Director, Legal - Energy (US)

Overview

This role is responsible for US-based legal counsel for energy and power procurement across the United States, supporting the development and operation of data center campuses.

You will lead the legal workstream for securing power, generation capacity, and energy services that underpin AI infrastructure—from early-stage power strategy and term sheets through negotiation, delivery, and ongoing operation. You will manage matters end-to-end, negotiate directly with utilities, generators, energy suppliers, developers, and major equipment providers, and apply consistent commercial and legal positions across multiple jurisdictions. When jurisdiction-specific guidance is required, you will work closely with local external counsel.

Responsibilities

• Lead negotiations for power procurement, utility supply, interconnection, and transmission service arrangements for data center campuses across the US.
• Draft and negotiate power purchase agreements (including sleeved and corporate PPAs), energy supply agreements, renewable-energy arrangements, and related certificates or attribute procurement structures.
• Negotiate development, supply, installation, and O&M agreements for on-site and behind-the-meter generation, energy storage, microgrids, and critical power infrastructure.
• Support delivery of interconnection and energization programs, including capacity reservation, interconnection facilities and network upgrades, and milestone, security, and delay-risk arrangements.
• Advise on legal and commercial allocation of energy and power risk, including pricing, volume commitments, curtailment, imbalance, change in law, force majeure, credit support, and termination rights.
• Partner with real estate, construction, procurement, finance, and operations teams to align power procurement with campus development schedules and operational requirements.
• Support site acquisition and development workstreams by assessing power availability, utility constraints, and energy-related contractual risks.
• Maintain and improve energy and power procurement templates, playbooks, and contracting positions, adapting them for local law and market practice.
• Run counterparty comment rounds and drive consistent house positions across projects, balancing speed, bankability, and commercial outcomes.
• Coordinate energy-related insurance, guarantees, and bonding requirements with the insurance team; partner with Debt Capital Markets Legal on lender requirements for project-financed sites.
• Manage US outside counsel, including scope, budgets, and quality of advice.
• Monitor and advise on regulatory developments relevant to energy procurement, grid access, renewable-energy claims, and data center power supply.

Requirements

• 7+ years of legal experience in energy, power, infrastructure, or major projects, gained in-house and/or at a top-tier law firm.
• Strong track record negotiating complex energy and power arrangements, including utility, interconnection, energy supply, PPA, generation, equipment supply, and O&M agreements.
• Experience supporting large-scale, mission-critical, industrial, infrastructure, or energy-intensive projects.
• Experience working across multiple US jurisdictions and managing local counsel effectively.
• Fluency in energy and infrastructure risk allocation, including pricing structures, capacity and volume commitments, delay remedies, credit support, performance guarantees, warranties, insurance, liability caps, and dispute-resolution provisions.
• First-chair negotiation skills, able to run multiple high-value contracts in parallel and drive matters to signature.
• Ability to explain complex legal and commercial risk clearly to non-lawyers and senior stakeholders.
• Comfort working alongside real estate, construction, project finance, insurance, regulatory, and technical counterparts.
• Qualified attorney admitted in at least one US state or the District of Columbia in good standing.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior experience at a hyperscaler, colocation provider, data centre developer, energy developer, utility, major contractor, or infrastructure investor.
• Experience with corporate, sleeved, or utility-scale PPAs and renewable-energy procurement.
• Experience with interconnection, transmission, or distribution arrangements across the US.
• Experience with on-site generation, energy storage, microgrids, or critical-power equipment.
• Project finance and bankability experience.
• Energy regulatory, permitting, or environmental attribute experience.

Compensation & Benefits

• Salary range: $210,000—$340,000 USD (base salary).
• Actual compensation may vary based on job-related factors such as skill set, experience, education, and location.
• In addition to base salary, this role may be eligible for bonus, equity, and/or commission programs.
• Benefits may include medical, dental, vision, flexible paid time off, parental leave, and retirement plan participation.

Location

United States