Regulatory Counsel

JERA Americas; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

JERA Americas seeks a senior regulatory attorney to lead regulatory and compliance matters across trading, LNG, natural gas, and power activities. The role requires advising business teams, interpreting evolving laws, and coordinating with external counsel and regulators.

The successful candidate will guide risk management, training, and policy development while promoting a consistent regulatory approach across affiliates and global partners.

Qualifications

• Six to eight or more years of relevant legal experience in energy, power, LNG, natural gas, commodities, or trading sectors.
• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; admission in Texas preferred.
• Strong knowledge of regulatory framework governing energy trading, including FERC and CFTC rules.
• Experience advising on CFTC regulations, FERC requirements, the Natural Gas Act, the Federal Power Act, and ISO/RTO protocols.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic regulatory guidance and day-to-day legal support to Compliance, Legal, trading, and asset management teams.
• Analyze and communicate impact of evolving laws, regulations, and market rules on operations.
• Design and deliver training programs on regulatory obligations and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with affiliates and global stakeholders to align regulatory compliance approaches.
• Manage relationships with external counsel and regulatory advisors in proceedings and investigations.
• Monitor regulatory developments and provide timely, practical guidance to stakeholders.
• Conduct legal research on LNG, natural gas, power, and environmental attributes.
• Review regulatory aspects of transactions, registrations, filings, and certifications.
• Provide pragmatic regulatory advice to support business objectives while ensuring compliance.
• Promote regulatory knowledge across teams through guidance and issue spotting.
• Coordinate activities with Compliance, Commercial, Risk, and Operations teams.
• Handle confidential information with discretion and integrity.

Skills

Regulatory expertise

Energy trading regulation

FERC/CFTC knowledge

Cross-functional collaboration

Legal drafting

Education

Juris Doctor (J.D.)

Active law license

Texas bar preferred

Job description

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JERA Americas Inc. is part of a global energy company, supporting the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable world while fulfilling our responsibility to provide a safe and stable supply of reliable and affordable energy. The Company is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based JERA, which stands for Japan's Energy for a New Era. JERA has committed to achieving net zero CO2 emissions from its businesses by 2050 and is contributing to the development of a sustainable society.

JERA Americas seeks to continue its rapid expansion into renewable energy markets focusing on wind, solar, and cutting‑edge technologies for hydrogen production and transportation. To meet the challenges of a fast‑growing company, we are searching for talented individuals who thrive in a fast‑paced environment and want to be part of the equation to provide energy for a new era.

Summary

Summary/Objective

Serve as a subject matter expert on regulatory and compliance matters affecting JERA Americas’ business activities, including compliance with CFTC regulations, the Commodity Exchange Act, the Natural Gas Act, the Federal Power Act, the Dodd‑Frank Act, ERCOT Protocols, PJM rules, CAISO market requirements, and other applicable ISO/RTO rules.

Position Description

Essential Functions

• Provide strategic regulatory guidance and day‑to‑day legal support to Compliance, Legal, commercial, trading, and asset management teams on matters impacting their respective functions.
• Analyze, interpret, and communicate the impact of evolving laws, regulations, legislation, enforcement trends, and market rules on JERA Americas’ trading, marketing, generation, LNG, and commercial operations.
• Partner with Compliance and business stakeholders to design, develop, and deliver training programs that educate employees on applicable regulatory obligations, compliance standards, and industry best practices.
• Collaborate with JERA Americas affiliates and global stakeholders, as appropriate, to promote a consistent and coordinated approach to regulatory compliance and risk management across relevant business activities.
• Manage relationships with external counsel, consultants, and regulatory advisors to protect JERA Americas’ interests in regulatory proceedings, investigations, audits, inquiries, rate cases, and other regulatory matters.
• Monitor and communicate key regulatory developments, emerging compliance risks, and industry trends, providing timely updates and practical, risk‑based guidance to legal, compliance, and business stakeholders.
• Conduct legal and regulatory research and analysis on a broad range of issues as they arise, including matters related to LNG, natural gas, power, renewable energy, environmental attributes and other evolving regulatory frameworks.
• Review, analyze, and provide regulatory and compliance support for transactional agreements, commercial arrangements, market registrations, filings, certifications, and other business documentation, as appropriate.
• Provide clear, practical, and commercially focused regulatory advice to JERA Americas employees to support business objectives while ensuring compliance with applicable laws, regulations, tariffs, market rules, and internal policies.
• Promote and enhance regulatory knowledge and awareness across business teams through proactive guidance, training, issue spotting, and ongoing legal support.
• Partner closely with Compliance, Commercial, Risk, Operations, and other internal teams to coordinate legal and regulatory activities, ensuring alignment on compliance initiatives, policies, investigations, audits, and risk management matters.
• Handle confidential, sensitive, and proprietary business information and transactions with the highest level of discretion, professionalism, sound judgment, and integrity.

Qualifications

Required Education and Experience

• Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; admission in Texas is preferred.
• Strong credentials from an accredited law school
• Six to eight or more years of relevant legal experience gained in a law firm, regulatory agency, and/or in‑house legal department supporting the energy, power, LNG, natural gas, commodities, or trading and marketing sectors.
• Undergraduate degree and Juris Doctor (J.D.) from an accredited law school, or an equivalent law degree.
• Strong knowledge of the regulatory framework governing energy trading, marketing, generation, and commercial activities, including FERC and CFTC rules and regulations.
• Demonstrated familiarity with regulatory and compliance matters related to physical and financial commodity trading, with particular emphasis on power, natural gas, LNG, and ISO/RTO market activities.
• Experience advising business stakeholders on matters involving CFTC regulations, FERC requirements, the Natural Gas Act, the Federal Power Act, ISO/RTO protocols, rules and market requirements.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, drafting, analytical, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to provide clear, concise, and practical legal advice in a fast‑paced, commercially focused environment.
• Proven ability to collaborate effectively with cross‑functional teams, including traders, commercial personnel, risk management professionals, compliance personnel, operations teams, senior business leaders, and external advisors.

JERA Americas does not accept unsolicited resumes from third party recruiters or employment agencies. In the absence of an executed Recruitment Services Agreement, JERA Americas shall have no obligation to pay any referral compensation or recruiter fee.

AP/EEO Statement

JERA Americas Inc. provides equal employment opportunity to all individuals regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, gender, age, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by state, federal, or local law. Further, the company takes affirmative action to ensure that applicants are employed, and employees are treated during employment without regard to any of these characteristics.