Director Legal

Job Role:
The Director – Legal reports to the Head of Corporate Development and provides direct support to the key MAF Future Solutions stakeholders on a variety of legal, compliance and risk issues, as well as coordination and oversight of work done with MAF Holding Counsel(s) and External Legal Counsel(s) on key activities
Support the Chief Corporate Development Officer / Managing Director of Future Solutions and the Head of Corporate Development in developing and syndicating the required internal contracts to ensure the correct flow of data between all OpCos within the MAF ecosystem is in place alongside the ability to commercialize externally
The Director – Legal is a key element of the Corporate Development / MAF Future Solutions units responsible for offering solution-oriented legal services to advance the units’ ambitions across data solutions, fintech solutions, digital labs and corporate development, including investments and strategic partnerships

Job Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Respond to unit inquiries including drafting and reviewing documents, memos, correspondence, and contracts, as well as helping business leaders interpret and understand legal and compliance matters or complex language or deals.
Create and deliver legal and compliance trainings and initiatives to help key business and technical members of the unit to understand and stay informed of what the law requires, how they can manage risks appropriately, and when to ask for help.
Support preparation and timely submission of mandated legal and regulatory filings including topics pertaining to payments licensing & regulatory landscape, financial compliance and data privacy.
Contract, onboard and manage external legal entities whenever external support is deemed required including monitoring relevance and quality of deliverables, execution of budgets and assuring proper financial management.
Liaise recommendations on key legal matters with MAF Holding legal to create a single view on critical legal topics across the organization.
Seek out efficient and effective ways to improve service delivery to drive business results.
Research and analysis of complex legal and compliance issues, as well as monitoring new issues that may arise as part of the evolving nature of the units’ activity or changes to regulatory requirements.
Advice and counsel senior-level business leaders on diverse issues of law and compliance that arise in the daily operation of the business, as well as emerging challenges.

Personal Characteristics and Required Background:
Ability to take initiative and have a strong sense of ownership over shaping and executing upon our strategy and prioritized initiatives
Strong legal skills, including knowledge in analyzing, advising and executing on a multitude of topics such as:
Payment related contracts, Financial compliance, Capital markets law, Employment and immigration law (occasionally)
Financial licensing including regulatory landscape and bodies
Data Privacy Laws, locally and internationally
Intellectual property of digital assets
Collaboration contracts, SLAs, MoUs, NDAs and Term Sheets management
Corporate legal structure advisory & setup
High aptitude to quickly manage new teams and large-scale projects, and work well under pressure with appropriate attention to detail
Proven ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously with no supervision with strong interpersonal and communication skills
Strong stakeholder management skills and ability to build credibility with key business owners
Experience within the family business, retail, consumer, and real estate industries with a focus on emerging trends such as eCommerce, digital, etc. is a plus
Skillset (job specific technical skills and behavioral competencies needed)
Strong leadership skills and ability to recruit, develop, and retain a diverse and capable team
Hardworking, energetic, charismatic, and a self-starter eager to drive work independently, while able to effectively work with multi-functional teams comprised of internal and external stakeholders

Relevant Experience
Experience with demonstrated career progression within the Legal unit of a leading regional or international corporation and / or Tier-1 Legal Firm, in relevant industries
8 to 15 years of cumulative professional experience

Minimum Qualifications/ Education
Master’s degree in business / Finance / MBA is a plus
Must be fluent in Arabic and English
Law degree from a highly reputable university with a strong academic record