Senior Counsel, Project Finance

NextGrid; United States; On-site; USD 180,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

NextGrid is a U.S. renewable energy company seeking an experienced Senior Counsel to oversee the legal execution of debt, tax equity, and other project financing transactions across its portfolio.

The role requires leading negotiations on credit agreements, security documents, and intercreditor arrangements, while coordinating with Finance and Project Finance teams for structuring and execution. A J.D. and 5+ years in renewables finance are essential.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 5+ years of relevant legal experience, with significant experience in renewable energy project finance.
• Strong experience with construction and term debt financings and tax equity and/or transferable tax credit transactions.
• Experience at a leading law firm with a sophisticated project finance practice strongly preferred; relevant in-house renewable energy experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex transactions and manage multiple concurrent workstreams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the legal execution of construction, bridge, term and other project-level debt financings, including negotiation of credit agreements, security documents, guarantees, intercreditor arrangements and related financing documents.
• Lead legal negotiations for tax equity and other structured investment transactions, including partnership flip and other applicable structures.
• Advise on the monetization and transfer of federal investment tax credits (ITCs) and production tax credits (PTCs), including credit transfer transactions under the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Partner with Finance and Project Finance teams on transaction structuring, term sheets, financing strategy and execution.
• Review and negotiate material project agreements from a financing and bankability perspective, including EPC, procurement, O&M, interconnection, power purchase/offtake and other material project contracts.
• Identify contractual issues that may affect financing, tax equity, project economics or closing and work with internal teams and counterparties to resolve them.
• Lead legal diligence and closing processes for debt, tax equity and other financing transactions.
• Manage transaction closing checklists, conditions precedent, deliverables and legal workstreams, coordinating with internal stakeholders, outside counsel, lenders, investors and other counterparties.
• Drive transactions toward closing by proactively identifying and resolving legal and execution issues.
• Advise on project and financing entity structures, including borrower and holding company structures, joint ventures, partnerships and special-purpose entities.
• Interpret financing and investment agreements and advise internal teams regarding contractual obligations, consent requirements, restrictions, reporting requirements and other legal matters.
• Partner with Finance, Accounting and Project Finance to establish appropriate processes for ongoing compliance with financing and investment agreements.
• Manage legal deliverables arising under financing arrangements, including required notices, consents, amendments, waivers and other legal documentation.

Skills

Commercial judgment

Drafting

Negotiation

Communication

Education

J.D. from an accredited law school

Job description

NextGrid is a U.S. renewable energy company and independent power producer (IPP) that develops, finances, owns, and operates solar and energy storage projects. We are a lean, growing team focused on accelerating the energy transition through innovative financing, technology, and strategic partnerships.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced Senior Counsel to lead the legal execution of debt, tax equity, and other project financing transactions across NextGrid's portfolio.

Responsibilities

Project Finance Transactions

• Lead the legal execution of construction, bridge, term and other project-level debt financings, including negotiation of credit agreements, security documents, guarantees, intercreditor arrangements and related financing documents.
• Lead legal negotiations for tax equity and other structured investment transactions, including partnership flip and other applicable structures.
• Advise on the monetization and transfer of federal investment tax credits (ITCs) and production tax credits (PTCs), including credit transfer transactions under the Inflation Reduction Act.
• Partner with Finance and Project Finance teams on transaction structuring, term sheets, financing strategy and execution.

Project Contracts and Financeability

• Review and negotiate material project agreements from a financing and bankability perspective, including EPC, procurement, O&M, interconnection, power purchase/offtake and other material project contracts.
• Identify contractual issues that may affect financing, tax equity, project economics or closing and work with internal teams and counterparties to resolve them.

Due Diligence and Transaction Closing

• Lead legal diligence and closing processes for debt, tax equity and other financing transactions.
• Manage transaction closing checklists, conditions precedent, deliverables and legal workstreams, coordinating with internal stakeholders, outside counsel, lenders, investors and other counterparties.
• Drive transactions toward closing by proactively identifying and resolving legal and execution issues.

Entity Structuring and Financing Compliance

• Advise on project and financing entity structures, including borrower and holding company structures, joint ventures, partnerships and special-purpose entities.
• Interpret financing and investment agreements and advise internal teams regarding contractual obligations, consent requirements, restrictions, reporting requirements and other legal matters.
• Partner with Finance, Accounting and Project Finance to establish appropriate processes for ongoing compliance with financing and investment agreements.
• Manage legal deliverables arising under financing arrangements, including required notices, consents, amendments, waivers and other legal documentation.

Qualifications

• J.D. from an accredited law school and active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction.
• 5+ years of relevant legal experience, with significant experience in renewable energy project finance.
• Strong experience with construction and term debt financings and tax equity and/or transferable tax credit transactions.
• Experience at a leading law firm with a sophisticated project finance practice strongly preferred; relevant in-house renewable energy experience is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex transactions and manage multiple concurrent workstreams.
• Strong commercial judgment and ability to distinguish material transaction issues from issues that should not impede execution.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, analytical and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across Finance, Accounting, Development, Construction and executive teams in a lean, fully remote organization.
• Highly organized, responsive and comfortable operating with substantial autonomy.

Required Skills

• Strong commercial judgment and ability to distinguish material transaction issues from issues that should not impede execution.
• Excellent drafting, negotiation, analytical and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across Finance, Accounting, Development, Construction and executive teams in a lean, fully remote organization.
• Highly organized, responsive and comfortable operating with substantial autonomy.

Preferred Skills

• Experience at a leading law firm with a sophisticated project finance practice strongly preferred; relevant in-house renewable energy experience is a plus.

Pay range and compensation package

Competitive compensation package, including base salary, performance-based bonus and comprehensive benefits.

Equal Opportunity Statement

NextGrid is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants without regard to protected characteristics under applicable law.