Our client, 3Degrees Group, exists for one simple reason – to make it possible for businesses and their customers to take urgent action on climate change. As a certified B Corporation, 3Degrees Group provides renewable energy and emission reduction solutions to global Fortune 500 companies, utilities and other organizations around the globe that want to join the fight against climate change, and they can’t do it without you. Headquartered in San Francisco, 3Degrees serves clients around the world like Netflix, Unilever, Ahold Delhaize, Etsy, and MasterCard.

About the Role:

As a direct report to the CEO, the General Counsel is responsible for the oversight and management of the global legal department and affairs of 3Degrees. Within a rapidly growing B Corp, you will have the opportunity to evolve the legal processes to deliver on the Company’s aggressive growth strategy in a manner that minimizes risk and maximizes opportunities. This is a full-time position preferably located in San Francisco, CA or Portland, OR.  A remote office, anywhere in the United States, with significant travel required will be considered for highly qualified candidates.

About You:

You are a strategic legal professional who values B Corp principles (even if working at a B Corp might be new to you). You believe that climate change is a major threat facing humanity and understand the role that environmental commodities can play in fighting that threat. You are excellent at identifying and explaining legal and business risks. You believe in win-win collaboration with team members and with counterparties. You bring a sense of urgency to assignments, and fire up those you work with. You think big, work hard, and sweat the details.

Responsibilities:

• Manage all aspects of the global legal and compliance function for this 300+ -person climate solutions B Corp, including corporate, commercial, regulatory, risk management, Board relationships, and mergers and acquisitions.
• Ensure that 3Degrees is in compliance with all applicable international, federal, state and local laws and regulations, while ensuring that all transactions and processes are effectively. administered throughout the Company and represent industry best practices.
• As an integral part of the management team, provide legal support to the C-team and Board to minimize, manage, and mitigate risk.
• Lead the drafting and the team, responsible for negotiating commercial contracts, including, but not limited to, NDAs, LOIs, consulting agreements, power purchase agreements, purchase and sales contracts for environmental commodities such as RECS, global EACs, carbon offsets and allowances, low carbon fuel standard credits, and renewable natural gas.
• As Corporate Secretary, manage corporate governance and subsidiary structures.
• Play an active role in M&A activities, including strategy, negotiation, due diligence and closing.
• Serve as both legal counsel and business partner to internal teams, providing insight and creative solutions on various business & legal matters.
• Oversee legal and regulatory compliance which includes being proactive in identifying and monitoring the status of legislation nationwide that may impact our businesses.    
• Provide support to senior leadership for capital raise and investment activities.
• Manage, build, motivate and enhance a seven+ person distributed legal team.
• Manage, coordinate, and maintain relationships with outside counsel as needed.
• Perform special projects as assigned; implement solutions to streamline legal operations.

Requirements:

• Values and operates with strong ethics and integrity.
• Experience in helping and guiding an organization’s international expansion.
• Experience leading a team responsible for transacting a high volume of commercial contracts.
• Experience with contract law and corporate law in domestic and international markets required.
• Expertise in federal and state regulatory processes.
• Expertise in corporate governance and corporate mergers; acquisitions.
• Ability to support and collaborate with outside resources and internal stakeholders on matters related to employment law or non-business unit related issues.
• Experience with, and energized to operate in, a fast-paced, high-growth company.
• Excellent negotiation, planning, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Advanced leadership skills to develop and implement new policies and procedures.
• Expertise in energy or environmental commodity markets is preferred. A plus if familiarity with our markets (e.g. RECs, VERs, AB32 and RGGI instruments, PPAs, vPPAs, EACs, RNG, LCFS and FERC market rules, CDP, RE100).
• Juris Doctorate from a U.S. ABA accredited law school.
• A minimum of 10 years of legal experience with proven in-house track record as a leader and/or General Counsel.
• Prefer admitted in California, or ability to become registered as CA in-house counsel.

Success Factors:

In this role, you will lead the legal team to help all business areas of 3Degrees achieve their strategic goals. Success factors specific to this role include:

Within three months:

• You have acquired a solid understanding of 3Degrees’ lines of business and strategic initiatives and the role that the legal team plays in supporting the company.
• You have developed and have begun implementing a resource plan that defines the services the legal team provides to effectively support the company’s operations and strategic initiatives.

Within six months:

• You are a subject matter expert in all relevant statutory and regulatory requirements that impact the business and serve as the primary legal resource for all corporate contracting efforts.
• You have established trusted and healthy working relationships with cross-functional stakeholders and effectively leading process improvements that elevate how the legal team supports its internal clients.

3Degrees Group’s estimated annual base salary for this position is $275,000 to $375,000 in the US. This position is eligible for a benefits package that includes medical, dental, vision, 401k, flexible paid time off and more. This position is eligible for equity and discretionary bonus programs including the company’s profit sharing program and an annual performance bonus based on personal, department and company goals. This compensation and benefits information is based on 3Degrees’ good faith estimate as of the date of publication and may be modified in the future.

Additional information regarding the benefits available for this position can be found at: https://jobs.jobvite.com/3degrees/jobs/jointheteam

3Degrees Group has exclusively engaged Kerwin Associates to conduct this search.  Any resumes sent directly to 3Degrees Group will be forwarded to Kerwin Associates.  If you are interested in speaking about or applying for this role, please contact Anne Kerwin Payne (anne@kerwin.com) or Emily Castellanos (emily@kerwin.com) at Kerwin Associates.