Legal Counsel

We have an exciting opportunity for a Rome-based Legal Counsel to join and support the Italian activity of the Global Energy Management & Sales business entity of ENGIE.

Who we are:

ENGIE is a global energy company and a leading provider of electricity, natural gas, and energy services. With close to 100,000 employees worldwide, ENGIE is committed to being a leader in the energy transition.

We are looking for talented and motivated people to create the future of energy. Join a rewarding and flexible work environment that encourages innovation and creativity and help us meet the energy challenges of today and tomorrow.

Global Energy Management & Sales (GEMS) is a global business entity of ENGIE and provides energy supply solutions and risk management services to support its clients through their decarbonization journey, while optimizing ENGIE’s portfolios and assets (e.g. wind, solar, batteries, gas storages, etc.) and contributing to value creation.

GEMS has approximately 3,300 employees around the world developing our solutions, through +20 international business platforms. We cover the full energy mix: renewable and thermal power, natural gas & LNG, biomass, environmental products. Our experts provide tailor made solutions based on a wide range of savoir-faire in energy management with a strong focus on decarbonation and decentralization.

Our +120,000 clients span the entire value chain: producers, asset developers, financial players, utilities, distributors and industrials. Our global reach and strong local presence enable us to offer these diverse clients tailor-made services and respond to rapid changes in mature or emerging markets alike.

Our 4 expertise:

• Asset management
• Energy transition services
• Energy supply & global commodities
• Risk management & market access

Within GEMS’, the Business Platform GEMS Italy (‘BP Italy’) is a highly skilled team of 90+ people developing and managing assets and portfolios related to power, gas and environmental products in the Italian markets, actively supporting the country’s ambitious path to a net zero economy.

At GEMS we encourage breakthrough results, team spirit, curiosity and innovation while preserving the right work/life balance for you.

GEMS LEGAL & REGULATION is a department of approximately 70 lawyers supporting the activities of GEMS worldwide. The legal department consists of ten sub-teams, including a team composed of those lawyers supporting the local country platforms of GEMS, including the Italian platform. The lawyers act as key players in project and negotiation teams to support GEMS’ business origination by drafting, structuring and negotiating contracts and generally providing legal advice in respect of the range of business activities.

YOUR contribution

We are looking for a Lawyer to join the existing legal team of three  persons in Rome, to support its expanding business in Italy which includes trading of energy commodities, financial derivate contracts, risk management services and energy transition contracts including corporate power purchase agreements, batteries and biomethane contracts.

Mission:

The lawyer will work in GEMS Legal team in Rome. His/her mission is to support the trading and portfolio activities on the day to day topics related to power and gas businesses and to participate in ongoing projects. The person will work closely with all GEMS teams: trading, sales, operations, risks and back-office.

The main roles and accountabilities would be:

• Develop and execute comprehensive legal strategies and solutions to lawfully facilitate GEMS’ commercial objectives while mitigating associated legal risk
• Advise on, draft, review, negotiate GEMS’ contracts (ISDA and EFET Master Agreements, Energy commodity supply contracts, Renewable Power Purchase Agreements, BESS and Biomethane Agreements and related agreements) and bespoke energy and risk management and services contracts
• Draft, review, negotiate support credit management documentation (e.g. netting agreements, credit support annexes, letters of credit and guarantees) and any ancillary agreements
• Conduct regulatory and other due diligence, review and advise on credit support, legal opinions and other conditions precedent relevant for GEMS’ contracts and services
• Liaise with and draft legal analysis and memoranda for management and internal governance purposes
• Address legal and regulatory developments relating to energy commodities in regulated markets, provide training on topical issues to GEMS colleagues and attend internal and industry conferences and forums
• Develop practice notes and assist with policy and guidelines formulation and application and improve and develop standard clauses and templates
• Advise on and execute the implementation of the reforms of commercial, financial or energy market regulation in GEMS’ products and services
• Provide legal support in relation to contractual event-driven issues such as events of default, covenant breaches, force majeure, waivers, acceleration and enforcement and to pre-insolvency and insolvency procedures
• Supervise external counsels

The successful candidate will also have the opportunity to take part in the ongoing initiatives and projects launched within GEMS Legal & Regulation or more generally within GEMS.

About YOU

Qualifications required: 

Master’s degree in Law. 

Specific Knowledge:

• Languages: Fluent English and Italian oral and written with strong drafting skills (another language is a plus)
• excellent technical and commercial skills
• an intellectual curiosity and hunger to learn
• demonstrating commercial understanding, good judgment on legal risk decisions and on knowing when to escalate
• being familiar with, and demonstrate responsibility for, a range of energy commodity transactions 
• demonstrating exposure to innovative deals and structuring
• ability to articulate governance and risk policies
• transaction management skills
• strong interpersonal and communication skills
• confident, capable and quick to learn
• working effectively as part of a team
• producing results in the face of adversity

Experience:

At least five years’ experience as in house in an energy company or as energy lawyer in a law firm.

Location:

Rome

Type of contract:

Local contract according to Italian labour law.

Why choose Engie?

Working at ENGIE, a multinational group, means having a wide variety of career opportunities in more than 30 countries. Whilst putting the community at the center of your professional life and contributing to real change during a challenging career.

Our commitment is clear: We support a social model that balances economic performance with positive impact on people and the planet. We bet on the power of community and act as part of a community committed to disrupting and reinventing the future. Diversity and inclusion are at the core of our corporate culture.

ENGIE is committed to combating all forms of discrimination in employment, access to training and promotion. Therefore, the integration and support of youth, adults, and people with disabilities, regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion, are key priorities of human resources policy.

ISO 30415 & UNI PDR 125:2022 Certification demonstrate this commitment.