Neoen in Australia

Neoen Australia is the leading renewable energy developer in Australia and has been contributing to Australia’s energy transition for over a decade. Neoen Australia currently has over 4GW of renewable assets in operation or under construction and has invested more than $7 billion in the Australian market. 

Neoen Australia is uniquely positioned with our capability to develop, construct and operate our renewable energy assets. Neoen Australia is one of the few renewable energy developers to monitor its generating projects through a 24/7 Operations Control Centre (OCC) based in Canberra. Among other things, the OCC gathers data to improve the long-term maintenance of Neoen's generators, hence improving their availability and sustainability. 

We have built trusted partnerships with government, industry, and local communities, and we are widely recognised for our innovation and delivery track record. The company is a signatory to the Clean Energy Council’s Best Practice Charter and currently contributes over $500,000 in annual community benefit-sharing. Neoen Australia is an active member of the communities we operate in, we understand the needs of the various stakeholders and invest time and resources to meet and exceed their expectations. This has resulted in unparalleled community support, which is a key factor in being able to develop and manage projects on time and within budget.

Neoen Australia has a highly experienced team of renewable energy professionals across offices in Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.

Role purpose

To support the ongoing growth in the APAC region with our recent entry in the New Zealand and Japan markets while strengthening our Australian renewable energy portfolio, Neoen is looking to reinforce its Australian in-house legal team with an additional talented projects / construction Legal Counsel.

The successful candidate will play a key role advising stakeholders across the business with a primary focus on projects / construction law issues. 

The existing in-house legal team has a tight-knit and collaborative culture. To succeed as part of this team, the candidate must be prepared to assist across the full lifecycle of project implementation: business development, procurement, energy management, finance, construction, operation & maintenance and asset rotation.

The successful candidate will report to the Legal Director - Australia but will enjoy support from a broader international legal team. 

The candidate will need the following skills and experience to succeed in this role: 

• Qualified Australian lawyer with rights to live and work in Australia.
• 3-6 years PQE (Neoen is open to candidates with private practice and/or in-house background).
• Strong ability to interact appropriately as a business-partner within Neoen (business development, construction, asset management, energy management, finance and accounting teams) and with Neoen’s counterparts (off-takers, lenders, EPC and other contractors, regulatory authorities) and advisors (law firms, technical consultants, and brokers).

The successful candidate will have experience in:

• construction, infrastructure or major projects (front-end or mixed)
• providing legal support across the full project lifecycle of development, finance, energy management, construction, operation & maintenance and asset rotation
• drafting, review and negotiation of contracts related to the development and construction of renewables infrastructure including MOU, NDA, LOI, Exclusivity Agreements, EPC, O&M, PPA, connection contracts, SPA and related agreements

The ideal candidate would also have experience in some or all of the following:

• property, planning and permitting including advising, preparing and negotiating leases, options, permits, licenses and easements
• renewable energy sector
• mergers & acquisitions
• dispute resolution
• compliance, in particular FIRB
• corporate law and corporate governance
• project finance structures and vehicles
• legal counsel experience in New Zealand and/or Japan

Personal characteristics to maximize chances of success include:

• Audacity, integrity, commitment and esprit de corps
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• English as a working language
• Ability to take ownership of smaller, less complex matters whilst playing a team role in supporting larger or more complex matters
• Strong attention to detail and ability to prioritise multiple tasks
• Ability to understand and work in a project development / construction culture
• Intercultural sensitivity
• Good business sense and pragmatism
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• High work ethic

Créée en 2008, et détenue depuis avril 2024 par Brookfield, Neoen est l’un des principaux producteurs indépendants d’énergie exclusivement renouvelable. Son savoir-faire dans les domaines du solaire, de l’éolien terrestre et du stockage lui permet d’accélérer la transition énergétique des pays dans lesquels Neoen produit une énergie verte, locale et compétitive. Société en forte croissance, Neoen a quadruplé ses capacités en opération ou en construction en six ans : celles-ci s’élèvent désormais à 8,5 GW. Neoen a pour ambition de déployer 10 GW additionnels d’ici 2030. Neoen opère près de 200 actifs répartis sur trois continents. Parmi ses réalisations les plus emblématiques, elle compte : Western Downs Green Power Hub en Australie, qui comprend la plus grande centrale solaire du pays (460 MWc) ainsi que Western Downs Battery (212 MW / 424 MWh) ; Collie Battery (219 MW / 877 MWh), l’une des plus grandes centrales de stockage au monde ; Cestas, le plus puissant parc solaire de France (300 MWc) ; et Mutkalampi, le plus grand parc éolien de Finlande (404 MW). Pour en savoir plus : www.neoen.com