Director & Associate General Counsel - Regulatory

Summary

Spire is hiring a Director & Associate General Counsel for its regulatory practice; this position can be located in Spire's St. Louis or Jefferson City office.  This position is primarily responsible for providing legal representation of Spire Missouri Inc. in regulatory matters before the Missouri Public Service Commission.  This position may also oversee legal regulatory matters for Spire Mississippi Inc. before the Mississippi public service commissions.  This position is additionally responsible for providing, when requested, representation of the gas utilities before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including interstate pipeline rate and certificate cases, and associated appellate litigation in the federal courts of appeals.    

Company Overview

At Spire, we believe energy exists to help people. To enrich their lives, grow their businesses, advance their communities. It’s a simple idea, but one that’s at the heart of our business. We’re dedicated to understanding our customers’ needs and goals to better serve them today and tomorrow. That’s why we’re always looking for driven, collaborative people to join our team. Because we believe that offering our customers the best service means bringing together the best people.

We value safety, inclusion, and integrity. We connect to people, get the job done, and leave a memory and everything about our culture comes back to one thing: a handshake at the front door. We have 4 essential behaviors that show how the Spire culture comes to life:

• We Collaborate: We reach across boundaries to connect with each other and deliver on our promises. We put teamwork first, knowing that our collective energy makes us stronger.
• We Care: We create good memories by treating people how we want to be treated: We are inclusive, respectful and kind. We actively create a caring culture that feels like a handshake at the front door.
• We Advance: We are active learners who never stop looking for ways to innovate and improve ourselves, and our company. We embrace ongoing development and process improvement with passion and tenacity.
• We Have Perspective: We strive to gain additional perspective about Spire’s business and the ever-changing energy industry. We know that every employee plays an important role in Spire’s success, and we give our best to better understand how to help move the company forward.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Represents Spire Missouri in regulatory matters including general rate cases, ISRS filings, purchased gas adjustments, financing authority, accounting authority, certificates of convenience & necessity, complaint cases, Staff investigations and workshops. Successful candidates are expected to own these cases and prosecute them independently, with the assistance of the Regulatory and Legal teams.
• Manages or provides direct legal representation of Spire gas utility entities, when requested, before the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, including providing legal advice and counsel to the management of Spire’s gas utilities regarding FERC matters, including representing Spire entities at the FERC, directly, or through outside counsel, in matters involving the gas utilities’ interstate pipeline suppliers, including preparation and/or review of interventions in and protests of pipeline rate, tariff and certificate matters, managing the development and implementation of litigation and settlement strategy and tactics, supervising witness and expert testimony preparation; representing Spire entities or supervising the representation of Spire entities at evidentiary hearings, settlement conferences and technical conferences; preparing/supervising preparation of post-hearing briefs; preparing/filing rehearing requests and appeals of FERC orders; preparing/supervising preparation of appellate briefs and oral arguments on appeal. 
• Provides legal advice and counsel, as needed, to the management of Spire Mississippi regarding state regulatory matters, including: legal representation of Spire’s gas utilities before the Mississippi Public Service Commission; supervising, when necessary, outside counsel for state commission proceedings; managing the development and implementation of litigation strategy and tactics; preparing or reviewing preparation of pleadings, protests, comments and other filings; researching statutory and case law as necessary, supervising witness and expert testimony preparation; developing settlement strategy and negotiating settlements when appropriate; representing Spire entities or supervising the representation of Spire entities at evidentiary hearings and settlement conferences; preparing or supervising the preparation of post-hearing briefs; and preparing or supervising preparation of appellate briefs and oral arguments on appeal. 
• Develops, supervises, consults, directs and/or performs legal services in other aspects of the corporation’s legal needs.  
• Provides quality legal advice and counsel in a timely manner to business unit leadership and general counsel, and to senior management and all departments as requested
• Regular attendance is considered an essential job function
• Keeps abreast of federal and state regulatory policies affecting the gas and energy industry
• Participates, as time permits, in trade association committee and bar association activities related to FERC and state public utility commission regulation
• Performs research and continue legal education to stay current with statutes, case law and regulatory policies governing the energy industry.  
• Other duties as assigned.

Essential Characteristics and Competencies

• Ability to analyze the value of positions taken in administrative proceedings
• Ability to negotiate favorable settlements for the companies
• Ability to select appropriate expert witnesses
• Ability to prepare witnesses for deposition or hearing in an administrative setting
• Ability to analyze legal questions and produce legal documents, including trial and appellate briefs
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing
• Ability to establish effective interpersonal business relationships with business partners, counter-parties, commission staff personnel and co-workers
• Ability to cooperate and foster an atmosphere of cooperation and team work
• Strong leadership skills
• Ability to think strategically, with strong business acumen
• Strong project management skills  

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Responsible for project management of other employees in the context of regulatory and court proceedings. 
• Ability to supervise more junior attorneys and non-attorney staff

Required Education (certifications, licenses)

• A law degree from an American Bar Association-accredited law school
• Experience working in the regulated energy business, and in particular working with regulated public utilities, is required
• At least eight (8) years’ experience practicing before a state public service commission and/or the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
• Strong legal advocacy and writing skills
• License to practice law in the State of Missouri or an ability and willingness to become a member (or limited member) of the Missouri Bar. Willingness to become a full or limited member of the state bar of Mississippi as needed.
• Experience supervising employees, particularly more junior attorneys, preferred

Required knowledge, skill and abilities

• Knowledge of public utility law
• Knowledge of energy law
• Knowledge of administrative law
• Strong writing and advocacy skills
• Strong problem solving and decision making skills

Physical demands, environment and schedule

•    Typically 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
•    Work required in office per corporate policy or as necessary per work demands
•    May be required to work late one or two evenings per week
•    May be required to work one weekend per month
•    May be required to work on holidays several times a year
•    Some additional night and weekend work may be required during periods of litigation, negotiation, or other the performance of other large projects
•    Travel on a regular basis to Jefferson City, Missouri and, occasionally, Washington, DC or Jackson, MS, will be required

Competencies

Posting Requirements

Spire accepts online applications through our career site at jobs.spireenergy.com
 
Posting requirements: The above posting description is intended to describe the general nature of the level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each duty and responsibility satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 
 
Spire, Inc., and its subsidiaries are Affirmative Action and Equal Employment Opportunity employer. 
 
We are committed to providing equal employment opportunity in all areas, including but not necessarily limited to, recruitment, selection, training, education, compensation, benefits, promotion, job transfer, upgrading, separation and recall regardless of the individual’s race, color, sex, age, religion, national origin, genetics, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, veteran status, and/or other protected categories under all Federal, State, and local laws. For more information, please view our Integrity and Inclusion pages of our career site.