Description:

We are seeking an experienced, commercially minded Legal Counsel, Risk & Compliance Manager to support the Fuels business across the United States and Canada. Based in Houston and reporting directly to the Vice President- General Counsel, Risk and Compliance Officer – Fuels, this role provides comprehensive legal, risk, compliance, and governance support and serves as a trusted adviser to management and operational teams.

The successful candidate will combine sound legal judgment with a practical, solutions-oriented approach. The role requires responsiveness, independence, strong stakeholder management, and the ability to translate complex legal and regulatory requirements into clear guidance for a fast-paced, international business.

Key Responsibilities:

General Legal Advisory & Business Support

Provide timely, clear, and pragmatic legal advice to the Fuels business across the United States and Canada.
Advise management and operational teams on day-to-day legal matters, strategic initiatives, business expansion, and risk-based decision-making.
Interpret applicable laws, regulations, policies, and contractual obligations and translate them into practical business guidance.
Develop trusted relationships with business leaders and act as a proactive legal partner while preserving independent professional judgment.

Commercial Contracts & Transactions

Draft, review, negotiate, and advise on a broad range of commercial agreements, including customer and supplier agreements, master services agreements, terms and conditions, confidentiality agreements, consulting agreements, leases, technology arrangements, and strategic partnerships.
Support bids, tenders, proposals, procurement activities, and contractual risk assessments, including appropriate allocation of liability, indemnity, insurance, warranty, data protection, and termination risks.
Promote consistent use of approved templates, Group Terms & Conditions, contracting policies, delegated authorities, and approval processes.
Support corporate development, restructuring, integrations, joint ventures, acquisitions, divestitures, and other strategic transactions as required.

Corporate, Governance & Risk Management

Advise on corporate law, entity management, governance, board and shareholder matters, delegated authorities, powers of attorney, and internal approvals for North American entities.
Support the preparation, review, and maintenance of corporate records, resolutions, policies, governance documents, registrations, and required filings in coordination with relevant internal and external resources.
Identify, assess, communicate, and help mitigate legal and compliance risks, maintaining appropriate escalation and reporting to senior management and Group Legal.
Support the design and implementation of controls, policies, procedures, and remediation plans, and monitor material legal developments affecting the business.

Compliance, Ethics & Regulatory Matters

Provide legal guidance on applicable federal, state, provincial, and local laws and regulatory requirements in the United States and Canada relevant to the Fuels business.
Oversee and support implementation of the Group compliance program, Code of Ethics, policies, risk assessments, controls, certifications, monitoring, and reporting.
Advise on anti-bribery and anti-corruption, fraud, conflicts of interest, gifts and hospitality, competition and antitrust, third-party risk, whistleblowing, privacy, records management, and other compliance matters.
Support internal reviews and investigations, including issue intake, evidence preservation, interviews, findings, remediation, escalation, and coordination with relevant stakeholders.
Provide or coordinate practical legal and compliance training, communications, and guidance for employees and management.
Manage regulatory inquiries, inspections, information requests, filings, and interactions with authorities, in coordination with subject-matter experts and external counsel where appropriate.

Sanctions, Export Controls & Trade Compliance

Advise on economic sanctions, export controls, import requirements, embargoes, restricted-party screening, anti-boycott rules, and related trade compliance obligations affecting customers, suppliers, transactions, and cross-border activity.
Support sanctions and trade-control due diligence, risk assessments, escalations, licensing questions, contractual protections, screening processes, and the investigation and remediation of potential concerns.
Coordinate with Group specialists and external counsel to address complex or high-risk matters and changes in applicable requirements.

Claims, Disputes & Investigations

Manage and advise on claims, disputes, litigation, subpoenas, incidents, and pre-litigation strategy, with an emphasis on early risk assessment and commercially appropriate resolution.
Preserve privilege and coordinate legal holds, document collection, factual investigations, reporting, settlement authority, and lessons learned.
Select, instruct, and manage external counsel and other advisers, including scope, strategy, performance, and legal spend.

Employment & Workplace Matters

Partner with Human Resources on employment and workplace matters, including policies, employee relations, investigations, performance and disciplinary processes, accommodations, separations, restrictive covenants, and employment-related claims.
Coordinate with specialist employment counsel where necessary; prior employment-law experience is an advantage.

Cross-functional, Regional & Legal Operations Support

Collaborate closely with Finance, Tax, Human Resources, Credit, Compliance, Procurement, Operations, HSE, IT, Data Privacy, and other functions.
Manage competing priorities, maintain appropriate matter records, contribute to legal and compliance reporting, and support continuous improvement of templates, processes, controls, and knowledge resources.
Monitor external legal and regulatory developments and provide timely, actionable updates and recommendations to the business.
Undertake other legal, risk, compliance, and governance responsibilities reasonably required to support the North American business.

Candidate Profile:

Juris Doctor or equivalent law degree and active admission in good standing to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction; eligibility to support matters across the United States and Canada.
7–10 years of relevant post-qualification legal experience gained in a reputable law firm, in-house legal department, or a combination of both.
Substantial experience in commercial contracting, corporate and governance matters, legal risk management, and general business counseling.
Demonstrated knowledge of corporate compliance programs and regulatory requirements, including anti-bribery and anti-corruption, competition and antitrust, investigations, third-party risk, and ethics.
Practical experience advising on economic sanctions, export controls, restricted-party issues, or related trade compliance matters.
Experience supporting a regulated, industrial, energy, fuels, commodities, testing, inspection, certification, or other international business is preferred.
Previous experience with Canadian legal or regulatory matters is an advantage.
Employment-law and workplace-investigation experience is an advantage.
Excellent drafting, negotiation, analytical, communication, and stakeholder-management skills.
Sound judgment, integrity, discretion, and the confidence to provide independent, practical, and business-oriented advice.
Strong organizational skills, responsiveness, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and work effectively across functions, cultures, and time zones.
Fluent written and spoken English; French language capability is an advantage for Canadian matters.