Senior Legal Counsel – Magnati

Job Description

<p>The role assists the Head of Legal &amp; Corporate Governance manage legal risk in all the geographies where the Magnati operates in relation to payments activities in accordance with Magnati policies and procedures. The role holder should be able to work autonomously but should seek the Head of Legal &amp; Corporate Governance’s input on unusual situations, complex matters, and issues which may pose significant legal, financial and/or reputational risk to Magnati Sole Proprietorship L.L.C<br><br></p><p><strong>ACCOUNTABILITIES:<br><br></strong></p><p><strong>Legal Advisory <br><br></strong></p><p>Provides legal advice and support to the business while keeping in mind Magnati’s strategic and business objectives.<br><br></p><p>Provides direction and guidance to facilitate the Magnati’s compliance with all applicable international and domestic laws, rules and regulations.<br><br></p><p>Collaborates with the Head of Legal &amp; Corporate Governance to establish, disseminate and implement Magnati’ internal procedures and policies.<br><br></p><p>Completes legal tasks and projects in a timely manner and responds to legal queries assigned by the Head of Legal &amp; Corporate Governance.<br><br></p><p>Supports Magnati business by providing general legal oversight on legal risks associated with payment products and services.<br><br></p><p><strong>Litigation <br><br></strong></p><p>Supervises and is responsible for the adequate management of litigation or disputes between the business and its customers in the UAE and abroad.<br><br></p><p>Represents Magnati and its subsidiaries before the notary public, court experts, courts, and the police to resolve matters in the best interest of Magnati.<br><br></p><p>Reports relevant litigation matters to the Head of Legal &amp; Corporate Governance and provides updates to the relevant stakeholders.<br><br></p><p><strong>Legal Documentation and Review<br><br></strong></p><p>Drafts, reviews and negotiates contracts and other legal documents in order to maximise Magnati’s legal protections whilst simultaneously minimising legal risks.<br><br></p><p>Produces and regularly updates standardised legal agreements, contracts and standard terms and conditions for Magnati in compliance with international best practices and applicable legal requirements.<br><br></p><p>Assists the business in launching new products and conducts legal and regulatory due diligence on such products, including identifying risks and mitigants in all applicable geographies.<br><br></p><p><strong>Knowledge of External Environment<br><br></strong></p><p>Stays abreast of new laws and regulations through continuous legal education, attending professional conferences, and participating in professional associations.<br><br></p><p>Provides updates to the Magnati’s senior business persons on new legislation and regulatory developments that may have an impact on Magnati and advises on how to comply with such new legislation and regulations.<br><br></p><p><br><br></p><p><strong>Knowledge Sharing<br><br></strong></p><p>Works closely and develops a positive professional relationship with the other members of the legal function and shares legal knowledge and best practices with legal colleagues, including providing formal and informal training sessions to the business team at the direction of the Head of Legal &amp; Corporate Governance.<br><br></p><p><br><br></p><p><strong>Stakeholder Management<br><br></strong></p><p>Liaises with external law firms and relevant authorities (such as courts) to ensure the effective resolution of all legal matters affecting Magnati.<br><br></p><p><strong>Learning and Development <br><br></strong></p><p>Functions as a subject matter expert and provides input on learning and development initiatives including training content to ensure value addition and relevance.<br><br></p><p><strong>Reporting<br><br></strong></p><p>Ensures that all requisite reports are prepared in a timely and accurate manner, and meet Magnati’ requirements, policies, and standards.<br><br></p><p><strong><u>People Management Responsibilities<br><br></u></strong></p><p>Defines goals and key performance indicators for direct reports and ensures effective implementation of Magnati performance management process.<br><br></p><p>Develops talent within the team by providing guidance and coaching to achieve defined goals.<br><br></p><p><strong>Specific Accountability<br><br></strong></p><p>Assists the Head of Legal &amp; Corporate Governance and the business with developing and rolling out new payment related products and services.<br><br></p><p>Drafts, reviews and negotiates payment services and products related documents (<em>e.g. cooperation agreements, payment platform services/implementation agreements, distribution agreements, client facing documentation – payment methods/ SVFs). <br><br></em></p><p>Assists the Head of Legal &amp; Corporate Governance in managing potential disputes and customer complaints in the UAE and abroad.<br><br></p><p>Makes recommendations for improvements to policies and processes and streamlining the same to bring about efficiency and improve turn-around time.<br><br><br><br></p><strong>Qualifications<br><br></strong><p><strong>Minimum Qualification<br><br></strong></p><ul><li>Bachelor’s degree in law;</li><li>Strong English communication and drafting skills</li><li>Ability to read, write and communicate in Arabic is beneficial</li></ul><p><strong>Minimum Experience<br><br></strong></p><ul><li>Minimum of<strong> </strong>7 years’ experience in a reputed bank/financial services sector or law firm, with at least 2 years in a similar role</li><li>Familiarity with payment products and services, as well as with other retail banking products and services is beneficial</li><li>Familiarity with UAE laws and regulations is preferred</li></ul>