Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary at Western Electricity Coordinating Council – Salt Lake City, Utah

At WECC, we enhance the lives of 90 million people by identifying and mitigating risks to the bulk power system in the West. We are seeking a Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, to help us further our mission and achieve our business goals.

As a Vice President and member of WECC’s executive team, you will provide leadership to the organization and help build a culture that enables WECC to fulfill its Purpose. You will also act as the Corporate Secretary and work directly with the Board of Directors (Board), Board committees, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), the executive team, and staff to plan, coordinate, and deliver the entire suite of Board support activities and to adequately create, preserve, and dispose of corporate records.

As General Counsel, you will be responsible for strategizing, managing, directing, and providing legal expertise to WECC on both internal and external matters. You will provide guidance to WECC on all legal and regulatory matters and will ensure that WECC is governed in accordance with its bylaws, its delegation agreement, and all applicable laws and standards. You will have responsibility for the leadership and management of WECC's legal team and have authority to retain outside counsel to represent WECC in any legal matter.

• Participate as a member of WECC’s executive team, providing leadership to and oversight of the organization.
• Develop and maintain a high performing team to provide timely and accurate legal and strategic advice to support the executive team and WECC’s board of directors to assess, implement and achieve ongoing compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and other standards, including WECC’s bylaws.
• Provide independent and timely legal advice to the board.
• Manage the legal department's activities and work responsibilities, including providing leadership and supervision of attorneys and support staff.
• Engage with colleagues at NERC and the Regional Entities through the ERO Legal Collaboration Group to ensure appropriate consistency in regulatory matters.
• Oversee drafting and negotiation of contracts, including vendor and outsourcing agreements, software licensing, and non-disclosure agreements.
• Manage all corporate disputes and litigation, including relevant investigations and risk assessment to reach resolution.
• Retain and manage external counsel, as necessary, and oversee the effectiveness and cost efficiency of the work product provided to assist the board, its committees and WECC management and staff.
• Promote mutually beneficial and collaborative working relationships with registered entities, government agencies, Regional Entities, NERC, FERC, and other local, regional, national, and international authorities by acting as the touchpoint for legal, regulatory, and corporate compliance communications and matters.
• Ensure the development and maintenance of succession plans and provide coaching and development of team members to facilitate career progression to ensure that the ongoing requirements of the legal team are met.

Ensure effective corporate governance by:

• Overseeing and managing the governance of WECC and providing guidance on best practices.
• Acting as a key resource for inquiries regarding corporate governance documents, such as WECC’s delegation agreement with NERC, corporate bylaws, board policies and procedures, and committee charters.
• Contributing to the review and revision of guiding documents and corporate procedures to reflect evolving best practices and operational requirements.
• Preparing and reviewing materials for WECC’s board and board committees.
• Managing the conceptualization, development and implementation of special projects and business plans to ensure the ongoing effectiveness of the Corporate Secretary in terms of records management, information sharing and evolution of policies.
• Coordinating with staff on all aspects of committee meeting preparation.
• Preparing board resolutions and reviewing all committee resolutions prior to board or committee action.
• Overseeing preparation of board and committee minutes to ensure the quality, accuracy, and timeliness of all minutes.
• Prepare and manage the legal department budget.

15-20% travel is expected for this role, though unique business needs may require additional travel on occasion.

• Have a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school.
• Are a member in good standing of the Utah State Bar or the bar of another U.S. state and the ability to meet applicable Utah house counsel rules
• Have at least 15 years of experience in progressively senior legal roles in a corporate, regulatory, or law firm environment.
• Understand the electric industry and the mission and duties of the Electric Reliability Organization (ERO) Enterprise (preferred).
• Have experience as a senior executive working on matters of corporate governance and with a board.
• Are experienced managing other attorneys or staff as well as experience with cost-effective management of outside legal resources.
• Have the ability to work both independently and collaboratively on a range of complex issues.
• Demonstrate experience leading at the organization level.
• Possess experience supporting and advising boards of directors, committees, and members.
• Have a track record of providing cultural leadership to teams and organizations.
• Have excellent communication skills with experience interacting with and influencing a large and diverse group of stakeholders.
• Have self-awareness and the ability to use a variety of leadership styles to attain desired results.
• Possess strong computer literacy and proficiency using PCs, including a working knowledge of common applications such as those in the Microsoft Office Suite.
• Understand and adhere to sound principles of cybersecurity, including protecting sensitive information, using secure passwords, and following organizational cybersecurity protocols.

• Our people and our work matter.
• Everyone is invited to be a leader.
• Independence, perspective, and partnership are how we add value.
• Intellectual curiosity, empowerment, and accountability fuel meaningful results.
• Continuous improvement and innovation are essential.
• We act with intention and focused urgency in everything we do.

WECC offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, health reimbursement and flexible spending accounts, a 401(k) plan, and generous paid personal time.

We foster an organizational culture that values the visible and invisible qualities that make individuals who they are. When individuals bring their whole selves to work, without apprehension, we, as WECC, will meet our mission now and in the future.

WECC is 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, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.