Senior Legal Counsel - Middle East Infrastructure

About the role

Zutari, a buildings, infrastructure engineering and advisory firm with over 90 years of experience across Africa and the Middle East, is looking for a Senior Legal Counsel based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The role provides expert legal and commercial advice to the business, ensures legal compliance, mitigates contractual and operational risk and protects the organisation's interests across the project and commercial lifecycle. It is a trusted legal advisor to business leadership, covering contract negotiations, claims management, dispute resolution, debt recovery, governance and regulatory compliance. Fluency in both English and Arabic is required.

Key responsibilities

• Review, draft, negotiate and finalise commercial agreements such as consultancy, JV, NDA, MOU and supplier contracts, and advise stakeholders on contractual obligations and risks
• Lead legal participation in commercial negotiations and escalate significant contractual risks
• Identify legal, regulatory and commercial risks, support enterprise risk management and take part in compliance audits
• Manage contractual claims and disputes, support settlement negotiations and liaise with external counsel
• Ensure compliance with Saudi and international laws, corporate governance and internal policies, and conduct periodic compliance reviews
• Act as primary legal advisor to business leaders and project teams, build relationships with Business Development, Finance, Procurement, Risk Management and Project Management, and deliver legal training
• Support debt recovery, review contractual rights and remedies and assist in debt settlement negotiations
• Maintain records of contracts, disputes and legal opinions, develop legal templates and share legal knowledge

Required profile

• Minimum 6-8 years of experience in a similar role, including 2-4 years in a multinational engineering, construction or infrastructure company or professional services
• Bachelor's degree in law; admitted attorney; or degree in business law or contract management qualification
• Fluent in English and Arabic, with excellent written and verbal communication
• Strong knowledge of contract law and commercial agreements in the Middle East

Required skills

• Proven experience negotiating and drafting contracts
• Familiarity with claims management, dispute resolution and FIDIC contracts
• Proficiency in legal research tools and software