Senior Legal Counsel (Presight&AIQ)

Overview:

Takamul is a joint venture established to support the Central Bank of the UAE in building and operating national-scale financial infrastructure, including Instant Payments, CBDC, the Jaywan domestic card scheme, and other priority platforms.

1. Job Summary

We are seeking a Senior Legal Counsel with deep experience in commercial and government contracting in the UAE. The successful candidate will oversee complex vendor and government agreements, support procurement activities, and ensure compliance with all applicable UAE legal and regulatory frameworks. This role requires a balance of strong legal expertise and a pragmatic, business-oriented mindset.

Responsibilities:

2. Key Responsibilities

• Commercial & Government Contracting
  • Draft, review, and negotiate high-value contracts with vendors, technology providers, and government stakeholders.
  • Provide clear and actionable legal advice to business and procurement teams on contractual structures, obligations, and risks.
  • Support contract lifecycle management to ensure timely execution and performance monitoring.
• Procurement & Vendor Engagement
  • Partner with the procurement function to ensure tendering, RFPs, and vendor selection processes are legally sound and compliant.
  • Advise on supplier performance frameworks, service-level agreements, and dispute avoidance strategies.
  • Align contract terms with JV policies and shareholder requirements.
• Regulatory & Legal Compliance
  • Ensure Takamul’s operations and agreements comply with UAE laws, including CBUAE regulations, financial services laws, data protection, and labor law.
  • Maintain up-to-date knowledge of evolving legislation and provide practical guidance on its impact to the business.
  • Develop and maintain internal policies and templates to standardize contracting and compliance processes.
• Stakeholder Support
  • Act as a trusted advisor to executive management and business leaders, enabling strategic decision-making.
  • Liaise with external counsel when required, ensuring efficiency and value from outsourced legal services.

Contribute to building a culture of compliance and accountability across the organization. 

Qualifications:

3. Qualifications

•     Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or Juris Doctor (JD); Master of Laws (LLM) preferred.

4. Experience:

•    10+ years of post-qualification legal experience, with significant experience in the UAE.
•    Proven track record in managing complex vendor and government contracts with iregulated industries (finance, telecom, technology, or infrastructure).
•    Strong knowledge of UAE commercial, procurement, and regulatory frameworks.
•    Experience working with or advising on government-related projects is highly desirable.
•    Fluent in English; Arabic proficiency optional.

5. Skills & Competencies:

•    Business-oriented with the ability to propose pragmatic legal solutions.
•    Strong negotiation and drafting skills with attention to commercial outcomes.
•    Effective communicator with senior executives, government entities, and international partners.
•    Collaborative and adaptable, comfortable working in a fast-evolving JV environment.

6. Working Conditions:

•    Full-time position; hybrid/remote options as per company policy.