Senior Legal Counsel - Oil & Gas Contracts

About the role

Senior Legal Counsel – Oil & Gas Contracts. In this senior legal role you will safeguard the legal and contractual position of a leading energy organisation in South America, focusing on offshore operations in Suriname. You will advise executive management and the Offshore Group on complex contractual, regulatory and strategic matters while leading the legal team that supports offshore activities.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and coach the legal team providing support to the Offshore Group.
• Draft, review and negotiate Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs), Joint Operating Agreements (JOAs) and other complex oil & gas agreements.
• Advise executive management and the Offshore Group on contractual, legal and strategic matters.
• Safeguard the organisation’s legal position and monitor contractual obligations, concessions and compliance with applicable petroleum and mining legislation.
• Provide legal advice on potential disputes, joint ventures and international developments relevant to upstream oil & gas activities.
• Maintain effective relationships with internal and external legal and commercial stakeholders.

Required profile

• University degree in Law or a comparable legal qualification.
• Minimum of 15 years of relevant legal experience, including substantial experience at senior level within a corporate or similarly complex environment.
• Proven legal experience within the upstream oil & gas industry, including drafting, reviewing and negotiating PSCs and JOAs.
• Strong knowledge of petroleum law, contract law, joint ventures and relevant international laws and regulations.
• Demonstrated experience providing strategic legal advice to senior or executive management.
• Strong leadership, communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience working in an international and multicultural environment.
• Excellent command of English is required; proficiency in Dutch is considered an advantage.