Associate Regulatory Counsel

Description:

About Poet
At POET, it is our mission to be good stewards of the Earth by converting renewable resources to energy and other valuable goods as effectively as humanly possible. For over thirty-five years, our drive and passion to change the world has enabled us to become the largest producer and marketer of bioethanol and a leader in sustainable products in the world.

Job Summary & Responsibilities:
POET, the world's largest biofuels producer, is hiring an Associate Regulatory Counsel to join the company's Washington, D.C. office. The Associate Regulatory Counsel will manage day-to-day regulatory compliance matters and offer strategic counsel with regards to a wide array of evolving legal rules governing POET's operations in the United States and abroad.

The Associate Regulatory Counsel reports directly to the Senior Regulatory Counsel and is ultimately supervised by the Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

POET was founded in 1987 and grew from a single bioprocessing facility in Scotland, South Dakota to become the global leader in bioproducts, boasting 35 bioprocessing facilities in nine states. In additional to bioethanol, POET produces a variety of plant-based co-products, including distillers grains and corn fermented protein sold into animal feed and aquaculture markets, distillers corn oil used to manufacture renewable diesel fuels, biogenic CO2 and dry ice, and purified alcohol. In addition to corporate offices located in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and Wichita, Kansas, POET operates a Washington, D.C. Office focused on regulatory and government affairs. Our Washington D.C. legal team provides compliance advice to the company and its bioprocessing facilities relating to energy, environmental, election/lobbying, food and alcohol, international trade and transportation law, among other areas, and works alongside the government affairs team to influence state, national, and international energy, agriculture and climate policies. We're searching for an Associate Regulatory Counsel who is interested in working on practical and business-oriented compliance solutions and legal strategies across the full range of regulatory issues affecting POET worldwide.

This is a hybrid position located in Washington, D.C. Responsibilities include:

• Provide advice and guidance to POET business teams on regulatory compliance issues affecting POET's business including energy, environmental, election/lobbying, food and alcohol, international trade and transportation law.
• Continuously research, track, and interpret applicable statutes, rules and regulations. Provide legal analysis regarding pending or proposed legislation, administrative rules, and other regulatory or legislative items.
• Assist in the development and review of company policies and procedures based on legal requirements and sound risk management practices.
• Work with the POET Legal team to develop and provide applicable legal/compliance training to the POET organization, and work with various POET teams to ensure adherence to corporate policies.
• Assist the Regulatory Team in developing multi-faceted, strategic regulatory policy advocacy that involves strong and effective legal advocacy, effective coordination and collaboration with POET's Public Policy and Corporate Affairs team on legal, legislative, policy, economic, and media analysis.
• Support strategic litigation campaigns to challenge or maintain regulations promulgated by federal and state agencies to implement energy, environmental, and other statutes relevant to POET's business interests.
• Engage and manage outside counsel, including negotiating project teams, rates, budgets, deliverables, and timelines; invoice review and approval; assessing performance; and providing feedback.
• Since we're all about teamwork and getting the job done, your skills may be put to a lot of other uses!

Qualifications & Skills:
Experience:

• One to three years of legal practice, with experience or interest in energy, environmental and/or regulatory law.
• Experience handling and guiding relevant business groups on responding to regulatory compliance issues, including through litigation before administrative tribunals, state courts, or federal courts. Familiarity with agencies such as the EPA and FDA, as well as related state agencies, is desired.
• In-house experience identifying, developing, presenting, and ensuring compliance with internal policies and procedures is a plus.
• Demonstrated superior skills in independently drafting, or drafting in conjunction with team members, public comments, legal briefs, and research memoranda.
• Superior oral communication skills and ability to communicate research and advice in a confident, succinct, and digestible manner.
• Patient, active listening and strategic thinking skills to assess risk and provide commercially viable options in a positive and solution-oriented fashion.
• You know the basics of Microsoft Office Suite. You're capable of learning new programs.

Education and Licensing:

• J.D. with excellent credentials from an ABA accredited, nationally recognized law school.
• Currently licensed to practice law in at least one state and willing and able to become licensed in Washington, D.C.

Work Environment:
Travel, with some overnight stays, is required. It likely averages 10% of your time.

This position operates in an office environment working at a personal computer where you may sit or stand.

Culture Is King at Poet
We're all on the same team. We always communicate. And we park our egos at the door. These aren't just slogans on our walls. It's the way we do things at POET. We provide an environment for team members to maintain a healthy work-life balance. It's the best way to optimize health, wellness, and productivity in a sustainable way. We work hard. We play hard. We have frequent team events, volunteer efforts, and we know how to celebrate wins!

Growth & Development Opportunities
At POET, we encourage internal development and growth by allowing team members to carve their own path to success. Leaders support team members with the necessary resources to develop their skills, achieve goals, and create the most value. We believe in developing our team members to their highest potential and recognizing contributions that add value to the organization. Each new team member's position and compensation are carefully determined by considering their unique qualifications and skillset.

Benefits:

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