Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary
About the position Texas Reliability Entity, Inc. (Texas RE) is hiring! We are seeking an experienced Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary to join our team. The ideal candidate will have expertise in the electric power or utilities industry, with a focus on board governance, regulatory affairs, and legal department leadership. At Texas RE, we affect the lives of millions of people by ensuring effective and efficient reduction of risks to the reliability and security of the Bulk Power System within the ERCOT Interconnection. The ERCOT Interconnection is located within the State of Texas and includes approximately 90% of Texas’s electric load and 75% of its land area. Texas RE’s teams support this this mission while enjoying a flexible work environment, open collaboration, and a culture that values diversity, equity, and inclusion. Employees work a hybrid work schedule consisting of at least two days in the office (Tuesdays and Wednesdays) with the option of working three days remotely. The considered candidate will be required to reside in the Austin-metro area or be able to reliably commute to the office within a reasonable amount of time. The ideal candidate will have the following attributes: Bachelor’s degree. J.D. degree from an ABA accredited law school. Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
Responsibilities
- Provides timely, useful legal advice to the CEO, the Board, and all Program areas, and provides the annual employee and Board ethics and antitrust compliance training.
- Manages the provision of legal support to all other departments of the corporation to ensure that those departments and their activities are consistent with NERC directives, FERC orders, rules and regulations, and other applicable laws.
- Serves as Corporate Secretary, such as preparing Board materials and minutes, facilitating and conducting Board training, and ensuring that Director elections, Board of Directors and Committee meetings, and Meetings of Members adhere to the Texas RE Bylaws and other relevant governing documents.
- Ensures that the Texas RE Certificate of Formation, Bylaws, and Corporate Policies and Procedures are current and consistent with the law and provides advice and counsel to CEO to ensure that Texas RE operates in accordance with their requirements.
- Prepares proposed modifications to the NERC Delegation Agreement and oversees submission of proposed modifications to NERC and FERC for approval. Provides advice and counsel to CEO to ensure that Texas RE operates in accordance with the Delegation Agreement, NERC Rules of Procedure, and other applicable NERC or FERC requirements.
- Ensures company follows applicable laws and regulations.
- Represents Texas RE in regulatory proceedings before FERC, NERC, and the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT).
- Administers the planning and execution of Board and MRC meetings and Board member training.
- Supervises Legal Department employees and activities.
- Manages Membership activities, including elections.
- Oversees litigation and third-party subpoenas.
- Supervises Communications & Training employees and activities, including stakeholder outreach, web content, and coordination of Conference Center activities.
- Monitors federal and state legislation and coordinates responses, as appropriate.
- Coordinates activities related to hearings in contested enforcement actions.
- Assesses need to engage outside counsel and makes recommendations to CEO. Manages and oversees work performed by outside counsel.
- Provides advice to Human Resources regarding employment law matters.
- Reviews corporate tax filings.
- Participates in NERC Electric Reliability Organization Legal Group (EROLG) and in NERC committees and work groups, as assigned.
- Collaborates with NERC staff on regulatory, enforcement, and corporate governance issues.
- Reviews Texas RE’s responses to NERC and FERC audits.
- Supervises the preparation and revision of all company contracts.
- Ensures employees receive training on corporate policies and procedures.
- Contributes to Texas RE Business Plan and Budget.
- Performs other duties, as assigned.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree.
- J.D. degree from ABA accredited law school.
- Licensed to practice law in the State of Texas.
- Minimum of 10 years (in excess of educational requirements stated above) of progressively responsible experiences in transactional, litigation, and/or regulatory law, preferably utilities.
- Minimum of three years’ experience managing employees.
- Diplomacy, negotiation, and motivational skills.
- Organizational skills and ability to meet deadlines.
- Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel skills.
- Critical thinking skills.
- Strong presentation skills.
- Strong writing and editing skills. Nice-to-haves
- Work experience in utility industry.
Benefits
- Employees work a hybrid work schedule consisting of at least two days in the office with the option of working three days remotely. Additional in-office w
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