Director - Legal (DL)

Seddiqi Holding is a Family-owned and managed company with a unique, diversified portfolio of businesses and brands across numerous sectors. The business includes Ahmed Seddiqi, Seddiqi Properties, Swiss Watch Services and Mizzen.

We are looking to hire a Director - Legal who will be responsible for the provision of legal advice and managing legal risk to support the Company’s strategy. The DL reports to GSLD and is responsible for assisting/supporting the GSLD in providing a professional in-house legal service on all matters related to Seddiqi Holding and its operations.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic

• Contribute to the creation and development of the strategic direction of the Legal Department, under the guidance and supervision of the GSLD.

Assist and support the GSLD in:

• developing, monitoring, and managing the Legal Department’s manpower budget, making sure that it is in line with the overall business strategy and objectives.
• ensuring the needs of the organization are achieved through efficient, effective and seamless support services offered by the legal team.
• keeping abreast of legislative changes and proactively advising the business on the impact of such changes as well as advise on possible solutions.
• building a single, unified, collaborative, friendly, first-class, in-house legal team, which is curious, responsive, humble, pragmatic, commercially focused, customer-centric, and always open to finding ways of doing things better and faster.
• providing expert and strategic legal advice to management that mitigates risks and protects the organization.
• setting internal governance policies and managing the impact of external factors.
• developing and maintaining service level standards and agreements in coordination with internal stakeholders.

Operational

Assist and support the GSLD to:

• provide strategic, high quality, legal advice and support to the business.
• provide accurate and timely counsel to the GSLD, other members of the legal team, and senior management on a variety of legal topics (corporate, commercial, leasing, employment, private equity, investments, financial services/financial services regulatory, IP and IT).
• provide legal advice, assistance and support (on both a proactive and reactive basis) to the GSLD and the business in writing, orally, by presentations and in meetings across any number of legal issues, whether commercial or contentious.
• ensure appropriate service levels are maintained and effective support and guidance is provided to the business.
• develop and maintain effective working relationships, becoming a trusted advisor to the business.
• contribute to the development of company-wide and Legal Department policy and procedures.
• review a wide range of sources of information for new and proposed legal developments which impact relevant areas of responsibility and cascade across the business appropriately.
• ensure all legal activity within the business is cost effective and within budget.
• provide support to more junior lawyers, assist in their training, development, and growth.
• ensure quality, consistency, and accuracy in legal advice across the legal team.
• create contract templates and internal briefing notes, keep such templates and briefing notes up-to-date, and provide training so that the business can operate efficiently.
• perform such other duties as directed by the GSLD or the Company from time to time

Corporate and Commercial

Assist and support the GSLD to:

• draft and negotiate a wide range of contracts (distribution agreements, franchise agreements, retail agreements, commercial leases, contracts for goods and services).
• negotiate contracts with Brands and other third parties on the best terms commercially available, to minimize risks and otherwise protect the business.
• advise on mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, and investments, with a view to protecting the business and ensuring it obtains the best terms commercially available in the circumstances.

Litigation

• Assist and support the GSLD to manage complex litigation matters, work closely with the relevant business department (or external counsel where required) to determine position and strategy, advising the team and achieving resolution.

Compliance

• Assist and support the GSLD to ensure compliance with all reporting, filing and documentation requirements.
• Perform any other duties as directed by GSLD or the Company from time to time.

People

Assist and support the GSLD to:

• lead, guide, and coach the legal team to ensure best-in-class legal support to the business.
• develop an efficient, professional, legal team and to foster and encourage teamwork within the team and across the business;
• build a single, unified, collaborative, friendly, first-class, in-house legal team, which is curious, responsive, humble, pragmatic, commercially-focused, customer-centric, and always open to finding ways of doing things better and faster;
• provide strategic inputs into the overall legal team manpower plan to ensure that the department is appropriately staffed to meet business needs;
• work with CHCO and Human Capital team to develop a high-performance team through selection, development, deployment, and motivation of competent staff;
• monitor the team’s performance, provide feedback, and provide input on request to help the GSLD undertake performance appraisals for all his direct reports;
• create a safe, diverse, high performance team environment and culture that inspires pride, retains and motivates top talent, and attracts new talent.

In order to be successful in this role, you should have:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent in Law from a reputable university.
• 10+ years job related experience which includes relevant experience gained in a reputable law firm and/or a leading in-house Legal.
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in UAE.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Able to think strategically and solve complex legal problems.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills.

Strong experience:

• of negotiating, drafting, revising and dealing independently with a wide variety of commercial contracts and lease agreements (may come from a private practice or a busy, in-house team background);
• working with governmental licensing authorities in the UAE and/or across the GCC;
• of corporate law (including M&A and joint ventures), contract law, intellectual property law, data protection, private equity, investment, and financial services regulatory matters; and
• of international compliance best practices, especially related to brand agreements, including in jurisdictions that apply to such contracts.

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