MENA Contracts Manager
Location: Saudi Arabia or UAE (Qatar considered)
Function: Legal & Commercial / Contracts
Type: Full-time, permanent
Reporting to: Global Head of Contracts / Regional Commercial Director
About the Company
Our client is a multinational manufacturing company with global operations spanning the Americas, the Middle East, South Asia and North Africa. As the business continues to expand its footprint across the MENA region, it is seeking a commercially astute Contracts Manager to take ownership of contract strategy and administration across a diverse, multi-jurisdictional portfolio.
The Role
The MENA Contracts Manager is a priority, business-critical hire responsible for managing the full contract lifecycle across a global set of markets, with the MENA region as the primary base and scope. Working closely with commercial, legal, procurement, finance and project delivery teams, the successful candidate will draft, negotiate and administer contracts that protect the company's interests while enabling commercial growth.
This is a hands-on role that combines legal rigour with commercial judgement, requiring someone comfortable operating across multiple jurisdictions, cultures and languages.
Geographic Scope
While based in KSA, the UAE (or possibly Qatar), the role carries global contract responsibility covering the United States, Canada, Jordan, Qatar, India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage the end-to-end contract lifecycle — from drafting and negotiation through to execution, administration, variation and close-out — across all in-scope markets.
- Draft, review and negotiate a range of agreements including supply, manufacturing, distribution, service, EPC/project, NDAs and framework agreements.
- Serve as the commercial and contractual point of contact for regional stakeholders, clients, suppliers and partners.
- Identify, assess and mitigate contractual and commercial risk, escalating material issues to legal and senior leadership as appropriate.
- Ensure compliance with local laws, regulations and company governance across each jurisdiction.
- Manage claims, variations, disputes and change orders, working with internal and external counsel where required.
- Maintain accurate contract records, obligations registers and reporting.
- Support tenders, bids and proposals with contractual input and risk analysis.
- Advise internal teams on contractual terms, obligations and best practice.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, suppliers and internal stakeholders across the region and globally.
Required Qualifications & Experience
- Fluent Arabic — spoken and written — is essential , alongside fluent English.
- Minimum 5+ years' contracts management experience, with demonstrable scope across the MENA region.
- Proven experience managing contracts in a manufacturing, industrial, engineering or comparable multinational environment.
- Strong working knowledge of commercial and contract law across MENA jurisdictions; familiarity with international markets (US, Canada, India) is a distinct advantage.
- Degree in Law, Business, Engineering, Quantity Surveying or a related discipline; relevant professional qualifications (e.g. IACCM/World CC, legal or contract management certifications) are advantageous.
- Excellent negotiation, drafting and stakeholder-management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple contracts and priorities across time zones and cultures.
- Willingness to travel within the region as required.
- Based in, or willing to relocate to, Saudi Arabia or the UAE (Qatar considered).
What's on Offer
- A priority, high-visibility role within a growing multinational.
- Regional and global exposure across a diverse contract portfolio.
- Competitive salary and benefits package (details on application).