Manager Legal

About the role

OQ is looking for a Manager Legal in Muscat, reporting to the VP Legal Corporate and leading four direct reports. The role leads and manages legal advisory and compliance services across the organisation, ensuring timely, consistent and commercially sound legal support aligned with business priorities. It also covers the performance and development of the Legal team, allocation of legal resources, oversight of material legal risks and management of legal matters and external counsel.

Key responsibilities

• Lead legal advice and guidance on strategic, commercial, contractual, regulatory and operational matters, including complex negotiations, agreements, disputes and sensitive matters.
• Lead legal support for strategic projects, investments, partnerships, financing arrangements and major commercial transactions.
• Direct legal risk management and ensure proactive identification and mitigation of legal exposures.
• Advise executive management on significant business decisions, material legal exposures and emerging legal developments.
• Ensure compliance with laws, regulations, contractual obligations and organisational requirements.
• Oversee litigation, disputes, claims, investigations and engagement with external legal counsel.
• Develop and approve legal standards, templates, guidance and best practices, and monitor legislative and regulatory developments.
• Build relationships with regulators, external counsel and key stakeholders, and support a legal awareness and compliance culture.
• Drive improvements in legal service delivery with Legal Operations & Strategy.

Required profile

• LLB or equivalent from a reputable university or law school, with admission to a recognised civil or common law Bar (qualified lawyer, solicitor or barrister).
• Minimum of 8-10 years of experience in a recognised law firm and/or in-house legal and compliance function within a corporate entity.
• Extensive experience in legal advisory, contract negotiations, dispute resolution and legal risk management, and in advising executive management on strategic legal matters.
• Experience managing external legal counsel and high-value legal matters.
• Excellent written and spoken English is a must.

Required skills

• Knowledge of legal and regulatory frameworks affecting business operations.
• Ability to lead major negotiations, transactions, disputes and high-risk legal matters.
• Ability to develop and run legal risk management and compliance programmes.
• Leadership, coaching and stakeholder management skills, with strong commercial judgment and negotiation abilities.