Legal & compliance officer

Job Purpose

To oversee and manage the legal, licensing, and compliance functions of the company while ensuring adherence to statutory requirements, corporate policies, and operational compliance across all departments. The role will ensure timely renewals, reviews, and record-keeping of all licenses, contracts, and compliance-related obligations to safeguard the company’s legal standing and business continuity.

Key Responsibilities

Licensing & Regulatory Compliance

• Manage issuance, renewal, and amendments of trade/commercial/service licenses and permits with government/free zone authorities.
• Monitor and track regulatory requirements affecting company operations.
• Liaise with external government departments and regulatory bodies as needed.
• Ensure timely renewals of business licenses and permits.

Contracts & Agreements

• Draft, review, and negotiate lease contracts with landlords, ensuring favorable legal and commercial terms.
• Coordinate with Accounts & Finance for cheque issuance and financial commitments linked to lease agreements.
• Manage lease renewals, amendments, and Ejari registration/renewals.
• Review, draft, and finalize commercial contracts with suppliers, vendors, and partners.
• Evaluate and advise on legal terms, commercial terms, and risk exposures in contracts.
• Ensure timely renewals of lease agreements, Ejari contracts, and permits.

Employment & Immigration Compliance

• Review and monitor employment contracts and ensure compliance with UAE labour law.
• Support HR/PRO in the issuance, renewal, and cancellation of employment visas and labour contracts.
• Maintain proper documentation and compliance with Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MoHRE) and immigration rules.

Compliance Monitoring & Reporting

• Develop and maintain a compliance calendar covering:
• Trade licenses, permits, visas, and contracts.
• Corporate and legal filings.
• Taxation deadlines.
• Operational approvals and certifications.
• Marketing, advertising, and promotional approvals.
• Procurement, supplier registrations, and renewal timelines.
• Ensure entity-wide compliance across departments (corporate, legal, taxation, operations, marketing, revenue, purchases, etc.).
• Generate regular compliance status reports for management.

Legal Advisory & Risk Management

• Provide advice on UAE corporate law, labour law, commercial law, and regulatory requirements.
• Identify potential compliance risks and propose risk mitigation strategies.
• Support in resolving disputes, liaising with external legal counsel when required.

Record-Keeping & Documentation

• Maintain updated records of all contracts, licenses, permits, and compliance documents.
• Ensure systematic filing and retrieval of documents for audits, inspections, or management review.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Strong knowledge of UAE corporate, commercial, labour, real estate, and tax laws.
• Excellent contract drafting, review, and negotiation skills.
• Strong organizational and compliance tracking skills (calendar management, deadlines monitoring).
• Ability to liaise with government authorities, free zones, landlords, vendors, and external stakeholders.
• High attention to detail, analytical ability, and communication skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office, compliance tracking tools, and record management systems.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Law, Business Law, or related discipline (Master’s or professional certification preferred).
• 5+ years’ relevant experience in legal and compliance roles within UAE (experience with licensing, permits, contracts, and corporate compliance is essential).
• Demonstrated ability to manage multi-department compliance timelines.
• Bilingual (English & Arabic) preferred.

Job Type: Full-time