Senior Legal Counsel
South Pole is an energetic, global company offering comprehensive sustainability solutions and services. With offices spanning all continents across the globe, we strive to create a sustainable society and economy that positively impacts our climate, ecosystems and developing communities. With our solutions, we inspire and enable our customers to create value from sustainability-related activities.
Job Summary:
As a Senior Specialist Legal Counsel for EMEA, you will support the Legal team in managing legal activities in the dynamic carbon markets, focusing on trading and commercial operations. You will work closely with our different business lines which include Advisory, Portfolio and Certificates teams to ensure compliance with relevant legal and regulatory frameworks, assist in contract negotiation, and contribute to the refinement of legal templates, playbooks, and processes. You will draft, review, and negotiate business-as-usual (BAU) contracts, including client and partner agreements, ensuring alignment with company policies and participate in and support commercial negotiations.
You will also contribute to fostering a culture of excellence within the EMEA Legal Commercial team and have initiative and drive to deliver governance transformation, automation and standardisation goals within the organisation, participating in special projects commissioned by the General Counsel from time to time.
Main tasks & responsibilities:
- Commercial Contracting and Negotiation:
Draft Review, negotiate, and draft a variety of contracts, including voluntary carbon trading contracts, environmental attribute certificate contract ( including Go’s, REC’s, IREC’s, REGO’s etc), services consultancy agreements, emission reduction purchase agreements, commercial, trading-related agreements, utilizing templates and playbooks.
Act as a lead negotiator in contract discussions with relevant counterparties (clients, partners, suppliers, service providers), with support from key business stakeholders.
Support the Tender process and help structure transactions for the commercial functions.
- Risk Assessment and Management (Trading/ Regulatory):
Perform risk assessments of proposed contractual terms and conditions, developing recommendations to minimize potential risks and add value to business activities.
Monitor developments and implementation of relevant new legislation and advise on due diligence.
Update and maintain templates and the overall contracting process
- Legal Advisory and Collaboration:
Act as a trusted advisor to the business on all contractual, corporate, and contract-related legal matters, providing sound legal advice and highlighting the need for review or development of new alternate positions.
Collaborate with and advise local and global business teams, including HR, Risk Management, Operations, and participate in global procurement & trading and legal improvement projects.
Lead South Pole legal representative with regards to trading activities on online platforms and exchanges, as well as financial derivatives such as futures on regulated exchanges (e.g., ICE, CME), swaps, options.
Requirements
Essential skills and experience
Law degree from an accredited law school or equivalent in other jurisdictions; licensed to practice law in the relevant jurisdiction.
3-5 years PQE in an international law firm or comparable in-house experience.
Preferable to have physical and financial commodity trading experience or project development and finance experience.
Experience transacting in frontier markets and carbon market experience are advantageous but are not requirements.
Experience in contract review, negotiation, and management in the context of project development or commodities trading.
Strong leadership, team management, and mentoring skills with a proven track record in developing legal professionals.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams, senior management, and external stakeholders.
Ability to de-escalate and and build consensus
Knowledge of relevant legal regulations, compliance requirements, and industry standards in the voluntary carbon market is a plus.
What we offer:
At South Pole, we care about our employees as much as we care about the planet. South Pole is not just an employer, we are a Team. South Pole does not just offer people a job, we offer you a career. By joining our team, you will find strong purpose and deep meaning in everything you do. You will have the chance to make a real difference for our clients and for the planet, working alongside a passionate team of like-minded colleagues, while building your knowledge/skills and developing your career in a fun, dynamic, international and fast-growing organisation.
We’re a planet of 7.5 billion unique and different people. We all have a contribution to make; South Pole is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, colour, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, marital status or disability. Our recruitment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit and business need.
- Department
- Consultancy & Advisory Services
- Locations
- Berlin
Berlin
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Work-life balance
From flexible working hours to flexible workplace (home office), with above-average vacation allowances, we strive to make the work and family life puzzle an easy one for our employees.
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Flexible Vacation Benefits
Options to buy up to 5 extra days of time off.
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Life Insurance
Available to all employees across the world.
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Care for your Wellbeing
Access to mental, physical and financial wellbeing support through our Employee Assistance Program (TELUS Health).
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Parental leave
Should any of our employees need to take time off the Iceberg as a result of a new addition to their household, we are happy to be able to offer competitive Paid Parental leave to support them during this time.
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Compassionate Leave
Sometimes life is unpredictable, and when unfortunate events occur, we want to give you peace of mind so you feel fully supported during this time.
What makes us unique
At South Pole, we are first and foremost a purpose-driven Company. People join us because they believe in our mission and want to be part of a community that fights together for our shared values and beliefs. But that is not the only reason why working at South Pole is such a rewarding experience.
- We know that our vision to help create a greener world is both bold and challenging. To achieve it, we settle for nothing less than the absolute best. We form a Community that is stronger than the sum of its parts.
- Entrepreneurial at heart. It’s not just our founders who are entrepreneurs. We actively promote an innovative mindset at all levels of the organisation, where each and every employee is encouraged to challenge the status quo and empowered to make decisions.
- Growing employees in a growing company. With a team of smart, passionate and engaged colleagues, as well as increasing demand from our clients, opportunities to learn, develop our skills and grow our careers are endless.
- All for one, and one for all! Above all other things, what truly drives our dedication and commitment to our purpose is our colleagues. We learn from each other and grow together. Because that is who Penguins are.
About South Pole
Our story began in Zurich, with 5 friends* in 2002. They had a belief and a vision to shape and change the future of the world through climate empowerment, education and projects with their non-profit organisation; MyClimate. These ‘social entrepreneurs’ went on to pioneer climate change with the introduction of South Pole in 2006*. More than 20 years on, with the support of some of the most passionate and talented entrepreneurs around them, who are empowered to all play their part and with their founding belief in aligning purpose with passion, people and profit, they have created South Pole, an organisation that has gone onto positively impact the lives of over 20 million people across the world through its projects, saving over 20,000 km2 of forests from deforestation.
*Patrick Bürgi, Thomas Camerata, Renat Heuberger, Ingo Puhl, and Christoph Sutter
*2006 Joined by Marco Hirsbrunner and Christoph Grobel
Senior Legal Counsel
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