Role Objective
The Legal Counsel Commercial Manager is responsible for supporting Asst. General Counsel – Commercial overseeing all Oman Air’s commercial legal matters, including but not limited to fleet transactions, leasing agreements, maintenance contracts, and strategic alliances / code-share agreements, digital and IT matters, flight ops and ground ops services, sales and commercial facilitation, cargo, marketing, ancillary and revenue contracts, and catering services. The Manager supports the execution of all Oman Air’s fleet legal matter with regards to growth plans, financing and leasing matters, and maintenance contracts
Duties and Responsibilities
General
1. Review all commercial contracts from legal perspective.
2. Advice user departments on standard commercial rights and obligations based on industry standards and experience.
3. Co-ordinate with the company's external legal counsel and legal counsels of counter parties in
aircraft/engines purchase/lease/financing agreements when required.
4. Negotiate commercial contracts and other proposed arrangements submitted by department /vendors/ service providers in close coordination with the Asst. General Counsel – Commercial
5. Assist the Asst. General Counsel – Commercial in the development and application of the corporate commercial legal strategy and in the formulation and implementation of policy.
6. Advise user departments on all legal matters.
7. Impart knowledge to user departments from time to time on items that they need to focus on while reviewing contracts.
8. Educate departments in new laws/changes in law that may have impact on contracts.
9. Review and advise on general commercial contracts with opportunities to develop knowledge of and then advise on aviation specific legal matters.
10. Work alongside senior business colleagues and beyond with a particular emphasis on ensuring
compliance with legislation and mitigation of legal and other risks.
11. Prepare legal seminars as and directed by the General Counsel for managers and their aides to get them aware of the legal issues related to their work. In addition, provide training to take some simple legal procedures that immune their decisions against legal defects.
12. Assist in legal disputes at all level, as and when directed by the General Counsel.
13. Represent the company before all authorities and various level/type of courts in Oman and overseas as and when directed by the General Counsel.
14. Any other duties or tasks as may be assigned by the Management. Fleet Transactions and Maintenance
15. Oversee all legal aspects of Oman Air’s fleet transactions including acquisitions, leases, financings, deliveries, re-deliveries, etc.
16. Closely oversee the legal aspects of negotiating and drafting contracts with aircraft manufacturers, lessors, and suppliers for the purchase, lease, and financing of aircraft.
17. Advise on the legal aspects of maintenance contracts for the airline's fleet. Review and negotiate agreements with maintenance providers, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards.
18. Identify and assess legal risks associated with fleet management, leasing agreements, and maintenance contracts. Develop strategies to mitigate these risks and protect the airline's interests.
19. Protect the airline's interests and comply with legal requirements, and ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and industry standards.
20. Draft, review and maintain all commercial and contractual agreements including aircraft and engine lease / purchase contracts, restructuring arrangements, sale and purchase agreements, engine exchange agreements, and aircraft maintenance agreements, procurement, service contracts, as well as any other contractual agreement required by the airline.
Strategic Partnerships and Alliances
1. Provide legal support and guidance in strategic partnerships and alliances, including advising on all decisionmaking pertaining to Alliance Entry, pursuing code-share agreements, or creating JVs with local or global airlines, in close coordination with Asst. General Counsel – Commercial
2. Assess the feasibility of proposed partnerships, recognizing the regulatory backdrop, the political environment, and wider risk and reputational considerations.
3. Conduct due diligence on potential partners or targets to assess legal risks and compliance issues.
4. Draft and negotiate transactional documents and partnership agreements.
Education & Experience
➢ 8+ years of experience in a corporate legal role with a minimum of 3 years in a management position, experience in the airline industry will be preferred
➢ Post graduation certification from a top accredited Law School (mandatory) with relevant bar association
➢ Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, in English
➢ Strong ethical conduct with dedication to maintaining ethical standards across all legal matters and adhering to the aviation industry code of conduct
➢ Demonstrated outstanding organizational and leadership abilities
➢ Fluent in English (Spoken and Written)
➢ Proficiency in MS Office
Special Skills & Knowledge
➢ Deep expertise of aviation regulations, laws, international agreements and other practices governing the airline industry
➢ Prior experience as a Legal executive managing and leading legal team for an airline
➢ Contracts management skills with demonstrated knowledge in contract negotiation and management for aircraft leases, supplier agreements, and other aviation-related contracts including drafting, managing and reviewing contracts
➢ Risk and crisis management with in-depth knowledge in identifying and mitigating legal risks related to airline operations, liability issues and/or regulatory compliance, and effectively handling all legal aspects of addressing aviation emergencies, accidents and incidents
➢ Stakeholder management with proven experience managing external legal support (corporate counsel) to support business objectives internationally across multiple countries
➢ Expertise in detecting laws and regulations violations through comprehensive internal investigations