Senior Legal Counsel, US Carbon Removal Projects

At Drax, we are working towards a zero-carbon, sustainable future and you can help make this future a reality.

If you have legal professional qualifications and experience working in a project development environment, in the energy and renewables sectors, join the team as the Senior Legal Counsel.

So, what will you be doing?

The Senior Legal Counsel with a focus on US Carbon Removal Projects will be responsible for the legal development and delivery of a portfolio of bioenergy with carbon capture and storage projects in the US. These projects remove carbon dioxide whilst delivering reliable, renewable electricity, and will make a key contribution to the US’s goal to achieve a net-zero carbon economy by 2050.

Playing a central role in the development of Drax’s ambition to be a global leader in the field of carbon dioxide removals or “negative emissions”, the Senior Legal Counsel will liaise closely with an international team of individuals developing options for carbon dioxide removal projects in the US, particularly the US South (the “US Development Team”), from the initial feasibility stage through to development and subsequent commissioning of identified projects.

The Senior Legal Counsel will report to the Deputy General Counsel that leads on carbon dioxide removal projects globally but will be the main point of contact for the business on US legal matters associated with projects being developed in the US. The Senior Legal Counsel will also work with senior members of wider commercial teams, other members of the Legal Team and liaise externally with a range of stakeholders and counterparties, including contract counterparties, customers, Government departments, regulators and external legal advisers.

Key Accountabilities:

The Senior Legal Counsel, US Carbon Removal Projects is responsible for the provision of high-quality and timely legal advice to the US Development Team and wider Drax business more widely and to ensure delivery of its strategy in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.

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  Pro-actively identify areas where they can add value legally or else deliver solutions for the business.
• Understand and support in the delivery of Drax’s objectives for carbon removal projects.
• Attend key business meetings as may be required and be a central point of contact for key individuals in the US Development Team.
• Report material legal and contractual risks to the Deputy General Counsel.
• Deliver training to commercial colleagues – internally or in conjunction with external legal service providers.
• Proactively keep up-to-date with changes in law and guidance relating to project development and carbon capture in the US

Knowledge, Skills and Experience required:

The role holder will have relevant legal professional qualifications and experience working in a project development environment, ideally in the energy and renewables sectors.

Specific requirements are:

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  A Texas-qualified attorney with 5+ years of post-qualification experience in the field above and membership of the State Bar of Texas. Ideally the individual would also have experience of advising in other Gulf coast states, particularly Louisiana.
• Experience in advising on complex commercial contracts across all aspects of project development in the energy sector, ideally with experience in the renewables and/or CCS sectors.
• An understanding of project financing issues pertaining to energy projects.
• Ability to provide clear, accurate and commercially astute legal advice.
• Excellent technical, analytical and drafting skills, and strong negotiating skills.
• A pragmatic approach and an ability to assess and quantify commercial risk.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to work under pressure with limited supervision in a multi-disciplinary environment
• Ability to maintain high levels of focused drive and energy, going above and beyond to get the job done within the timeframe
• Effective written and oral communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders
• Collegiate and collaborative approach; ability to build strong working relationships with colleagues of varying personalities across a diverse range of areas
• Comfortable undertaking work in new and developing areas with little precedent and a need for innovative thinking.
• Will be required to travel on an ad-hoc basis to a range of locations within the US South (predominantly Texas and Louisiana) and less frequently to other parts of the US.
• Must be prepared and comfortable to work flexibly to meet the demands of the role.

In addition to the above, the following knowledge would be advantageous:

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  Specific experience in negotiating and delivering a range of different construction contracting models.
• Experience of advising and negotiating master services agreements and technology licences.
• An understanding of the ERCOT and MISO power markets.
• A high-level understanding of the Inflation Reduction Act and associated federal incentive packages that incentivise renewable energy projects and carbon capture projects in the US.
• An understanding of voluntary carbon markets.
• An understanding of the issues involved in tax equity transactions and tax equity financings.
• Experience managing and working with junior attorneys.

What’s it like to work at Drax?

If you like a fast-paced, changing environment, come be part of a great team!

• We care about what matters – we help each other achieve the things that are important to each of us
• We’re a can-do kind of place– we’re empowered and encouraged to make informed decisions, act, and do the right thing
• We see things differently– we share inspiration and insight right across Drax, and search for new ideas and ways of working
• We listen carefully– we make sure that people feel genuinely heard, acknowledged and that what they say matters
• We do what we say we’ll do– we’re proactive, committed, and reliable –and trust others to be the same

We’re passionate about our role in providing a supply of stable, renewable energy and if you want to play your part, then why not apply today?

Curious to learn more about us? We recommend you connect with us on LinkedIn for more insights.