Principal Legal Counsel

About the role

OQ is hiring a Principal Legal Counsel in Muscat, reporting to the Manager Legal. The role acts as a senior technical legal authority, advising on and leading complex, sensitive and strategically significant legal matters, including major transactions, high-risk contracts and material disputes. It also provides technical guidance, quality review and mentoring to other legal professionals.

Key responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on complex commercial, contractual, regulatory and operational matters, including the legal implications of strategic business decisions and alternative transaction structures.
• Develop legal strategies for material disputes, contentious matters and complex contractual exposures.
• Lead legal workstreams on major acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures, restructuring, financing and other strategic transactions, and lead the drafting, review, negotiation and execution of complex agreements.
• Support major transactions, investments, partnerships, financing arrangements and strategic projects, and conduct legal assessments for management decisions.
• Interpret laws and regulations, identify legal risks and develop mitigation strategies, and lead legal due diligence.
• Manage complex contractual disputes and claims, and coordinate, direct and challenge external legal counsel.
• Develop legal guidance, templates and best practices, review the work of junior team members and coach and mentor them.

Required profile

• LLB or equivalent from a reputable university or law school, with admission to a recognized civil or common law bar (qualified lawyer, solicitor or barrister).
• Minimum of 10-12 years of experience in a recognized law firm and/or in-house legal and compliance function within a corporate entity.
• Extensive experience drafting, reviewing and negotiating complex commercial agreements, and supporting M&A, financing and investment transactions, including due diligence.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Required skills

• Strong knowledge of contract law, regulatory requirements and legal risk management.
• Strategic thinking, ability to influence senior stakeholders and strong negotiation skills.
• Ability to coach and mentor legal team members.

Working conditions: office environment, intensive computer use, with occasional visits to the operation site.