Chief Legal Officer
Summary
PNGC Power seeks a Chief Legal Officer to join the Pacific Northwest’s only generation and transmission cooperative and Bonneville Power Administration’s largest preference customer on a mission of member growth, resource growth, collaboration and opportunity. With the addition of nine new members in 2024, PNGC Power has grown to a collective group of 25 like-minded cooperatives serving seven Northwest States. We represent over 10 million megawatt hours in annual sales and are now the premier wholesale aggregator and partner to electric cooperatives located in the Northwest. The successful Chief Legal Officer candidate will be ready to engage in and oversee a wide array of corporate, regulatory, finance, risk management, human resources and governance issues, among other challenges. Most importantly, the Chief Legal Officer must follow cooperative principles and together with an array of talented colleagues and industry partners, advance and bring success to PNGC Power’s mission, vision and strategic goals.
Responsibilities
The position’s primary responsibility is overseeing all legal matters (including support for senior management and the PNGC Power Board of Directors) for negotiating, drafting, reviewing and managing complex contracts with its Members and counterparties, in addition to routine legal support for electric cooperative operations. This position will also be responsible for working with cross-functional teams and trade associations to manage the Bonneville Power Administration legal issues including rate proceedings and policy development, state and federal regulatory matters and may interface with regulators responsible for environmental and operational regulation of PNGC Power’s activities. As PNGC Power’s business lines grow, so too will the Chief Legal Officer’s roles and responsibilities.
In addition, the essential duties and responsibilities of the Chief Legal Officer include:
• Reviewing and drafting commercial agreements and negotiating commercial transactions.
• Providing and coordinating legal services for various departments including management of subject matter experts, outside legal counsel and other professional consultants.
• Ensuring the cooperative has relevant procedures and policies, and coordinating with various cooperative employees to keep them updated and maintained.
• Interfacing with and answering inquiries from PNGC Power’s Board of Directors.
• Participating in risk management decisions.
• Developing and advancing corporate strategic initiatives and special projects.
• Serving on or working with internal and regional committees, organizations, and groups.
Qualifications
Chief Legal Officer candidates will require strong oral and written communications skills, research skills, the ability to independently manage projects, and desire and drive to work in a fast paced industry. Preference will be given for candidates with experience in the electric utility industry. A Juris Doctor (JD) degree from an accredited law school is required and a license in good standing to practice law within one of the Pacific Northwest states in which PNGC Power operates.