General Counsel & Secretary, Job Code 521

New York is leading the nation in the fight on global climate change and the transition to a clean energy-powered economy. NYSERDA is on the front lines of this work and serves as the lead agency tasked with meeting the State’s nation-leading goals, including 100% clean electricity by 2040 and 70% renewable energy by 2030 and developing a roadmap to an entirely carbon neutral economy. 

NYSERDA is seeking a General Counsel and Secretary of its Board of Directors to lead and administer legal advice in all matters affecting the authority; working at the highest levels of government on regulatory, policy, legislative, litigation, contract, and administrative matters. The General Counsel and Secretary is the chief legal advisor to the President and CEO, the Executive Team, the Authority’s board of directors, and the authority in general. The General Counsel and Secretary is also the primary interface between NYSERDA and the Office of the Governor's Counsel and ensures that the NYSERDA’s legal work is coordinated with that of other State entities.  This position reports directly to the President and CEO and serves as an Officer of the authority as designated in the Authority’s by-laws. 

The ideal candidate should have experience in the New York State renewable energy market and / or regulatory matters related to New York State electric utilities and should be committed to NYSERDA’s mission and to helping the organization continually improve and execute its work. The attorney should be a self-starter who acts independently, is eager to manage a team of attorneys, directs one’s own work, and can handle diverse tasks quickly and accurately within a high-pressure environment. 

Primary Responsibilities
The General Counsel is responsible for the policy direction, supervision and performance of the General Counsel’s Office
Work closely with the staff attorneys in the Office of the General Counsel on a range of matters to ensure coordination among attorneys and with respect to the NYSERDA programs they advise
Ensure that all NYSERDA processes are carried out in conformance with applicable laws
Coordinate and manage all matters related to meetings of the Authority’s board of directors and communications with members related to such matters
Oversee both the Authority’s operations at and legal matters related to the Western New York Nuclear Service Center, also known as the West Valley Site
Drive projects forward by gathering and effectively organizing required information, communicating effectively and professionally with internal and external stakeholders, developing and monitoring plans, and keeping track of responsibilities and commitments of the team members
Deal with confidential and sensitive matters
Perform other responsibilities as assigned
Minimum Qualifications
A juris doctor from an accredited law school and either a license to practice law in New York State or ability to make an application for such license
A genuine passion for issues related to energy and environment
Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to effectively present and execute innovative ideas
Strong organizational and analytical skills; ability to quickly aggregate and analyze information
Proven ability to build trust, confidence, respect, and effective working relationships among individuals at all levels of the organization and with stakeholders and business partners
Able to handle stressful situations with measured calmness and decisiveness
At least ten years of experience in a combination of the following areas:
Renewable energy and energy efficiency regulatory, finance and legal affairs
Complex regulatory proceedings involving energy- and environment-related matters
Business organization and corporate law
Government contracting involving sophisticated technologies and energy-related initiatives
Legislative and related New York State public authority legal and oversight matters
To Apply
Please submit one file that includes both your cover letter and resume by clicking Apply to this Job below.

Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor’s Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at [email protected].