Legal Counsel at Shell Petroleum Development Company

Job Requisition ID: R97466
Experience Level: Experienced Professionals

The Role

• If you are a curious person, strategic, creative and solution driven thinker with significant experience in managing and advising on complex legal and regulatory issues, then this could be your chance to join a world class organisation and contribute to enable Shell’s strategy and purpose. 
• You will play a role in transforming Shell Legal into a simpler, agile and more affordable function.

Where you fit in

• Shell’s Legal's Strategic intent is to partner with our businesses and functions in the delivery of the organization’s Purpose and Strategy.
• The Upstream Legal team in Nigeria, located in Lagos and Port Harcourt, provides a wide range of integrated legal services to the business and functions with operational excellence, supported by a culture that embeds and sustains differentiated behaviors and networked performance.
• You will be a key member of the Nigerian upstream legal team accountable for providing legal services (excluding litigation management) to all the Shell companies in Nigeria.  

What’s the Role?

• The role of the Legal Counsel (LC) is to provide a wide range of integrated legal advice, support and related services primarily to Shell’s Upstream business in a proactive, timely, cost-efficient and professional manner with a view to furthering business objectives and protecting shareholder interests in collaboration with the business and other functions.
• The LC will report to and work closely with the Managing Counsel, Upstream Nigeria and other senior lawyers to provide support on a wide range of critical operational, commercial & related stakeholder issues and projects, and advice on JV Governance, reputational and regulatory compliance related issues.

More specifically, the role will include:

• supporting the asset teams in the management of all operational and related stakeholder issues to enable operations.
• providing legal support in the management of land acquisition and post- acquisition issues, oil spill compensation and providing legal guidance to the related governance board.
• Supporting the investigation of Health Safety Security and Environmental related incidents across the Shell’s operations in Nigeria, and the Emergency Response team.
• Ensuring documentation is appropriately drafted to accurately reflect agreed legal obligations, and is in line with Shell’s Control Framework and professional standards.
• Supporting compliance issues and, if required, delivering mandatory compliance training to the business (e.g. Anti Bribery & Corruption/Anti Money Laundering, Anti-trust).
• Espousing Shell’s Business Principles and core values honesty, integrity and respect for people at all levels.
• Encouraging and contributing to a team culture of strong performance, collaboration with an enterprise first mindset.

What We Need From You?

• We’re keen to hear from candidates who love challenging work with experience in complex operations, commercial transactions and regulatory compliance issues including drafting and have been called to the Bar as a barrister and solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria for a minimum period of at least 8 years.
• Prior exposure to working with the Energy Industry is highly preferred.

Beyond that, we are looking for a candidate with:

• Demonstrable track record as team player, with strong communication, collaborative, influencing and facilitation skills.
• Ability to think creatively and find pragmatic solutions to legal, commercial and operational issues, within acceptable legal and risk frameworks
• Good commercial mindset and the ability to handle and prioritise multiple demanding clients
• Problem-solving and strategic decision-making skills with demonstrated sound judgment in sensitive areas and on difficult issues
• Familiarity with/experience in dealing with regulatory, commercial transactions and operational issues in the petroleum industry.
• A learner mindset with ability to respond quickly to issues whilst exercising sound legal judgement.
• Ability to develop and build strong relationships with clients with diverse cultural background at all levels and across the organisation and handle complex and sensitive government and partner relations.