About the Role

• Serve as a trusted advisor to senior management and business units by offering in-depth legal insight that enables sound commercial decision-making and effective risk management.

• Provide early-stage legal input into major strategic initiatives such as new store openings, regional expansions, acquisitions, joint ventures, franchising, e-commerce platforms, and technology implementations.

• Participate in executive and operational meetings, contributing a legal perspective to strategy formulation, product development, pricing policies, marketing campaigns, and digital innovation.

• Offer preventive legal advice that anticipates legal exposure and proposes proactive mitigations, not just reactive remedies.

• Interpret and advise on national and regional laws impacting the retail industry including consumer rights, advertising and promotions, data privacy (e.g., GDPR/UAE PDPL), environmental regulations, and competition laws.

• Monitor legal and regulatory developments relevant to the retail sector and ensure timely updates and advisories to management and affected departments.

• Partner with Compliance to enhance governance frameworks, develop risk registers, and drive internal audits.

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of commercial agreements such as vendor contracts, leases, logistics agreements, licensing, partnerships, and procurement deals.

• Act as a legal gatekeeper for new initiatives involving third parties, ensuring contract terms align with commercial objectives while safeguarding legal and reputational interests.

• Lead legal due diligence efforts during potential mergers, acquisitions, or franchisee engagements.

• Manage investigations, customer complaints with legal ramifications, and pre-litigation disputes; lead settlement discussions and oversee litigation strategy with external counsel.

• Advise on reputational risk and public communications from a legal standpoint during incidents or disputes.

• Conduct training sessions for internal stakeholders on legal topics including contract negotiation, employment law, anti-bribery, workplace harassment, and ethical conduct.

• Act as a liaison between the company and external law firms, regulatory bodies, and enforcement authorities.

About You

Minimum Requirements :

• Minimum of 7–10 years post-qualification experience, with at least 3 years in an in-house legal role within the retail, FMCG, or consumer-facing sectors.

• Sound knowledge of all applicable Laws, Rules, Regulations, Notices, and the Standards related to Exchange Business in the UAE.

• Bachelor’s Degree in Law; Master of Laws or equivalent advanced qualification is a plus.

• Additional jurisdictional experience (e.g., GCC, Common Law) is advantageous.

• Demonstrated ability to advise senior leaders and engage at a strategic level.

• Sound experience across commercial law, labor law, regulatory compliance, dispute management, and retail operations.

• Strong commercial understanding, risk analysis, and negotiation capabilities.

• Understanding of UAE legal frameworks, particularly in commercial, labor, and regulatory law.

• Exposure to GCC or Common Law systems, allowing for broader legal insight in multi-national operations or cross-border matters.

• Familiarity with legal issues common to retail, FMCG, and consumer-facing businesses, such as product liability, consumer protection, IP, and leasing.

• Experience in planning and budgeting

• Knowledge of different business process and functions

• Strong analytical and assessment skills

• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• Outstanding organizational and leadership skills

• Problem-solving aptitude and sound judgment

Notes for the Applicants

 This position is open for U.A.E National Only