Paralegal/Senior Analyst Contracts

bp•Houston, TX

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

This role is responsible for drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and administering master trade agreements and related documentation governing physical and financial transactions for the purchase and sale of energy commodities. The work supports minimizing bp’s credit, legal, and operational risk and maintaining compliance with legal regulations and internal standards, policies, and procedures. The position works with attorneys and internal and external partners, handles contract and legal records, and supports contract workflow, execution, and legal operations. It also contributes to improving processes, documentation, controls, templates, technology, and workflow efficiency, and supports special projects and other paralegal activities as required. The position is a hybrid of office and remote working. No travel is expected, and relocation assistance is not available.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or master’s degree plus work experience, or an associate’s degree in paralegal studies or a related field combined with significant relevant experience.
A paralegal certificate from an ABA-approved or otherwise recognized paralegal program combined with relevant experience.
Proven experience as a paralegal, contracts professional, legal analyst, contracts analyst, or similar professional, involving substantive contract review, drafting, negotiation, legal documentation, or legal operations.
Experience with standard industry trading agreements such as ISDA, NGL NAESB, EEI, Gas NAESB, and IECA; frequently used General Terms and Conditions; and custom master trade agreements, master netting agreements, confidentiality agreements, assignments and novations, guarantees, or complex corporate finance transaction documents.
Knowledge of legal research methods, legal terminology, contract interpretation, document management, confidentiality requirements, and legal records management, with an understanding of energy commodity trading and marketing.
Commitment to excellence and meeting business objectives.
Ability to work autonomously, including under high-pressure and fast-paced circumstances, and manage multiple negotiations and matters while prioritizing competing deadlines.
Strong interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively with personnel at various levels within bp.
Strong attention to detail, organizational skills, judgment, and commitment to accuracy in drafting and maintaining legal and contractual documentation.
Experience with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
Commitment to confidentiality, professional ethics, appropriate handling of privileged or sensitive information, and compliance with established Legal and business procedures.

Nice To Haves

Paralegal certificate or formal paralegal education.
Certified Paralegal (CP), Advanced Certified Paralegal (ACP), Professional Paralegal (PP), or comparable professional credential.
Experience in contract drafting and negotiation, investment banking, a major law firm, or an energy trading business.
Juris Doctor or legal training.
Contractual experience with financially and physically settled commodity and/or environmental credits transactions, or other similar energy industry experience.
Working knowledge of energy, commodities, or derivatives markets and traded instruments.
Fluency in English plus either Spanish or Portuguese.

Responsibilities

Draft, review, analyze, and negotiate master trading agreements and related documents, including ISDA Master Agreements and Schedules, Physical Annexes, Credit Support Annexes, NAESB agreements, EEI agreements, IECAs, amendments, assignments, novations, and other ancillary agreements.
Review and analyze contractual provisions; identify legal, credit, compliance, and operational risks; and propose alternative language consistent with established bp positions and guidance.
Apply bp’s contracting, Credit, Treasury, Compliance, and Legal policies and procedures, and raise issues requiring specialist review.
Prepare and maintain agreements, provisions, templates, clause libraries, playbooks, and other documentation based on approved bp language and positions.
Develop and use systems for workflow management, contract lifecycle management, matter tracking, reporting, and status communication in alignment with business priorities.
Maintain complete and accurate contract and legal records, including agreements, amendments, correspondence, approvals, and supporting documentation in applicable repositories and systems.
Abstract and maintain key contractual provisions and metadata, including termination rights, credit provisions, collateral requirements, governing law, default provisions, netting provisions, and assignment rights.
Assist with execution processes by confirming required approvals, coordinating signature packages, reviewing execution versions, and maintaining documentation and supporting records.
Follow Contracts Team processes, policies, controls, document-retention requirements, and standard methodologies for negotiation, review, execution, and management of legal agreements.
Identify opportunities to improve contract and legal-support processes, documentation standards, controls, templates, technology, and workflow efficiency.
Communicate effectively with attorneys, internal business partners, and external partners.
Support special projects and other legal operations and paralegal activities as required.