Corporate Counsel - Compliance & Impartiality

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

• Provide critical legal, governance & compliance advice
• Ensure impartiality to enhance & support System Operator function delivery
• Operations Division, Senior Leadership Team role

Within Transpower our Operations Division delivers the system operator service for New Zealand, operating the electricity market and power system 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. It also delivers operational aspects of Transpower's grid owner service.

About the opportunity  

The electricity sector is dynamic and fast evolving as we move toward decarbonisation through further electrification enablement of Aotearoa - you will contribute to Transpower's journey in delivering our role as system operator. 

You'll ensure and work to augment Transpower's system operator reputation as an independent, reliable, respected, and trustworthy service provider in compliance with the Code and with due impartiality between the roles of grid owner and system operator.

You'll provide expert advice on Code compliance and role impartiality and identify insights and key learnings to assure practices continue to mature, through:

• regular monitoring and reporting of system operator role impartiality, including identified inherent independence threats in service areas such as procurement and assessment of ancillary services; compliance assessments; issue of dispensations and equivalences; monitoring grid owner compliance to the Code; and outage co-ordination
• review of frameworks and processes to ensure impartiality, and ensuring there is good awareness and training on how potential conflicts are managed, and appropriate monitoring is implemented to demonstrate compliance
• managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and the Electricity Authority, as both counterparty and regulator for the system operator service, to strengthen and maintain confidence in our ability to manage compliance and impartiality given Transpower's dual roles

As a member of our Operations Senior Leadership Team, you'll collaborate effectively across the Division and take collective responsibility to enable the effective and efficient delivery of the Operations operating plan. You'll also have strong links to our legal team in the central Corporate Governance function providing support when necessary.

At the core of your mahi 

Adept at influencing and building strong networks across organisations, you will provide clarity of responsibilities for Operations division staff, and where necessary, across the activities within the functions of other divisions, e.g. Corporate Risk and Corporate Governance. Success will be reflected through: 

• All relevant system operator policies and procedures incorporate appropriate consideration of compliance and role impartiality, and our people understand how this translates to their day-to-day functions
• Code breaches are minimal and reduce, with breach notifications and submissions helping the regulator understand issues and our mitigations
• Key stakeholders and the regulator have confidence that in our role as system operator. wWe are effectively managing and monitoring compliance and impartiality 
• We demonstrate consistency and impartiality when it comes to dealing with compliance issues as a result of actions by the grid owner or by any other industry participant

What will you bring? 

Experience as an appropriately challenging member of a divisional senior leadership team who provides strong direction and influencing leadership. You will be comfortable and credible engaging with an Executive Leadership team. 

To be considered, your CV, covering letter and experience will demonstrate:

• Bachelor of Laws (New Zealand) or equivalent, and eligible to hold a practising certificate issued by the New Zealand Law Society
• 10+ years practical experience in a legal firm or in-house corporate legal team, actively involved in providing legal services, or clearly demonstrable working knowledge and application of legal frameworks, codes, and regulations 
• Outstanding communication, both verbal and written, with ability to engage, influence, and persuade at all levels
• Systemic thinking with proven ability to work across an organisation and sector, connecting, interpreting, and guiding
• Proven complex relationship management ability underpinned by political savviness, moral courage, and resilience 
• Demonstrated ability to see and work effectively at both the big picture strategic level as well as in complex detail   

Join us at Transpower  

Aotearoa is powered by the people who work here. Every home, every marae, every electric vehicle, every hospital relies on the electricity we manage and deliver. This is your opportunity to join us on a mission that affects all New Zealanders, every day and long into the future.  

With over 28 nationalities, our people provide diverse perspectives, knowledge, and deep and varied experience which they love to share. Our environment is modern and family friendly with the option to work from home two days per week.   

Wellbeing is supported with great employee health and wellness benefits - check them out here at https://www.transpower.co.nz/about-us/careers-transpower/staff-benefits   

Next steps  

Please review the position description available via our career site https://careers.transpower.co.nz/search and apply without delay!  

Role closes Monday 29^th April however exploratory phone conversations will take place prior to the close date. 

Existing eligibility to work in New Zealand is a required.