Legal Counsel

ACEREZ; Sydney; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

ACEREZ is seeking a capable Legal Counsel to support project delivery, contract administration and regulatory matters across the Central-West Orana REZ program in NSW. You will independently manage day‑to‑day legal work, draft notices and claims, coordinate with external advisors, and mentor junior lawyers to build capability within the Legal & Commercial function.

The role requires strong drafting, negotiation and advisory skills, sound governance understanding and the ability to deliver

Qualifications

• 5-6 years’ post-qualification legal experience in major infrastructure, renewable energy and/or PPP projects.
• Strong contract drafting, negotiation and advisory skills.
• Experience with procurement, corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to mentor and develop junior lawyers or legal support staff.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial contracts, including NDAs, consultancy agreements and project delivery documentation.
• Provide practical legal advice on contract compliance, construction and project delivery issues, regulatory obligations, commercial risks and business operations.
• Support procurement activities through the preparation and review of procurement documentation, contracts and terms.
• Assist with claims management, dispute avoidance and contract administration activities.
• Support the legal and commercial management of project delivery and operational matters.
• Manage day-to-day engagement with external legal advisers to ensure timely and cost-effective outcomes.
• Provide advice on corporate governance, delegations and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Mentor and support junior legal team members, contributing to capability development across the Legal & Commercial function.

Skills

Contract drafting

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Project delivery

Mentoring

Job description

Introduction:

ACEREZ is a consortium, comprised of ACCIONA, COBRA and Endeavour Energy which has been appointed Network Operator by EnergyCo to design, deliver, operate and maintain the transmission line network for the Central-West Orana Renewable Energy Zone (CWO REZ).

The new transmission infrastructure, which will combine high-capacity transmission lines, energy hubs and related infrastructure, will enable generators such as solar and wind farms and energy storage providers in the CWO REZ to connect to the electricity grid, providing a reliable supply of clean, affordable electricity for households and businesses across NSW while helping to meet the state’s newly legislated Net Zero targets.

Description:

The Opportunity

The role is intended for a capable projects and infrastructure lawyer with approximately 5-6 years’ post-qualification experience, preferably with back-end experience.

The Legal Counsel will be responsible for providing experienced, practical and commercially focused legal support to the business across project delivery, contract administration, claims, correspondence, procurement, corporate and regulatory matters. The ideal candidate will be able to independently manage day-to-day legal work, oversee routine correspondence and claim drafting, coordinate with external advisors and contractors, and support, review and guide junior lawyers or legal support resources as required, while escalating complex or strategic matters as appropriate.

Key Responsibilities

• Draft, review and negotiate a broad range of commercial contracts, including NDAs, consultancy agreements and project delivery documentation.
• Provide practical legal advice on contract compliance, construction and project delivery issues, regulatory obligations, commercial risks and business operations.
• Support procurement activities through the preparation and review of procurement documentation, contracts and contract terms.
• Assist with claims management, dispute avoidance and contract administration activities.
• Support the legal and commercial management of project delivery and operational matters.
• Manage day-to-day engagement with external legal advisors to ensure timely and cost-effective outcomes.
• Provide advice on corporate governance, delegations and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Mentor and support junior legal team members, contributing to capability development across the Legal & Commercial function.

Skills and Experiences:

Skills & Qualifications

• Current practising certificate
• Approximately 5-6 years’ post-qualification legal experience, preferably including experience advising on legally and technically complex issues in major infrastructure, renewable energy and/or PPP projects, with exposure to both contentious and non-contentious matters.
• Experience in managing contractual correspondence, notices, claims and day-to-day legal work in a project delivery environment will be highly regarded.
• Strong contract drafting, negotiation and advisory skills.
• Sound understanding of procurement, corporate governance and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to provide practical, business-focused legal solutions in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Why Join Us?

We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all voices are heard and valued. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences. Our goal is to build a diverse team that reflects the communities we serve and drives innovation through varied perspectives. We encourage candidates from underrepresented groups to apply and look forward to creating a supportive workplace together.