Consulting | Quality and Risk Management | Senior Legal & Risk Manager – Technology

United Arab Emirates | Consulting | Posted on 17-Jul-2024

Position Summary

Location
Dubai

Consulting | Quality and Risk Management | Senior Legal & Risk Manager – Technology 

When you work for us, you commit to a career at one of the largest and most prestigious professional services firms in the world. We have received numerous awards over the last few years, including Best Employer in the Middle East, and Best Consulting Firm, and the Middle East Training & Development Excellence Award.

Deloitte Consulting in the Middle East (“DME-C”) is on an exciting transformation and growth journey, as part of this, it plans to further strengthen its internal functions which provide foundations for scaling safely.  The journey will pivot us to large and complex deals in transformation, technology implement and operate. Accordingly, DME-C is seeking to recruit a dynamic and experienced Senior Legal & Risk Manager – Technology 

Our Purpose

Deloitte makes an impact that matters. Every day we challenge ourselves to do what matters most—for clients, for our people, and for society. We serve clients distinctively, bringing innovative insights, solving complex challenges and unlocking sustainable growth. We inspire our talented professionals to deliver outstanding value to clients, providing an exceptional career experience and an inclusive and collaborative culture. We contribute to society, building confidence and trust in the markets, upholding the integrity of organizations and supporting our communities.

Our shared values guide the way we behave to make a positive, enduring impact:

  • Integrity
  • Outstanding value to markets and clients
  • Commitment to each other
  • Strength from cultural diversity

In this role you will serve you will serve as a trusted advisor to DME-C and engagement leadership on strategic contract matters during the delivery of large-scale, high-risk engagements across sectors and the Middle East geography.

The successful candidate’s key responsibilities include, among others:

  • Responsible for in-depth understanding of DME-C contracts / legal risk assessment, managing legal contracting risk, deal structuring and deviations where they occur
  • Reviewing and negotiating technology contracts for:

o            implementation of ERP systems including Oracle, Salesforce, and SAP,

o            Technology Advisory, and

o            Operate/ Application Management Services

  • Reviewing and negotiating contracts for application, cloud and infrastructure operate services
  • Reviewing and negotiating engagement contracts, including Master Service Agreements and Framework Agreements (both Deloitte terms and client-imposed terms) including direct discussions with clients and their legal advisers
  • Reviewing of Non-Disclosure Agreements, hold harmless letters, Deloitte inter-firm agreements, sub-contractor agreements and teaming agreements
  • Reviewing of supplier/vendor contracts to support the business procurement requirements
  • Responding to legal, jurisdictional and regulatory changes, reviewing existing and developing new policies and procedures
  •   Answering ad-hoc risk and legal queries
  • Developing a deep understanding of DME-C’s service offerings and of our contractual risk tolerances in the context of commercial negotiations
  • Working as a business partner, developing practical commercial solutions for Deloitte’s business and client service teams - enabling them to provide excellent client service while managing DME-C’s risk
  • As a senior leader in the Quality and Risk Management team, advising DME-C’s senior management and practitioners on general legal and risk management issues, based on an understanding and appreciation of the key business risks
  • Assisting with legal policy changes (including changes to Deloitte standard terms and conditions as and when necessary)
  • Working, including independently, within an environment where requirements change frequently and therefore this role is also likely to change and expand with time
  • Maintaining the library of Deloitte’s contractual templates
  • Maintaining policies and procedures
  • Drafting, implementing and maintaining standard contracting procedures and processes
  • Building a network throughout the risk functions across the member firms
  • Responding to legal, jurisdictional and regulatory changes, reviewing existing and developing new policies and procedures
  • Working as a business partner, developing practical commercial solutions for Deloitte’s business and client service teams - enabling them to provide excellent client service while managing Deloitte’s risk
  • Working directly with senior level executives and large engagement teams
  • Assisting with legal policy changes (including changes to Deloitte standard terms and conditions as and when necessary)
  • Formulating legal opinions and communicating those to the business
  • Drafting, implementing and maintaining standard contracting templates, procedures and processes

Qualifications/Requirements

Essential

  • Undergraduate and/or Postgraduate degree from a reputable University in Law;
  • Qualified lawyer with 15+ years post-qualification experience in negotiating commercial contracts, at least 5 years experience with technology contracts, ideally in a professional services organisation or technology services provider
  • Experience leading a team of specialists / lawyers
  • Experience of dealing with and influencing multiple senior stakeholders
  • Experience working with clients - negotiating high-value contracts, supporting high value projects, and advising on complex compliance matters
  • Ability to quickly assess the risk areas and recommend ways of mitigating or managing them
  • Strong commercial understanding of engagement deal economics and profitability levers
  • Ability to evaluate risks associated with large professional services engagements
  • Ability to articulate complex contractual details to wider project team and stakeholders
  • Ability to work in a fast paced, demanding, deadline-driven environment
  • Proven ability to manage a demanding workload effectively
  • Self-motivated and able to work autonomously
  • Experience in a consulting partnership or a similar large entrepreneurial business setting
  • A track record of forging relationships with client procurement, finance or legal teams
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to translate legal concepts into plain language
  • Good level of technical proficiency and computer literacy particularly with spreadsheets (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Desirable

  • Broader experience with managing technology delivery engagements / contracting (such as digital and data, systems / cloud contracting, large platforms contracting) as well as advisory engagements
  • Project Management experience on large scale consulting/professional services engagements
  • Experience in contract management systems is an advantage
  • Experience of international and Middle East jurisdictional laws (including data protection laws) would be considered an advantage
  • Fluent in Arabic