Principal Legal Counsel

About the Role
The Principal Legal Counsel acts as a senior technical legal authority, providing expert advice and leading complex, sensitive, and strategically significant legal matters. This role is accountable for the delivery of legal support for major transactions, high-risk contractual arrangements, and material legal disputes, while also providing technical guidance, quality review, and mentoring to other legal professionals. The position operates in accordance with the Group’s Mission, Vision, Values & Strategies, as well as relevant policies, guidelines, and standards.

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

• Provide legal advice on complex commercial, contractual, regulatory, and operational matters.
• Advise on the legal implications of strategic business decisions, including alternative transaction structures and associated risk allocation.
• Develop legal strategies for managing material disputes, contentious matters, and complex contractual exposures.
• Review and provide technical challenge on significant legal advice, legal opinions, and contractual positions prepared by other team members.
• Lead legal workstreams on major acquisitions, divestments, joint ventures, restructuring, financing arrangements, and other strategic transactions, as assigned.
• Lead the drafting, review, negotiation, and execution of complex agreements and legal documentation.
• Support major transactions, investments, partnerships, financing arrangements, and strategic projects.
• Conduct legal assessments and provide recommendations to support management decision-making.
• Interpret laws, regulations, and legal developments and advise stakeholders on business implications.
• Identify legal risks and develop mitigation strategies to protect the organization’s interests.
• Lead legal due diligence activities and assess legal exposures and obligations.
• Manage complex contractual disputes, claims, and legal issues.
• Coordinate, direct, and challenge external legal counsel on specialized legal matters.
• Develop legal guidance, templates, and best practices to strengthen legal consistency.
• Review and validate legal analyses and recommendations prepared by junior team members.
• Coach and mentor Legal team members.
• Identify opportunities to improve legal effectiveness and support business objectives.

Key Interactions

• Internal: the company Streams & Assets
• External: Staffing specialized Contractors, Vendors & Suppliers

Notable Working Conditions
Office environment, intensive computer screen use, sporadic visits to operation site.

Education Requirements

• LLB or equivalent from a reputable university or law school with admission to a recognized civil or common law Bar (or equivalent body), qualified as a lawyer/solicitor/barrister.

Language

• Excellent written and spoken English is a must.

Background and Experience
Competencies and Skills

• A minimum of 10-12 years of experience with a recognized law firm and/or in-house legal and compliance function within a recognized corporate entity.
• Extensive experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating complex commercial agreements.
• Experience supporting strategic projects, transactions, disputes, and legal risk mitigation initiatives.
• Experience supporting strategic investments, mergers and acquisitions, and financing transactions, including legal due diligence, transaction structuring, negotiation, and documentation.
• Strong understanding of applicable laws, regulations, and commercial legal practices.

Soft Skills

• Ability to think strategically and align legal advice with business priorities.
• Ability to influence and advise senior stakeholders on complex legal matters.
• Strong negotiation and relationship management capabilities.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment in high-risk and ambiguous situations.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and develop legal talent.
• Demonstrates the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and confidentiality.

Technical Competencies

• Ability to provide expert legal advice on complex commercial and regulatory matters.
• Ability to lead negotiations and develop commercially sound legal solutions.
• Strong knowledge of contract law, regulatory requirements, and legal risk management.
• Ability to assess complex legal risks and recommend effective mitigation strategies.
• Ability to support strategic transactions, disputes, investigations, and business initiatives.
• Ability to interpret legislative and regulatory developments and advise on business implications.
• Ability to establish legal standards, guidance, and best practices.