Scout is seeking a Senior Corporate Counsel to support our growing renewable-energy platform. In this role, you will leverage your background in renewables - whether development, M&A, origination, construction, procurement, asset management or project finance - to facilitate the development, offtake, financing, construction, and long-term operation of Scout's wind, solar, and energy storage projects.
This is a hands-on transactional role where you will support team members across the company on a wide range of legal functions across the project lifecycle, and play a meaningful part in enabling the clean energy transition. Depending on your expertise and your interest, this position offers the opportunity to meaningfully participate in negotiations, drafting and critical review of agreements related to all aspects of renewable energy, with support of external counsel as appropriate, including:
- The sale or purchase of power, assets, project companies and environmental attributes.
- Virtual PPAs.
- Physical and financial hedging agreements and related transactions.
- Permitting, cultural, wildlife and environmental matters.
- Interconnection and transmission agreements.
- Equipment procurement and project construction (EPC/BOP/BOS) contracts.
- Debt and tax equity financings.
- Operations and maintenance and asset management agreements for solar and wind power generating assets and storage facilities.
You will have access to a variety of internal and external resources in order maximize success in the position. You will collaborate internally with our various legal, commercial and technical experts and work with the many external experts we rely on to achieve the best results for our projects and the company. In this role, you will have the opportunity to expand your knowledge of the industry and its players and have a voice in charting our path to the future.
Position Summary Two workdays will never be the same but key themes of the Senior Corporate Counsel position include the following:
Support Transactions. You will support transactions across the full project lifecycle of Scout's robust portfolio of projects - including greenfield development, M&A, BTAs, financing, construction, asset management and operations. We will have a steady flow of commercial transactions, including project financings (including debt and tax equity), equipment / EPC / BOP procurement, power and REC sales, and project acquisitions. You will play a critical role in diligencing, drafting, negotiating, and finalizing the associated underlying agreements.
Teamwork. You will report directly to our Deputy General Counsel and work alongside a team of Senior Counsels, Attorneys, and Paralegals in a collaborative environment where creative problem-solving, teamwork, and proactive engagement are valued. Prior renewables experience and a demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within a team-oriented environment are strongly preferred.
- Support the mentorship, management, and training of a high-performing legal team.
Advise on commercial matters. Team members across the company will look to you for insight on commercial matters. Whether it is the specific terms of an agreement or broader strategic support, our Legal team adds value at every stage of the project lifecycle and in the corporate administration functions. You will contribute by identifying risk and developing strategies to mitigate such risks. Your ability to find solutions to close deals that help Scout succeed in the long run is a key indicator of success.
- Structure, draft, review and negotiate power purchase agreements, engineering, procurement and construction contracts, balance of plant agreements, real property documents, interconnection agreements and other project-related documents.
- Lead, advise, structure, document, and execute on any M&A, project asset sale or purchase transaction as well as sell-down structures and joint partnership arrangements.
- Provide transactional counsel and strategic guidance to senior and executive level management.
- Develop and maintain relationships with outside counsel in order to effectively and efficiently manage transactions.
Engage cross-functionally. You will collaborate with and bring solutions that integrate the expertise of all of our teams, including development, interconnection, origination, asset management and operations. As such, you will have a high capacity for synthesizing complex technical and commercial issues into digestible problems, to develop solutions that bring value to Scout and resonate with our partners. Your high emotional intelligence will enable you to work collaboratively and effectively within Scout to identify and leverage the best people for each situation.
Other responsibilities will include:
- Provide general legal counsel and strategic guidance to internal teams (development, project finance, M&A, construction, procurement, and finance), senior and executive level management.
- Collaborate with commercial, technical and financial stakeholders to align legal strategy with business objectives. Effectively and efficiently engage and manage outside counsel.
- Advise on project permitting, energy regulatory considerations as well as other compliance and securities regulatory considerations.
- Review and provide guidance on internal approval processes, deal summaries, agreement tracking and contract implementation and support procedures.
- Effectively and efficiently engage and manage outside counsel.
We will also look for your support in developing effective processes to streamline our operations as Scout continues to grow and mature as an organization. We value the ability to innovate within intelligently designed structure that is flexible enough to meet our needs today and to grow to meet our needs in the future.
RequirementsIn short, our ideal candidate is a cross-functionally conversant and commercially minded lawyer with a passion to make a positive difference in the world through renewable energy.
Key indicators for success in this role include the following:
- JD + admitted to the Bar in a U.S. jurisdiction (Colorado preferred).
- 8+ years of progressive experience in corporate legal capacity (in-house or firm) with a heavy focus on transactional support, commercial matters, and cross-functional teamwork.
- Experience managing legal compliance within a portfolio of entities including renewable
energy projects - Track record of leading effective negotiations around complex legal agreements.
- Interest in the renewable energy industry; prior experience in the industry is preferred but not required.
- Ability to conduct effective analysis and communicate the results in verbal, written, and visual communication platforms.
- Detail-oriented with superior organizational skills.
- Ability to work independently with limited supervision.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
Organizational Fit:
- Passion for renewable energy and the transition to a cleaner power supply.
- Ability to multi-task and arbitrate between conflicting priorities with clear target setting and follow-through capability in a fast-paced work environment.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a flat organization, successfully leveraging the expertise of multiple colleagues in different lines of reporting.
- Authorized to work in the United States. (This position is not eligible for sponsorship.)
Timeline and Location We will review resumes for this role on an ongoing basis with a start date as soon as possible.
Our ideal candidate is located in Boulder, Colorado or would be willing to relocate to Colorado in order to be able to commute to our Boulder office on a hybrid schedule (at least 3 days in office per week). Remote arrangements will be considered for the right candidate.
Benefits$175,000 - $220,000. Attractive bonus potential.
Scout offers a full range of benefits, including medical/dental/vision insurance with attractive premiums, 401(k) match, STD, LTD, an Employee Assistance Program, and a range of optional supplemental insurance coverage.
