Deputy General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer

• Pineville, LA (preferred)
• St. Tammany, LA
• Slidell, LA
• Baton Rouge, LA

Role Summary

The Vice President - Deputy General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer is an experienced attorney who (i) manages and oversees Cleco’s Legal and Compliance functions on a day-to-day basis in close collaboration with and under the direction of the General Counsel and Chief Regulatory Officer (“GC”), (ii) provides support across the entire Cleco organization on a variety of matters, and (iii) is a leadership level professional who is recognized as a strategic thought partner. Directly responsible for management and oversight of Cleco’s Legal, Insurance and Claims, Corporate Secretary, and Compliance organizations.  Provides advice, counsel and services to internal business clients, executive management, and the Boards of Managers and Board Committees and/or Subcommittees, concerning legal and compliance rights, obligations, and privileges of business entities and other matters of relevance. Participates in the development of the company’s overall business strategy and sets and manages budgets and strategies for the organizations they manage.   Focuses on mentorship and development of team members.   This position requires substantial depth and breadth of knowledge and experience in U.S. and State laws, rules, regulations, and standards; strong leadership and managerial skills, and the ability to think, write, and act strategically, practically, and collaboratively.

Key Responsibilities

• Champions a corporate culture that emphasizes transparency, integrity, safety, environmental responsibility, employee development, diversity and inclusion, customer service, and operational excellence.
• Subject to the oversight of the GC, leads and manages all aspects of Cleco’s Legal function, including the management, performance, and development of attorneys, paralegals, support professionals, and oversees and manages the selection, retention, and engagement of outside counsel.
• Provides legal support and management for projects and matters of strategic significance.
• Develops, implements, manages, and continuously monitors and adapts Cleco’s compliance program to regulatory or other changes.
• Responsible for developing, managing, and improving Cleco’s policies, procedures, manuals and standards to outline ethical, safe, and efficient procedures, and associated training programs.
• Manages Cleco’s Ethics, conflicts of interests, and other related programs.
• Oversees and manages investigations and resolution of alleged ethics violations, conflicts of interest, and breaches of rules, regulations, policies, procedures.
• Responsible for the management and implementation of ethics and compliance reporting hotlines or other programs designed for anonymous or non-anonymous reporting of alleged violations.
• Manages and oversees corporate governance matters, including those related to Board and Board Committee governance, formation, and operation documents.
• Oversees and manages risk assessments, audits, compliance reviews, and investigations to ensure policies and procedures are being followed and confirm Cleco’s adherence to regulatory requirements and internal policies.
• Interfaces with external auditors concerning compliance and legal matters.
• Prepares and presents information to Boards of Managers, Board Committees and/or Subcommittees, executive management, and other functional teams as assigned.
• Provides Cleco’s executive management, Boards, and Board Committees with periodic reports of progress concerning legal, compliance, and public safety incidents and matters
• Provides real-time, practical legal advice appropriate for the potential risk and exposure across all Cleco business units and functional organizations
• Engages with multiple internal and external stakeholders on various projects, including administrative actions and litigation, compliance and HR-related investigations, and the like to ensure that business goals are met and deliverables are achieved with efficiency and appropriate levels of collaboration and communication.
• Manages privacy and related matters for the company.
• Works with the GC to build and maintain effective programs to minimize legal risk, ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and meet the expectations of C