Senior Advisor, Clean Energy (MOCEJ)

City of New York•New York City, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The New York City Mayor’s Office of Climate and Environmental Justice (MOCEJ) is seeking a Senior Advisor to provide legal and policy expertise to support the City’s clean energy initiatives, regulatory engagement, and legislative priorities. This role will work closely with MOCEJ teams and the NYC Law Department to offer legal and policy guidance on environmental and energy matters. The Senior Advisor will contribute to the development and implementation of City priorities in clean energy, climate policy, and regulatory strategy, and will liaise with the Law Department and attorneys for the City and Mayoral offices on complex environmental and energy issues. The position ensures MOCEJ’s policies, programs, and initiatives comply with applicable laws and regulations while advancing the City’s climate and clean energy goals.

Requirements

Familiarity with New York City procurement laws and processes, including procurement policy board rules.
Familiarity with environmental or energy laws and regulations at a federal, state, or local level.
Familiarity with federal and state grant funding processes and compliance requirements.

Nice To Haves

A graduate of an ABA-approved law school, admitted and a member in good standing of the NYS Bar
2+ years of relevant legal experience subsequent to admission to any state bar. Legal experience should include drafting contracts, legislation, and other legal documents; analyzing complex legal issues; preparing legal memos; researching statutes, opinions, etc.; and providing legal advice to high-level managers and executives
Ability to maintain working relationships with staff, city officials, government agencies, the public, and all other internal and external constituencies at all levels with utmost professionalism.
Familiarity with Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds from HUD or FEMA assistance programs, a plus.
Excellent organizational, research, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
Outstanding written and spoken communication skills.
Ability to work independently.
Ability to work calmly and proficiently under pressure and to adhere to strict deadlines.
Ability to navigate the City government and communicate effectively with administrative and technical leaders, particularly on technically complex topics.
Resourceful and flexible, while being organized and detail-oriented.

Responsibilities

Ensure that policies, projects, and programs implemented by MOCEJ are compliant with Federal, State, and local laws.
Review and draft agreements with City, State, Federal, and private entities, including grant agreements, procurement contracts, Project Partnership Agreements, MOUs, and NDAs.
Conduct research and analysis of specific legal questions and prepare memoranda and opinions setting forth research results, recommendations, and conclusions across a variety of environmental and energy law areas.
Administer the City’s participation in energy regulatory proceedings before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the New York State Public Service Commission, coordinating across City agencies to inform priorities, managing submission of deliverables with the City’s outside energy counsel and Law Department, and reviewing City submissions for legal and substantive content.
Review new legislation and regulations and support the development of City comments on Federal and State proposed regulations that impact MOCEJ projects, policies, or initiatives.
Lead legislative initiatives, including drafting legislative proposals, drafting legislation, and memoranda in support or opposition to introduced legislation.
Provide legal and policy analysis to support the City’s clean energy transition, including renewable energy deployment, grid modernization, and regulatory strategy.
Support officewide efforts to ensure compliance with the City’s Information Privacy Law.
Support the development of protocols needed to manage legal risk and support the effective functioning of MOCEJ programs and initiatives.
Support the NYC Law Department with the legal and administrative aspects of litigation, including the litigation process.
Provide legal expertise and support officewide efforts to ensure compliance with the City’s Conflicts of Interest Board rules, including drafting gift, travel, and board memoranda.
Perform other duties as needed.