Inhouse Lawyer - Renewables

Role Purpose

• Reporting to the Head of Legal, Governance and Sustainability, you will provide practical corporate and commercial legal advice that helps the company make informed decisions and manage legal and contractual risk.
• Supports operations, project development and corporate activities through clear advice, effective contracting and timely escalation and management of material issues.

Key Outcomes

• Legal advice is practical, timely and commercially useful – Advice across operations, project development, procurement and corporate matters is clear, risk-weighted and delivered in time to support the decision being made.
• Contracts support business outcomes – Construction, connection, procurement, services and land arrangements are drafted and negotiated to balance value, risk and deliverability, with obligations captured so they can be managed through the life of the agreement.
• Legal and regulatory risks are identified early and managed – Risks across assets, projects and corporate activity are surfaced early, clearly communicated and managed within company risk appetite.
• Regulatory and compliance obligations are understood and met – Obligations across energy market regulation, generator licensing, corporations law, land tenure and environmental approvals are tracked and satisfied without disruption to the business.
• Governance and company secretarial activity is well supported – Board and Committee material, corporate records, entity management and policy work are accurate, timely and support sound delivery and oversight.
• Disputes, claims and contentious matters are managed to protect value – Claims, variations and disputes are identified early and resolved pragmatically, protecting company commercial position, reputation and working relationships.
• External legal support delivers value and the business is legally self-sufficient in routine matters – External counsel is scoped, instructed and managed to budget and quality, and templates, playbooks and guidance lift the business’s ability to handle routine matters and escalate the right ones.

Role Decision Authority

• Accountable for: Delivering legal advice, drafting and negotiation on assigned matters within agreed scope and delegation. Maintaining accurate legal records, templates and guidance within the role’s scope. Scoping, instructing and managing external legal advisers on assigned matters.
• Contributes to: Commercial, procurement, project and corporate decisions through early legal input on obligations, options and risk. Governance, compliance and organisational risk activities requiring legal input.
• Escalates / refers: Material, novel or precedent-setting legal matters, potential disputes or breaches, and positions outside agreed scope, delegation or risk appetite. Matters requiring specialist advice or executive or Board direction.

Core Capabilities

• Law degree, admission to practise in Australia and a current practising certificate.
• Approximately five years’ post-qualification corporate and commercial legal experience.
• Strong commercial contracting experience, including drafting, review and negotiation.
• Experience supporting corporate matters, transactions, procurement or project activities and related due diligence.
• Energy or infrastructure sector experience — ideally across renewables, generation or network-connected assets.
• Sound understanding of corporations law, corporate governance and company secretarial practice.
• Leadership Capabilities (How the role leads others)
• Takes ownership of assigned matters and provides a clear legal view within the role’s scope.
• Provides clear legal direction to the business on obligations, risk and acceptable positions, rather than presenting options without a view.
• Builds legal understanding through practical guidance, templates and consistent advice.
• Works collaboratively across the business while maintaining professional independence and confidentiality.
• Works across commercial, project development, operations, finance and ESG to provide early, integrated input rather than late-stage review.
• People & Thinking Capabilities (Judgement, Communication, Adaptability)
• Applies sound judgement to identify the key issue, weigh risk and recommend a practical way forward.
• Communicates complex legal matters clearly for non-legal audiences.
• Plans and prioritises work across competing deadlines, raising capacity or timing risks early.
• Operates autonomously with limited supervision, managing own workload, priorities and deadlines.
• Builds trusted working relationships and handles challenge and competing interests professionally.
• Adapts to changing business needs and demands to deliver accurate, high-quality work across competing priorities.
• Embraces responsible use of technology and AI-systems to improve quality, consistency and efficiency.

Safety, Conduct & ESG Accountabilities

• Lead and role-model health, safety and wellbeing, ensuring appropriate controls are in place.
• Comply with company WHS framework and policies and take responsibility for own/others safety.
• Identify and escalate hazards, incidents or systemic risks, participate constructively in investigations and corrective actions.
• Act with integrity and in line with the Code of Conduct, policies and values.
• Behave and lead in ways that reflect company Values in how work is done, decisions are made and others are treated.
• Work respectfully and collaboratively with others.
• Speak up where behaviours or practices may compromise safety, standards or values.
• Use information, data, technology and AI tools responsibly and in line with company policies.
• Identify and manage environmental, social, sustainability, modern slavery and human rights risks in decisions and contractor engagement.
• Play your part in helping company meet our sustainability goals and targets.

For more information, please hit apply or contact Clint Allen on clint@phillipriley.com.au