EHS&S Counsel / Senior Counsel

Purpose/Introduction

CPChem is seeking qualified candidates with relevant experience and a passion for helping clients achieve business objectives to serve as EHS&S Counsel/Senior Counsel. The position is based in CPChem’s headquarters in The Woodlands, Texas, and reports to the Associate General Counsel - EHS&S and Manufacturing. CPChem's legal department numbers over 50 professionals, which includes over 20 lawyers.

This position requires the ability to work autonomously and to regularly interact with core EHS&S and Manufacturing internal stakeholders, which will include some interaction with CPChem senior management. Candidates must possess the judgment and skills necessary to advise subject matter experts, managers, executives, and other clients regarding a broad range of; environmental, health and safety matters, including air, waste, water, remediation with a specific focus in Texas; personal and process safety management issues; product safety and stewardship, sustainability and climate, and security. The position will also be responsible for supporting strategic initiatives, global EHS&S policy development, compliance counseling, client training programs, and working directly and extensively with EHS&S and Manufacturing clients in CPChem's facilities. The successful candidate must consistently demonstrate teamwork, cross-functional collaboration, and be a positive opinion leader in a dynamic environment that may include periods of compressed deadlines and high-demand.

Responsibilities

• Advise on pertinent environmental policy, regulatory, and legislative developments involving air, water, land use; Superfund; permitting and enforcement; CAA (included RMP), CWA, RCRA, CERCLA, EPCRA and TSCA; environmental due diligence; and crisis management.
• Conduct in-depth and comprehensive legal research to analyze, understand and interpret environmental laws, regulations, case law, and guidance as applicable to Operations, projects, and/or initiatives.
• Provide strategic legal counsel on a diverse docket of environmental regulatory, administrative, and enforcement matters and environmental components of complex commercial transactions.
• Advise on EHSS legal initiatives, requirements, and compliance obligations, including climate and greenhouse gas proposals.
• Support internal EHSS-related investigations/audits.
• Participate in EHSS regulatory development initiatives at the local, state and federal level, either directly or as part of industry/trade organization.
• Provide support related to H&S and security, including but not limited to OSHA, PSM, DOT/PHMSA, and CFATS.
• Collaborate with litigation counsel in connection with environmental or safety compliance enforcement actions or litigation, as needed. Represent internal clients in environmental legal disputes, administrative hearings, and court proceedings, as appropriate.
• Review and comment on EHSS policies, programs, and communications.
• Ensure maximum effective use of outside counsel.
• Interact with regulatory entities on behalf of internal clients to seek clarifications, address compliance issues, and negotiate settlements.

Capabilities

• Expertise and experience with federal, state and local agencies, including but not limited to EPA, OSHA, TCEQ, and HCPCS.
• Extensive client counseling in environmental laws, rules, regulations, policies, and guidelines; interpretation of environmental rules and regulations.
• Demonstrated ability to strategically collaborate across all levels of a large corporate enterprise and with cross-functional teams, including but not limited to Operations, Legal, Government Affairs, and EHSS, across a wide spectrum of issues, including emerging issues such as environmental justice, advanced recycling, and revisions to various MACT standards.
• Expertise and experience in emergency and crisis response, including incident reporting and investigation.
• Self-starter with proven ability to function autonomously.
• Strong, logical legal mind and business acumen with the ability to apply abstract concepts of law to make timely, well-reasoned and appropriate decisions to solve problems.
• Ability to work efficiently under time pressures and deadlines in a fast-paced environment; demonstrated project management skills.
• Sound judgement and strong leadership, managerial and interpersonal skills, including ability to engender trust, respect, and confidence.

Required Qualifications

• Juris Doctorate required and in good standing with, the State Bar of Texas. If admitted to another state bar, licensure in Texas must be accomplished within 90 days of start date.
• This position may involve moderate travel.
• Candidate must have at least five (5) years (or the equivalent) of environmental law experience with broad-based responsibility for a portfolio of legal matters including compliance counseling, investigations, interpreting and negotiating agency orders and agreements, advising on the environmental aspects of commercial transactions, and providing support on environmental issues with a demonstrated high level of expertise in at least one environmental media.
• Experience in federal and Texas state environmental regulations, permitting, and compliance enforcement matters, preferably with a focus on air.

Preferred Qualifications

• In-house counsel experience preferred.
• Meaningful experience or technical background in petrochemical facility operations, specifically to include EPA and/or TCEQ regulatory requirements preferred.