Director, Compliance & Regulatory Programs

Fervo Energy Company•Houston, TX

About The Position

Fervo Energy is advancing the next generation of geothermal energy to deliver 24/7 carbon-free power at scale. We combine subsurface engineering, horizontal drilling, and real-time data systems to unlock a clean, reliable energy resource that can meet global demand. Our team operates at the intersection of energy, technology, and infrastructure—building complex projects in regulated environments where execution quality and operational discipline matter. We value individuals who take ownership, solve hard problems pragmatically, and build systems that scale. This role sits at the center of that operating model. As Fervo expands its footprint across jurisdictions and financing structures, we are building a unified, enterprise-wide compliance function from the ground up. The Director, Compliance & Regulatory Programs will serve as the architect of that system—translating regulatory complexity into practical, auditable programs that enable the business to move quickly and confidently. This is a builder role for a senior operator who thrives in ambiguity and enjoys starting from first principles. You will design and implement Fervo’s compliance framework across federal, state, and emerging international requirements, ensuring the company operates with rigor as a regulated energy and infrastructure business. You will partner across Legal, Finance, Operations, and Engineering to create systems that are auditable by design—embedding compliance into daily workflows rather than layering it on after the fact. You will also coordinate external counsel and specialists where needed, while maintaining ownership of program design, audit readiness, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

15+ years of experience spanning compliance, regulatory, or compliance-focused legal roles, with a clear track record of building and operationalizing programs in complex, regulated environments
Demonstrated experience standing up compliance frameworks from scratch (or materially rebuilding them), including designing controls, governance, and audit-ready systems—not just advising on them
Deep fluency with regulatory regimes relevant to infrastructure and energy (e.g., FERC, NERC, DOJ, Treasury/OFAC, CBP), and the ability to anticipate how requirements evolve as the business scales
Proven ability to translate ambiguous or highly technical regulatory requirements into practical, enforced workflows across engineering, operations, and commercial teams
Experience owning audit and enforcement interactions end-to-end, including preparing defensible records, responding to inquiries, and driving remediation under scrutiny
Strong cross-functional leadership with a reputation for driving alignment and accountability across Legal, Finance, Operations, and executive stakeholders
Demonstrated judgment operating in high-stakes environments, including making risk-based decisions with incomplete information and tight timelines

Nice To Haves

Experience in energy, infrastructure, or similarly regulated, asset-heavy industries (e.g., power markets, oil & gas, utilities, transportation)
Direct experience with federal financing programs, grants, or tax credit regimes (e.g., DOE loans, IRA-related incentives)
Background in trade, sanctions, or supply chain compliance in a global or rapidly scaling environment
Prior experience within a regulatory agency or in a role directly interfacing with regulators on enforcement or rulemaking
Experience designing compliance systems that integrate with data/engineering systems (e.g., telemetry, operational data, automated controls)
J.D. or equivalent legal training is helpful but not required for candidates with demonstrated program-building and operational leadership experience

Responsibilities

Compliance Program Architecture & Governance Own the design and build-out of Fervo’s enterprise compliance framework from first principles, ensuring it scales with the company’s regulatory and operational complexity
Continuously map Fervo’s activities against evolving federal, state, and international requirements, proactively identifying gaps before they become risks
Establish a risk-based governance system with clear ownership, controls, and escalation pathways embedded directly into business operations
Ensure all compliance systems are audit-ready by design, with defensible documentation, traceable decision-making, and closed-loop remediation
Regulatory, Energy Market & Trade Compliance Own compliance with FERC, NERC, and U.S. energy market rules, including designing controls around market participation and commercial bidding practices
Translate complex regulatory requirements into operational controls in partnership with Engineering, IT, and Operations—ensuring execution happens in the field, not just on paper
Build and enforce trade, sanctions, and import/export compliance programs across a globalizing supply chain, with real-time screening and escalation protocols
Maintain regulator-ready narratives and documentation that withstand scrutiny across energy, trade, and infrastructure oversight bodies
Financing, Government Programs & Incentives Compliance Own compliance across all financing structures, including private capital, federal loans, grants, and tax credit programs
Design and implement rigorous controls for domestic content, prevailing wage, and bonus credit eligibility, ensuring defensibility under audit
Lead all certification, substantiation, and reporting processes with zero-defect expectations and tight coordination across Finance, Legal, and project teams
Establish and enforce compliance firewalls (e.g., Byrd Amendment) and other safeguards required for participation in government-funded programs
Monitoring, Training, Ethics & Investigations Build a company-wide compliance operating system, including training (Compliance Academy), monitoring infrastructure, and real-time risk visibility dashboards
Serve as the central point of accountability for audits and regulatory inquiries, driving responses that are complete, precise, and strategically positioned
Own ethics, anti-corruption, and third-party risk programs, including KYC, diligence frameworks, and enforcement mechanisms
Lead internal investigations and escalation processes, ensuring issues are surfaced early, resolved decisively, and translated into systemic improvements