Vice President, Legal - Natural Gas

Tallgrass•Houston, TX

About The Position

The Vice President, Legal manages a team providing comprehensive legal support to natural gas business segments, including interstate regulated pipelines, gathering and processing, and trading. The role covers matters involving the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the Natural Gas Act, other applicable federal, state, and local energy regulations, natural gas trading, and commercial contracting. The successful candidate both manages the team and actively works on projects, and serves as a key internal legal resource on company regulatory matters. The role has supervisory responsibility and may require non-traditional working hours, availability outside working hours, and occasional overnight travel. The job level will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and skills. The position provides legal and regulatory guidance, drafts and negotiates commercial and operational agreements, manages FERC compliance and regulatory filings, and supports or oversees proceedings, litigation, and disputes. The work takes place in general office conditions with minimal safety hazards and includes the physical demands described in the posting. Candidates must hold a Juris Doctor, have at least 15 years of relevant legal experience, be licensed to practice law in the U.S. and eligible in their state of residence, and meet the stated driving-license requirement. Employment is contingent on completing a drug screen and background check after an offer and before employment.

Requirements

Juris Doctor from an accredited institution.
Fifteen years of relevant legal experience and command of FERC rules, regulations, and procedures relating to natural gas pipelines.
Experience working at a highly regulated energy pipeline or other midstream energy business.
Experience supporting natural gas pipelines and midstream businesses.
Licensed to practice law in the United States and eligible to practice in the state of residence.
Must possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and a driving record satisfactory to the company and its insurers.
Intermediate proficiency with MS Office applications, which may include Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Proficiency with relevant legal research tools, including FERC eLibrary and Lexis.
Ability to work independently and quickly, take initiative, perform multiple tasks, and balance competing demanding deadlines.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills, careful listening, strong analytical skills, and logical thought processes.
Ability to write clearly and effectively; work with a team; take direction; adhere to required schedules and work rules; and focus on details.
Ability to organize and prioritize work, maintain strict confidentiality, and interact with a wide variety of people tactfully, courteously, and professionally.
Ability to work non-traditional hours as needed and be available to respond during working and non-working hours.
Ability to perform the essential and marginal functions of the job, with reasonable accommodations where applicable.
Must clear a drug screen and complete a background check after an offer and before employment; the background check may include a credit report for certain positions.

Responsibilities

Manage a team providing legal support to the natural gas business segments and actively work on projects.
Advise on compliance with FERC and other regulatory tariffs, regulations, orders, policy statements, and standards of conduct.
Draft commercial contracts for regulated businesses, including precedent agreements and storage agreements.
Draft, review, and negotiate operational agreements, including interconnection agreements, operational balancing agreements, and nondisclosure agreements.
Draft pleadings, open-season notices, tariff changes, transmittal letters, regulatory applications, comments, and responses to proposed rulemakings or inquiries.
Manage the FERC Compliance Program, including ensuring compliance with the plan, conducting annual training, and addressing non-compliance events.
Provide real-time advice on regulatory implications of commercial arrangements and opportunities; interpret tariffs, contracts, and other governing documents.
Facilitate and oversee outside counsel and expert witnesses in FERC and other natural gas regulatory proceedings.
Coordinate or assist with testimony, statements, schedules, data responses, pleadings, settlement negotiations, and litigation related to FERC rate cases.
Manage regulatory litigation, including drafting discovery responses, objections, and briefs.
Negotiate NAESBs and ISDAs and support disputes or force majeure events under NAESBs.
Draft, revise, and amend gas purchase, gas gathering and processing, reimbursement, and other agreements involving gas gathering and processing and NGL marketing.
Assist with regulatory filings and postings.
Serve as a key internal legal resource on company regulatory matters.
Attend and participate in staff, internal, customer, investor, partner, third-party, FERC, and state commission meetings as requested.
Perform other daily, weekly, monthly, or special-project duties as assigned.
Maintain regular, dependable attendance and respond to work-related matters during working and non-working hours as needed.