Senior Legal Counsel

Return; Amsterdam; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working hours

Home office options

Laptop and mobile phone provided

Performance-related compensation

Job summary

Return, a leading European independent energy storage provider based in Amsterdam, seeks a Senior Legal Counsel to lead legal matters for large-scale BESS development in the Netherlands and Benelux. You will join international teams handling contracts, corporate structuring, and regulatory engagement, with responsibility for ensuring transaction security and project execution.

You will guide the legal framework across development, procurement and construction, collaborating with policy advisors

Qualifications

• Fully qualified Dutch lawyer with at least five years of relevant experience.
• Experience as a lawyer or deputy notary serving international customers.
• Expertise in commercial contracting, ideally with emphasis on project development.

Responsibilities

• Advise on the full development and construction cycle of large-scale stand-alone BESS projects.
• Negotiate procurement agreements (UAV-GC, FIDIC templates).
• Advise on and own day-to-day legal matters for the group (corporate structuring, supplier contracts).
• Track Dutch regulatory developments and set policy with respect to BESS in The Hague.
• Provide practical and strategic advice to project teams across development, procurement and construction.

Skills

Commercial contracting

Project development

Procurement contracts

UAV-GC

FIDIC

Education

Fully qualified Dutch lawyer

Job description

Return is the leading European independent energy storage provider, committed to revolutionizing the energy sector. Headquartered in Amsterdam, with offices in Munich, Hamburg and Madrid, Return offers innovative, sustainable solutions to store and intelligently manage energy, ensuring power is used efficiently when and where it's needed most. With a rapidly growing presence across Europe, Return is at the forefront of the energy transition, integrating large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) to support grid stability, renewable energy integration, and Europe's net-zero goals. Driven by a team of experts, Return aims to provide reliable energy storage that powers the future of clean energy.

Your Impact

As Senior Legal Counsel, you will take end-to-end leadership over the development and construction of stand-alone BESS projects in the Netherlands and the Benelux. You will be part of international multi-disciplinary teams in BESS development processes and the procurement of BESS components from international suppliers. As a generalist, you will also tend to day-to-day legal matters for the Return group. Together with our policy advisors, you will stay up to date on the regulatory framework and be involved in keeping BESS on the agenda in The Hague.

You will play a critical role in setting the legal framework within which Return can and should pursue complex, high-value projects. Your authority will be essential in resolving strategic issues, shaping execution methodologies and guaranteeing transaction security to Return and its counterparts.

What you will do

• Advise on the full development and construction cycle of large-scale stand-alone BESS projects:
• Negotiation of procurement agreements (UAV-GC, FIDIC templates)
• Advise on and own a wide variety of day-to-day legal matters for the group such as corporate structuring and supplier contracts
• Track and advise on relevant developments in the Dutch legal landscape. Work with our policy advisors to set the political agenda with respect to BESS
• Provide practical and strategic advice to project teams and act as the connecting link between (business-) development, procurement, construction and sales functions
• The role is based in Amsterdam.

What you bring

• Fully qualified Dutch lawyer with at least five years of relevant experience as a lawyer or deputy notary with a law firm serving international customers
• At least five years of relevant experience as a lawyer or deputy notary with a law firm serving international customers
• You are willing to work as a generalist but bring expert knowledge on commercial contracting, ideally with an emphasis on project development
• Expertise in construction- or procurement contracts (UAV-GC, FIDIC, or comparable frameworks), highly preferable
• Experience with infrastructure, renewable energy in particular, highly preferable
• The ideal candidate is also up to date on the Dutch energy-regulatory landscape
• Fluent in English with excellent drafting skills, capable of operating in an international environment. German skills a plus
• Natural leadership and self-initiative. Able to take leadership in delivering complex infrastructure or energy projects, with strong authority, process/transaction oversight and stakeholder management
• Willingness to travel within Europe occasionally

Not ticking all boxes? Do not let that put you off from applying if you can argue that you have the skills to master this position regardless.

What we offer you:

• The opportunity to be at the center of the development and construction of our BESS pipeline
• An exciting and challenging job in a future-oriented and dynamic company
• Collaboration in an entrepreneurial company that actively contributes to the energy transition
• An attractive workplace, entrepreneurial and committed team with flat hierarchies and steep learning curves
• Flexible working hours and home office options, laptop/telephone arrangements and performance-related compensation

Why join Return?

At Return, we don't just talk about impact - we build it. You'll join a passionate and skilled team where your contributions help shape real-world solutions and directly support a more sustainable future. Our entrepreneurial and collaborative culture is dedicated to accelerating the energy transition at scale.