Head of Legal & Compliance

Job Code: 304/001/259
Industry: Gaming – Retail

Job Brief:
The Head of Legal & Compliance will be responsible for overseeing and managing the entire legal, regulatory, and compliance framework across GCC operations. This role serves as the sole owner of the legal and compliance vertical, ensuring full adherence to commercial, corporate, labor, tenancy, consumer protection, data protection, and industry-specific regulations. The position requires independent decision-making, strong stakeholder engagement, and hands-on management of licensing, contracts, litigation, IP, insurance, and regulatory interactions across multiple jurisdictions.

Job Responsibilities:
1. Legal & Regulatory Compliance (GCC-Wide)

• Ensure comprehensive legal compliance across the UAE, KSA, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, and Kuwait, covering commercial, corporate, labor, tenancy, consumer protection, municipal, data protection, and e-commerce laws.
• Maintain legal entity status, including updates to commercial registers and Chambers of Commerce.
• Liaise with regulatory authorities for inspections, clarifications, and official submissions.
• Prepare and submit reports and documentation to Ministries of Economy, Commerce, Culture, Labor, Municipality, Civil Defense, and Consumer Protection authorities.

Regulatory Interaction Points:

• UAE: MOHRE, DED, Dubai Municipality, MCY, Civil Defense, Abu Dhabi & Dubai Courts
• KSA: MOC, MHRSD, Baladiya, Civil Defense, GOSI, MCIT, Najiz portal
• Qatar: MOCI, Ministry of Labour, Baladiya, Hukoomi portal, Civil Defense
• Oman: MOCIIP, Ministry of Labour, Muscat Municipality, Royal Oman Police
• Bahrain: Ministry of Industry & Commerce, LMRA, eGov portal, Civil Defense
• Kuwait: Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Kuwait Municipality, PAM, Civil ID Authority

2. Licensing & Government Relations

• Manage end-to-end trade license renewals, amendments, and registrations across all regions.
• Monitor expiry dates and proactively initiate renewals for commercial licenses, MCY approvals, Civil Defense, and Municipality registrations.
• Oversee compliance across platforms such as Ejar, Tawtheeq, Baladiya systems, Hassantuk, Nafes, GOSI, Qiwa, and other regional portals.
• Manage Public Notary submissions, attestations, legal translations, and Power of Attorney filings.

3. Contract Management & Legal Drafting
Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts, including:

• Retail and mall leases
• Franchise, agency, and distribution agreements
• Supplier and vendor contracts
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
• IT and software licensing agreements
• Insurance and brokerage contracts
• NDAs and confidentiality agreements
• Employment and consultancy contracts
• Sponsorship and side agreements
• Logistics, customs brokerage, and freight forwarding contracts

Establish and manage a contract database with renewal, expiry, and compliance alerts.

4. Document Control & Record Keeping

• Establish a centralized repository for all legal, regulatory, lease, and commercial documents.
• Ensure secure storage, backups, and easy access for internal teams and auditors.
• Implement best practices for version control, document validation, and lifecycle management.

5. Property & Lease Oversight

• Manage legal and administrative aspects of retail stores, offices, warehouses, staff accommodations, and home offices.
• Coordinate with mall management and landlords for handovers, renewals, terminations, and disputes.
• Ensure compliance with civil defense, fire safety, pest control, structural maintenance, and insurance obligations.
• Oversee municipality zoning and territorial approvals.

6. Intellectual Property (IP) Management

• Register, renew, and protect trademarks, brand logos, trade names, and patents across GCC markets.
• Handle IP opposition, infringement, and licensing matters.
• Liaise with IP law firms and maintain certificate and renewal records.

7. Litigation & Legal Representation

• Act as the company’s legal representative in labor disputes, commercial litigation, civil claims, and arbitration.
• Coordinate with external counsel on filings, defense strategies, court appearances, and settlements.
• Attend government hearings, inspections, and compliance meetings as the authorized representative.
• Respond to legal notices and manage dispute resolutions with suppliers, landlords, and authorities.

8. Insurance & Risk Mitigation

• Manage the company’s insurance portfolio, including:
• Property all-risk insurance
• Public liability insurance
• Workmen’s compensation
• Product liability (if applicable)
• Conduct annual insurance reviews to ensure coverage aligns with legal and contractual obligations.
• Ensure compliance with jurisdiction-specific requirements (e.g., GOSI – KSA, MOL – Qatar, DHA/WPS – UAE).

9. Stakeholder & Department Liaison

• Collaborate with HR, Finance, Operations, Retail, and IT teams to align legal obligations with business needs.
• Guide internal teams on legal documentation, compliance processes, and risk exposure.
• Train departments on regulatory updates, compliance requirements, and best practices.