Agent-Land & Right of Way, Sr

Tallgrass•Lakewood, CO

About The Position

The Senior Agent-Land & Right of Way provides land services, including the acquisition, maintenance, administration, and disposition of real property and other rights for company business units. The work supports the construction, operation, and maintenance of pipelines and facilities involved in gathering, transmission, processing, storage, carbon sequestration, water, and telecommunications activities. The position collaborates with internal disciplines and external stakeholders on existing assets and new construction, and may work non-traditional hours as needed. Occasional overnight travel may be required, and the employee may need to carry a cell phone and respond during working and non-working hours. The position has no supervisory responsibility, though it coordinates and supervises third-party services and may supervise independent land contractors. The job level and placement depend on the successful candidate’s qualifications, experience, and skill sets. Candidates must clear a drug screen and background check after an offer and before employment; a credit report may be included for certain positions.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in Business, Engineering, or a related discipline; a minimum of five years of direct land acquisition and management experience in the energy sector may substitute for a degree.
Knowledge of real property law, business law, commodity pricing, title examination standards and procedures, agricultural and ranching practices, and pipeline and facility design and construction.
Knowledge of legal and engineering terminology, drawings, and maps.
Knowledge of applicable federal, state, tribal, and local laws and regulations concerning the acquisition, maintenance, and management of property interests.
Knowledge of company standards for title sufficiency documentation, pipeline and facility construction, project accounting and tracking, pipeline operations and maintenance procedures concerning land, and land-activity status reporting.
Knowledge of land-related computer applications.
Intermediate proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, which may include Excel, Word, PowerPoint, SharePoint, OneDrive, Teams, Project, and Outlook.
Valid driver’s license and driving record satisfactory to the company and its insurers; travel may be required.
Valid authorization as a notary public for the state where the job is located.
Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work with superiors, peers, subordinates, and independent land contractors.
Ability to perform essential and marginal job functions, work as part of a team, take direction, adhere to work schedules and rules, and maintain attention to detail.
Ability to manage multiple tasks concurrently under strict deadlines and with minimal supervision, take appropriate initiative, and organize and prioritize daily work.
Ability to meet the position’s physical requirements, including prolonged sitting, use of hands for typing and handling, and occasional walking, climbing, balancing, and lifting or moving items up to 25 pounds.
Ability to work non-traditional hours as needed, travel overnight occasionally, and potentially respond to a cell phone during working and non-working hours.

Nice To Haves

Paralegal certification, a law degree, appraiser certification or training, an energy management degree, or a farm and ranch management or agronomy-related degree, training, or experience.
IRWA Senior Agent certification (SR/WA).
Knowledge, training, or experience in pipeline and related-facility regulatory permitting processes and requirements, such as FERC, including stakeholder communications.
Knowledge of or prior experience with land-related computer applications such as Google Earth, ESRI, Quorum, and SteelShire.
Knowledge of or prior experience with oil and gas well permits, including Class II and Class VI injection well permits in states with primacy.
Knowledge of oil and gas lease agreements, pooling and unitization agreements, operating agreements, farmout agreements, and other agreements used in oil and gas exploration.
Knowledge of or prior experience estimating land-related costs and directly supervising and managing complex linear infrastructure projects.
Familiarity with land-related regulatory requirements for interstate pipelines.

Responsibilities

Participate in, coordinate, and supervise the acquisition, maintenance, administration, and disposition of real property rights and interests, including easements, leasehold and fee interests, licenses, and permits.
Support construction, operation, and maintenance of company pipelines and facilities across gathering, transmission, processing, storage, carbon sequestration, water, and telecommunications activities.
Coordinate land services with other company disciplines, including Project Management, Environmental Health & Safety, and Operations, for existing assets and new construction.
Support route and site selection, title examination and curative work, land-rights negotiation and acquisition, landowner relations, damage and claim settlements, project schedule and budget management, cost estimation, zoning, and other land-use permitting.
Coordinate and supervise third-party services, including contract land agents and civil survey services.
Participate in or conduct public meetings and community outreach related to land activity, including land-use hearings, FERC open houses, and stakeholder engagement meetings.
Support and assist counsel with litigation defense as needed, including coordinating or participating in eminent domain proceedings.
Research, secure, and process easements, leases, licenses, permits, fee interests, and other conveyances of property rights and interests.
Research and respond to questions from government agencies, landowners, external stakeholders, and internal customers.
Report performance observations and projected practical impacts to management, and recommend ways to address issues affecting performance.
Participate in, coordinate, and supervise land due diligence for potential mergers and acquisitions.
Interact with internal and external contacts with tact, courtesy, and professionalism; maintain ethical conduct, effective verbal communication, and careful listening.
Maintain dependable attendance and a consistently high level of performance, and uphold a high regard for personal safety and the safety of company assets, employees, and the public.
Perform other daily, weekly, monthly, special-project, and assigned duties.