North America Chief Legal Officer

What you will do

Role Overview:

The North America Chief Legal Officer (CLO) is responsible for the coordination and management of all of the EDPR NA legal affairs, including corporate governance matters, project development and construction matters, contract negotiations, legislative and regulatory affairs, regulatory compliance with federal, state, and local laws, management of outside counsel, supervision of financing transactions, litigation management, employment issues, and Company compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Coordinates and manages reporting obligations to parent company, all in accordance with Board guidelines, the approved Company strategy and Business Plan, and local and international regulation and legislation, to guarantee a competitive structure that meets the Company’s needs and provides legal and administrative support to EDPR NA’s business. The North America CLO will report directly to EDPR NA CEO and will have a matrixed functional reporting line to the EDP Head of Legal and Governance.

Main responsibilities:

• Provide overall legal and regulatory compliance guidance and support to the Company in the development, execution, and administration of all projects, initiatives and businesses pursued by EDPR NA and EDPR NA DG
• Review and approve all legal aspects of project documents and transactions
• Direct Legal staff in the negotiation and completion of various project agreements and contracts
• Direct Regulatory Compliance staff in conducting internal audits, responding to inquiries from reliability entities, and otherwise carrying out the compliance functions associated with meeting reliability and cybersecurity requirements
• Manage and oversee regulatory matters including but not limited to FERC, NERC, CFIUS and applicable policies that govern and regulate our business in North America
• Guide the selection and management of outside project legal resources to ensure efficient and effective completion of tasks
• Develop and manage an effective schedule for the assignment and utilization of legal resources
• Support EDPR NA’s project documentation and compliance functions
• Represent the Company before relevant authorities and public and private entities to guarantee the protection of EDPR NA’s interests and enhance EDPR NA’s image and competitive positioning
• Draft and support negotiations for complex, high-value contracts and business agreements
• Identify legal, regulatory, and risk management issues, overseeing risk mitigation plans as needed for business arrangements and contracting frameworks
• Provide advice on appropriate risk management techniques, making recommendations to EDPR NA’s governance bodies for the resolution or management of such risks
• Ensure compliance with relevant laws and regulations, and oversees all reporting to government units
• Provide upper management with regular administrative information, and determine specific requirements or changes to proposals outside one’s own authority or functional area
• Remain abreast of legal developments, and provide training, development, regulatory compliance, and legal awareness to functional and operational staff
• Manage and supervise legal staff, including lawyers and paralegals, regulatory compliance staff, and records and information staff
• Establish and implement departmental staff performance service levels that support the accomplishment of the organization’s mission and Business Plan

Direct reports: 5-10

Travel: 25% or more, as needed

Employment type: Full-Time

Work site: Hybrid Model

What are we looking for

Minimum Requirements:

• Juris Doctorate
• 15+ years of corporate law or project finance experience with a focus on renewable resource or power generation
• Licensed to practice law in the state of Texas
• Strong background in corporate legal matters with an emphasis on energy and preferably renewables, project development and finance, including power purchase agreements, tax matters, joint venture and partnership agreements, M&A, regulatory requirements, employment issues, land leases and easements, development matters, permitting issues, construction and operating agreements, and financing documents (including tax equity finance matters and debt transactions)

Behavioral Requirements:

• Excellent written and oral communication and presentation skills
• Ability to work with others collaboratively
• Ability to multi-task and prioritize
• Strong leadership and coaching abilities
• Strong planning and organizational skills
• High attention to detail
• Flexibility and openness to change
• Strong organizational commitment
• Strong level of initiative
• Ability to demonstrate strategic vision
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to motivate and manage direct reports as well as multi-departmental teams
• Self-motivated and able to work effectively with minimal direction in both structured and unstructured work environments
• Ability to be discreet and maintain confidentiality
• Strong interpersonal skills

Physical demands & working conditions:

• Sitting/Standing/Flexibility: Ability to stand and sit for 8 or more hours when in an office environment
• Walking: Ability to walk .5 to 2 miles per day, including across unpaved and rough surfaces when on project sites.
• Speech/Reading: Ability to speak, read, and write English proficiently and deliver a variety of instructions furnished in written verbal, diagram, or scheduled form
• Lifting: Ability to lift items weighing up to 10 pounds
• Vision/Hearing: Ability to understand a variety of instructions furnished in written, verbal, diagram, or schedule form