What are the responsibilities and job description for the Staff Counsel position at South Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc?
This position represents South Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. (STEC) in legal matters, ensuring Cooperative alignment with the overall strategic direction. This role involves drafting, reviewing, negotiating, and advising the General Manager and staff on all legal issues. Responsibilities include providing advice on governance, code of conduct, ethics issues, and compliance. The position also manages legal representation and policy advocacy to navigate market and regulatory processes and proceedings in a manner that promotes STEC’s interests and those of its Member cooperatives and their member consumers.
Working Conditions
General office and sedentary. May frequently be required to walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. Occasionally required to stand. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision. Use of personal computing equipment, telephone, multi-functioning printer and calculator. Manual dexterity, ability to lift files, ability to reach and bend, and use 2-step stool while safely lifting and lowering boxes. Ability to travel to and from meetings, training sessions or other business-related events. May be required to work after hours to include weekends and holidays.
Essential Functions
- Coordinate work with attorneys, outside counsel, and other legal staff to efficiently achieve goals and objectives.
- Supervise maintenance of contract and other legal files related to responsibilities.
- Confer with other staff to achieve mutual understanding of business goals and risk issues relevant to transactions and policies.
- Confer and coordinate with General Counsel and outside legal counsel in performing legal work related to regulatory, legislative, environmental, employment, real estate and market advocacy.
- Provide legal advice and problem solving to managers and staff in various matters as needed.
- Manage and provide effective reporting to Staff and Board of Directors on significant matters.
- Draft, review and edit pleadings, comments, testimony, correspondence, opinions, briefs, and other legal documents; assists in preparing, reviewing and interpreting policies, guidelines and procedures.
- Interpret, review, draft, and negotiate complex contracts that mitigate risk to the organization.
- Assist in the development and drafting, review and maintenance of corporate procedures and policies.
- Provide sound advice and counsel to personnel, managers, and executive management to further business objectives and minimize risk.
- Research issues and produce well drafted correspondence, opinions, and other legal documents as needed.
- Conduct thorough and sound legal research and record searches, including related to contract and statutory interpretation.
- Communicate effectively across the organization and with outside attorneys and consultant to support and provide legal advice on assigned transactional and organizational policy work areas.
- Performs other duties, tasks and special projects as assigned.
