Reports to: Chief Executive Officer
About the Role Director of Legal Affair
s
The Director of Legal Affairs serves as the University's chief legal authority and strategic advisor on all legal, regulatory, governance, and compliance matters. The role safeguards the institution's legal, financial, and reputational interests while ensuring full compliance with the laws and regulations of the State of Kuwai
t.As a senior member of the executive leadership team, the Director operates at the intersection of governance, operations, and institutional strategyensuring executive decisions are legally sound, risk-aware, and aligned with regulatory frameworks. The position requires sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to navigate complex institutional matters with professionalism and integrit
y.Participation in executive governance meetings and strategic institutional initiatives is expecte
d.
Duties and Responsibilit
ies
A. Legal Advisory & Institutional Govern
- ance
Serve as principal legal advisor to the President, Executive Council, and Board of Trus - tees.Draft and review Board resolutions, executive directives, and institutional poli
- cies.Advise leadership on legal implications of strategic initiatives, restructuring, and institutional develop
- ment.Ensure governance frameworks align with Kuwaiti legal and regulatory requirem
- ents.Attend executive and governance meetings as requ
ired.
B. Contract Management & Risk Miti
- gation
Draft, review, and negotiate employment contracts and amen - dments.Review academic and administrative agre
- ements.Oversee vendor, procurement, consultancy, and service con
- tracts.Review and negotiate Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and partnership agre
- ements.Identify legal risks and provide mitigation stra
- tegies.Establish and maintain standardized contract templates and legal review pro
- tocols.Maintain centralized legal documentation and contract governance ove
rsight.
C. Regulatory Compliance & Government
- Liaison
Ensure institutional complia - nce with:Kuwait
- Labor LawMinistry of Interior (MOI) re
- gulationsPublic Authority for Manpower (PAM) re
- gulationsResidency and work permit re
- gulationsHigher education regulatory req
- uirementsApplicable data protection and pri
- vacy lawsLiaise with government authorities, regulators, and external legal counsel as
- required.Oversee legal aspects of licensing, regulatory submissions, and institutional a
pprovals.
D. Employment & Disciplinary
- Oversight
Provide legal oversight on employee disciplinary matters, terminations, grievances, investigations, and miscon - duct cases.Ensure policy enforcement and compliance across the i
- nstitution.Support HR leadership in complex or high-risk employ
- ment cases.Advise on legally compliant documentation and procedural
processes.
E. Litigation & Disput
- e Management
Manage external legal counsel and oversee litigat - ion strategy.Lead institutional response to legal claims, disputes, and in
- vestigations.Provide recommendations on settlement negotiations and r
- isk exposure.Maintain confidential legal records and case management d
ocumentation.
F. Policy Development & Institutio
- nal Protection
Review and approve institutional policies pri - or to issuance.Ensure alignment between HR, Finance, Academic Affairs, and regulator
- y requirements.Develop standardized legal templates to minimize op
- erational risk.Conduct periodic legal risk assessments for new initiatives and stru
- ctural changes.Protect institutional intellectual property, trademarks, and b
rand integrity.
Minimu
- m Qualifications
Bachelor's Degree in Law (LLB) from a recogn - ized institution.Master's Degree in Law
- (LLM) preferred.Legally qualified and admitted to practice law in a recogni
- zed jurisdiction.Minimum of 1015 years of progressive
- legal experience.At least 5 years in a senior legal leadership role (Head of Legal / Legal Director /
- Senior Counsel).Strong working knowledge of Kuwaiti labor, commercial, an
- d regulatory law.Experience within higher education or regulated instit
- utions preferred.Demonstrated experience managing complex contracts and go
- vernance matters.Experience working within a multicultural and multi-lingui
- stic environment.High level of discretion, integrity, and ex
ecutive presence.
About American Intern
ational University
AIU is a new institution of higher education in Kuwait whose first student cohort was admitted in fall 2019. It is a private, coeducational institution offering undergraduate degrees based on the American model of higher education, including a comprehensive general education curriculum. Through its educational and student services programming, the University serves the intellectual, cultural, and personal growth of all members of its community. AIU offers degree programs in Film and Digital Media, Architecture, and Design, Engineering, and Business Administration where the language of inst
ruction is English.
For more information about AIU v
isit: www.ai
u.edu.kw
How to ApplyTo apply for this position, please visit the Job Opportunities section of our webpage and submit your resume, cover letter, and reel to: https://ai
u.edu.kw/careers/jobs
