Associate General Counsel, Transactional

Otter Tail Corporation Careers•Fergus Falls, MN

1d•Onsite

About The Position

At Otter Tail Power, our employees help us serve the communities we support by delivering reliable, affordable, and responsibly managed electricity. In this role, the Associate General Counsel will advise employees at all levels within the organization, including senior management, on State and Federal regulatory requirements, draft and negotiation transaction documents, oversee litigation, and manage outside counsel to support the advancement of the company's mission and goals while also maintaining compliance with regulations and laws. Our successful employees ensure that our customers and communities have the power they need for modern life. As our team continues to evolve and expand, we are adding to our capabilities to support growing business needs and increasing complexity across our work. This role reflects both the continued investment in our team and our commitment to building the right structure for long-term success. The Transactional Associate General Counsel provides strategic, practical legal support for power generation projects throughout the full project lifecycle, including early-stage development, site control, permitting, procurement, construction, commissioning, operations, and asset optimization. This role partners closely with development, engineering, environmental, real estate, supply chain, construction, operations, finance, and commercial teams to identify risks, structure solutions, negotiate key agreements, and help deliver projects efficiently and compliantly.

Requirements

Juris Doctor from an accredited law school and active bar membership in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
Significant legal experience in project development, construction, infrastructure, energy, or other complex commercial transactions.
Demonstrated experience drafting, reviewing, and negotiating sophisticated commercial agreements.
Strong understanding of risk allocation, contract strategy, and dispute mitigation in project-based environments.
Ability to manage multiple matters simultaneously in a fast-paced, cross-functional setting.
Excellent written, oral, negotiation, and interpersonal communication skills.
Sound judgment, strong attention to detail, and the ability to provide practical, solution-oriented legal advice.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting utility-scale or distributed generation projects, including solar, wind, battery storage, thermal, or other energy infrastructure.
Familiarity with permitting, environmental review, interconnection, real estate due diligence, title and survey matters, and project finance concepts.
Experience advising on procurement strategy, supply chain contracting, and major construction agreements.
Prior in-house experience supporting project development, construction, or operations teams.
Ability to balance legal protections with commercial objectives and schedule demands.

Responsibilities

Provide day-to-day legal support for generation projects from origination and development through construction, operation, and repowering or divestiture.
Advise project teams on legal, regulatory, commercial, and compliance issues affecting project development and execution.
Draft, review, and negotiate a broad range of agreements, including letters of intent, confidentiality agreements, site control documents, easements, access agreements, purchase and sale agreements, consultant agreements, and development services agreements.
Support permitting and regulatory strategy by advising on federal, state, and local requirements, coordinating with internal stakeholders and outside counsel, and helping manage legal risk associated with environmental review, land use, and agency approvals.
Review and negotiate procurement and construction documents, including equipment supply agreements, master services agreements, engineering agreements, EPC contracts, balance-of-plant agreements, logistics agreements, and related amendments, change orders, and claims documentation
Advise on contract administration, dispute avoidance, claims management, delay analysis, warranty issues, and other matters arising during project execution.
Support financing, acquisition, divestiture, and restructuring transactions by assisting with due diligence, risk assessment, disclosure support, and transaction document review.
Partner with operations and asset management teams on post-commercial-operation matters, including O&M agreements, vendor disputes, performance issues, compliance obligations, and project optimization initiatives.
Manage outside counsel efficiently and cost-effectively, including scoping work, reviewing advice, and ensuring alignment with business objectives.
Develop and maintain contract templates, playbooks, training materials, and internal guidance to improve consistency, efficiency, and risk management.
Present legal risks and recommendations in a practical, business-oriented manner to project teams and senior leadership.