Assistant General Counsel

First Solar reserves the right to offer you a role most applicable to your experience and skillset. 

Basic Job Functions:

Perform contract negotiation and documentation for complex commercial transactions.  As the point of day-to-day responsibility within the legal department, partner with members of the business development and finance/treasury groups, and other company associates in the sale of the company’s products to domestic and international third-party customers and execution of corporate transactions, and provide general legal advice.

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree 
• JD degree from an accredited university, and admission to a state bar.
• Seven or more years at a top tier law firm or in-house legal department specializing in corporate transactions.

Required Skills/Competencies:

• Knowledge of equipment sale agreements, warranties, and related documents, including drafting and negotiation experience
• Experience managing transactions as lead associate from project kick-off through closing and maintaining involvement in the transaction during the post-closing period. 
• Experience preparing, reviewing, and negotiating contracts and legal documents for corporate transactions and sale of goods and services. 
• Ability to successfully interact with colleagues from various functional areas in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to communicate complicated legal concepts in a user-friendly manner.
• Strong reading, writing and presentation skills.
• Team and cross-functional player, with the ability to transition between a lead and support role depending on the circumstances.
• Highly organized multi-tasker
• Fluency with Microsoft Office products

Essential Responsibilities:

• Review, negotiate and document legal aspects of company transactions, including equipment sale arrangements, joint development and joint venture agreements, and financing arrangements.
• Partner with members of the business development and treasury/finance teams, and other company associates, during the kick-off stage of a project through and beyond closing, in an effort to provide legal solutions that allow the company to meet its goals while protecting its interests.
• Support project teams by reviewing legal aspects of commercial arrangements, providing contract interpretation guidance, and participating in contract negotiations and project meetings.
• Conduct or lead special projects to advance company and legal department goals.
• Enable or enhance product and service offerings through the creation or updating of form contracts.
• Manage outside counsel, including providing drafting guidance, educating new counsel on company offerings and risk standards, reviewing work product, and diligently monitoring legal spend.
• Form respectful, strong working relationships with existing and potential customers and their legal advisors.
• “Own the Deal”, which means maintaining up-to-date knowledge of all terms and conditions, transaction status and open issues.
• Support risk committee decision-making by clearly and concisely summarizing transaction structure and risks.
• Interact with members of various other functional areas who will be impacted by company transactions, including accounting, treasury, tax, insurance, environmental, trade, compliance, and other subject matter specialists within the legal department and the company.
• Commit to developing and sustaining a first-class in-house legal department to advance the company’s mission, vision and values, including by providing timely and clear legal advice to business and functional counterparts, being supportive, solution-driven and team-focused, and providing assistance to fellow members of the group.     
• Other duties as assigned.
• Job description subject to change at any time.

Reporting Relationships:

• This position will report to the Deputy General Counsel - Americas
• This position is expected to supervise a junior member of the legal team supporting the fulfillment, warranty, and module sales functions

Travel:

• 5% - 10%

Estimated Annual Salary Range:

• $150,000 - $210,000 Estimated Annual Salary

US Physical Requirements:

All positions in our office require interaction with people and technology while either standing or sitting. To best service our customers, internal and external, all associates must be able to communicate face-to-face and on the phone with or without reasonable accommodation. First Solar is committed to compliance with its obligations under all applicable state and federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. In keeping with this commitment, it attempts to reasonably accommodate applicants and empl