Corporate Counsel or Associate General Counsel

Job Description

Job Specifications

This position will provide direct support for the company’s gas and electric utilities and corporate services functions.  This position will provide a full range of legal counsel and services company wide, ensuring compliance with laws, rules and regulations, and contractual arrangements, and otherwise support the corporation’s utility regulatory and business development activities.

SALARY RANGE:   (Determined by the knowledge, skills and abilities of the applicant.)

• Corporate Counsel: $105,050 - $173,450 
• Associate General Counsel: $140,600 - $231,950 

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP:    Associate General Counsel

LOCATION:   Denver , Colorado    

• A comprehensive relocation package is offered for this position! Details about this package will be shared during the interview and offer process.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

• Investigate, research, and provide legal advice concerning a broad range of issues and circumstances which arise in the company’s day-to-day business activities.
• Provide management with legal support related to generation, natural gas and electric utility operations, regulatory concerns, and compliance, as well as support for corporate and administrative functions (e.g., corporate finance, IT, insurance, human resources, service contracts, real estate, etc.).
• Actively participate as counsel in state regulatory dockets, including drafting of testimony and other pleadings.
• Provide management with legal support related to contract administration and performance, draft and review legal contracts and documents for compliance with legal requirements and corporate interests. 
• Develop firm understanding of company’s strategic business values and objectives.
• Review and interpret legislation, rules and regulations ensuring company personnel are aware of and in compliance with applicable laws.
• Assist in the supervision of outside counsel on legal matters relating to gas and electric utility operations and regulatory affairs, with the goal of reducing outside legal expenses.
• Provide support for the legal department in extending advice and service to operating segments of the company.

ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Support and align with corporate policies, goals and objectives.
• Participate in legal department planning, project prioritization and administrative tasks.  
• Supervise legal department staff and perform other tasks as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Corporate Counsel

• Minimum of (3) three years of relevant legal experience required.  
• Juris doctor degree from ABA accredited law school is required.
• An active license to practice law in South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, or Arkansas with the ability to become licensed in Colorado.

Associate General Counsel

• Minimum of (10) ten years of relevant legal experience required.  
• Juris doctor degree from ABA accredited law school is required.
• An active license to practice law in South Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, or Arkansas with the ability to become licensed in Colorado.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES:

• Proven ability to distinguish relevant facts, assimilate and analyze facts, and apply legal techniques to resolve complex legal issues.
• Proficient verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficient interpersonal skills.
• Ability to make decisive, sound judgments, taking ownership for developing plans to achieve optimal legal and business solutions.
• Demonstrated ability to plan, organize and effectively prioritize work in progress.
• Proficient negotiation skills.
• Ability to be self-directed and exercise independent judgment.
• Possess unquestionable integrity and thrive in a dynamic team environment.
• Ability to oversee and supervise work of one or more members of legal staff, as assigned.

MENTAL/PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS AND WORKING CONDITIONS:
The mental and physical descriptions are representative of the activities an employee in an office job performs. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Mental description: Understand, remember, apply oral and/or written instructions or other information, and communicate routine factual information. Apply common sense in performing job functions, usually within a set of rules or guidelines.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee continuously accesses, inputs, and retrieves electronic information and communicates regarding the information. Employee frequently moves about the office space. Employee may occasionally: climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, push, pull, and reach. Employee must be able to operate routine office equipment including computers and similar equipment. Must be able to routinely perform this work for an average of 6-8 hours per day and occasional extended hours as necessary. Must be capable of regular, reliable, and timely attendance.

Specific lifting abilities required by this job include: Light work. The employee is continuously moving about the job site or office space. Exerting up to 25 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects. If the use of reaching and moving controls exertion of forces greater than that for sedentary work and the worker sits most of the time, the job is rated for light work.

Work environment: Routinely perform work indoors in climate-controlled shared work area with moderate noise level. Willing to travel up to 25% (e.g., 1 week or 5 days/month) by automobile (as driver and passenger), commercial airlines, rental vehicles and public transportation and be able to lodge in public facilities. Travel will be necessary to conduct the duties of this job and the employee must have proper licensing to operate a motor vehicle.

This description is not intended to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, duties, and requirements for employees in this position. Job descriptions may and do change periodically. Where positions are covered by a collective bargaining unit agreement, the terms and conditions of the agreement will apply.

About our Company: We are a customer, growth and safety focused utility company that is dedicated to our communities. We improve life with energy as an energy partner of choice. Our diverse culture fuels unique perspectives, opening doors to new insights and possibilities. Based in Rapid City, South Dakota, we have over 3000 employees and serve 1.3 million natural gas and electric utility customers across eight states (South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, and Arkansas).

Enjoy our Comprehensive Benefits Package!  Annual incentive program, 401(k) (6% company match and up to 9% company retirement contribution), tuition reimbursement, paid time off, additional Veteran PTO, paid holidays and annual floating holidays, company paid short term and long term disability, paid maternity and paternity benefits, health and wellness program, and competitive medical, dental and vision insurance.

Candidates must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screen and background check. 

Black Hills Energy does not sponsor applicants for work visas. All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the US.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, or status as a protected veteran.