Senior Legal Counsel – Legal BD

About the role

Provide dedicated legal support to Business Development teams on power and water projects, focusing on Operations & Maintenance (O&M), PPP/PFI structures and ACWA’s role as O&M provider across multiple regions. The role involves drafting, negotiating and risk‑allocating key project documents under tight bid timelines.

Key responsibilities

• Lead negotiation of Operation & Maintenance Agreements, Long‑Term Service Agreements and related Direct Agreements.
• Support review and structuring of PPAs, IWPP/IWP concession agreements and back‑to‑back arrangements with EPC contractors.
• Draft and negotiate NDAs, consortium agreements, MoUs and other bid‑stage documentation.
• Coordinate with lenders’ counsel on O&M‑related finance documents and step‑in rights.
• Work closely with BD, technical, operations, corporate legal and external counsel to ensure commercial alignment.
• Provide risk‑allocation advice across OMA, PPA, EPC and LTSA regimes and identify gaps.
• Assist in corporate structuring, SPV incorporation and regulatory filings for new jurisdictions.

Required profile

• Qualified in English law or New York law with 5–8 years post‑qualification experience.
• In‑house or top‑tier law firm background in power and water sector PPP/PFI or project‑financed infrastructure.
• Proven experience negotiating O&M contracts, PPAs, EPC contracts and lender agreements.
• Ability to operate independently on defined workstreams and manage multiple bids simultaneously.

Required skills

• Strong drafting and negotiation capability.
• Commercially pragmatic judgment and clear communication under time pressure.
• Familiarity with back‑to‑back risk structuring and liability allocation.