Legal Manager

Foreground is partnering with a leading energy and drilling services company in the Al Khobar Saudi Arabia to hire an experienced Legal Manager to support its Legal & Compliance Department.

This position demands a strategic yet hands-on professional with strong commercial acumen sound legal judgment and the ability to operate autonomously in a fast-paced high-stakes environment.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The Legal Managers responsibilities shall include but not be limited to:

Leadership and Legal Oversight

• Lead and manage all legal activities mentoring and supervising the work of subordinate lawyers and legal staff.
• Provide guidance on legal rights obligations and risk exposure across the companys business units.
• Act as a key advisor to management and the Head of Legal & Compliance on complex legal issues and strategic initiatives.
• Represent the companys legal interests in dealings with regulators clients and counterparties.

Contracts and Commercial Matters

• Negotiate draft review and execute a wide range of contracts including procurement drilling oilfield services rig build and shipyard agreements.
• Ensure contractual terms protect the companys interests mitigate risks and comply with internal policies and applicable laws.
• Standardize and enhance contract templates and clauses to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Manage the companys contract management procedures ensuring adherence to established policies.

Compliance and Governance

• Design implement and monitor systems to ensure compliance with Saudi laws and international regulations applicable to the oilfield and drilling sectors.
• Develop and update corporate policies procedures and compliance frameworks to ensure ongoing regulatory alignment.
• Lead internal investigations into any potential legal or regulatory breaches and oversee remediation efforts.
• Research relevant laws regulations and judicial decisions to provide clear and practical legal advice to stakeholders.

Litigation and External Counsel

• Manage and coordinate all litigation claims and disputes ensuring timely and effective legal representation.
• Retain and supervise external legal counsel ensuring the company receives cost-effective and high-quality legal services.
• Prepare and review legal memoranda opinions and submissions ensuring consistency with company objectives.
• Report all legal updates litigation progress and material developments to the Head of Legal & Compliance.

Advisory and Business Partnership

• Advise on labor law issues commercial transactions and corporate structuring matters.
• Provide legal support to new business ventures registrations and licensing activities.
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders across departments to ensure alignment on legal risk management and contract execution.
• Serve as the departments representative in client or partner negotiations when required.

Candidate Profile

• Bachelors Degree in Law from a recognized university (Common Law education preferred).
• Minimum 10 years of legal experience including at least 3 years in a managerial capacity.
• Proven exposure to oil gas offshore drilling or maritime industries.
• Experience in both corporate environments and law firms; consultancy or Big Four experience (e.g. EY KPMG) is a strong plus.
• Deep understanding of Saudi labor law commercial regulations and compliance frameworks.
• Strong organizational drafting and communication skills with exceptional attention to detail.
• High degree of professionalism maturity and independence able to work with minimal supervision.
• Bilingual proficiency (Arabic and English) preferred.