in Saudi Arabia, contributing to major infrastructure and security projects for 40 years.

Key Responsibilities

The Legal Contracts Manager will oversee various aspects of contract management, ensuring adherence to legal principles and company policies. Key responsibilities include:

• Contract Law & Drafting: Understanding contract law principles, drafting precise clauses, analyzing complex contract structures (JVs, SPVs, consortia), and managing various contract types across different legal systems.
• Contract Administration & Claims: Establishing best practices for claims and changes, implementing management tools, managing disputes, and leading process improvements.
• Compliance & Regulations: Ensuring adherence to ethics, trade compliance, anti-corruption policies, conducting due diligence, and managing cybersecurity and data privacy within contracts.
• Intellectual Property: Integrating IP considerations into strategies, negotiating IP clauses, and monitoring IP processes.
• Risk Management: Identifying and mitigating contractual risks, developing risk management strategies, and evaluating technical and non-technical risks.
• Delivery & Performance: Managing delivery risks related to international trade, coordinating contract performance monitoring, and understanding project timelines.
• Bid & Project Management: Managing internal contract-related projects, defining workflows and KPIs, and providing contractual insights during the bid lifecycle.
• Sourcing & Subcontracting: Managing supplier contracts, advising on subcontracting agreements, and aligning prime contract management with procurement strategies.
• Change Management: Implementing change management strategies in contract processes and communicating regulatory changes.
• Communication: Clearly conveying contract-related matters, escalating issues, and managing internal and external communications.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Understanding stakeholder needs and aligning contract strategies with business objectives.

Qualifications and Experience

Candidates should possess the following qualifications:

• A Bachelor or Master Degree in Laws (Private Law, Commercial Law, Corporate Law) or in Business Administration, Engineering, or a similar field.
• A minimum of 5 years of relevant experience in in-house legal, contracts, and commercial management within an international environment.
• Exposure to FIDIC contracts, Public Procurement contracts, Corporate Laws, and Trade compliance.
• Practical experience with KSA legal systems and laws, Civil Law, Common Law, and comparative legal practices, with exposure to the Middle East legal environment.

Required Skills and Competencies

Successful candidates will demonstrate proficiency in:

• English language proficiency (written and verbal).
• Strong understanding of FIDIC contracts, Public Procurement contracts, Corporate Laws, and Trade Compliance.
• Knowledge of KSA legal systems, Civil Law, and Common Law.
• Contract drafting, negotiation, and management skills.
• Ensuring coherence between contractual documents (T&Cs, scope of work, specifications).
• Experience with contracts involving government and semi-government organizations.
• Awareness of regulatory frameworks including export control, environmental, health, and security policies.
• Financial and risk assessment skills, including cost estimates, price revisions, contingencies, and taxes.
• Understanding of project management and contract lifecycle processes.
• Ability to manage disputes, litigation, and legal resolutions.
• Ability to simplify complex legal concepts and manage ambiguity.

Work Location and Type

This is a full-time position based in Makkah and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Thales offers career development opportunities across its global network.

Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE)

All employees are expected to ensure their own safety and the safety of others, adhere to the HSE Thales Policy, and comply with local HSE laws and legislation. This includes the correct use of safety equipment and actively promoting water and energy conservation, waste minimization, and recycling. Employees have the right to stop work if they believe their activities may affect health and safety, and such conditions must be reported immediately.