Legal Counsel - Octopus Australia

Company Description

We’re excited to offer an opportunity to become part of the Octopus Australia team in our Melbourne or Sydney office. The successful applicant will join Octopus Australia on our mission to harness capital and expertise to accelerate the renewable energy transition.

We’re looking for a commercially minded solicitor with 3+ years’ PQE to support our growing legal team across renewable energy projects, commercial transactions, and day-to-day legal operations.

Octopus Australia

Established in 2018, Octopus Australia is a renewable energy fund manager and developer. Our dynamic multi-disciplinary team of over 70 highly skilled people have the expertise required to manage a renewable energy fund and operate a renewable energy and storage portfolio.

We have an existing multi‑GW portfolio of operating and development assets, including utility‑scale solar, wind and battery storage facilities across the country. We are continuing to grow to create a long‑term business that can deliver a firmed energy product to meet the evolving needs of Australia’s energy future.

Job Description

We are looking for a 3+ year PQE solicitor to support the business through a period of exciting growth.

You will be joining a growing legal team responsible for providing legal advice to all aspects of the business. This will, in conjunction with support from external counsel, include providing legal, commercial, transactional and regulatory advice across the full life cycle of renewable energy projects, particularly in the areas of development, construction, operations and project finance, to ensure the successful delivery of our renewable energy projects.

In addition, you will assist with a range of legal matters such as drafting and reviewing NDAs, consultancy agreements, and other day-to-day legal documentation required to support a fast-moving business environment.

This role will report into our Legal Director or one of our Senior Legal Counsels and work closely with all members of the Legal team.

Qualifications

Ideally, you will have some or all of the following qualifications, skills and experiences:

• 3+ years’ post-qualification experience, gained at a reputable law firm or in-house, with a focus on energy or infrastructure projects (ideally in commercial, projects, property or construction practice groups).
• A genuine interest in the renewable energy sector and a willingness to grow your expertise across new areas.
• Strong drafting, negotiation, and analytical skills.
• A commercial mindset and the ability to balance legal risk with business objectives.
• The ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach to working with diverse stakeholders.

Highly Regarded Experience:

• Experience with large-scale infrastructure or renewable energy projects (development, construction, operations, or finance).
• Experience with key construction, revenue and connection contracts e.g. EPC, O&M, PPA, NSP agreements
• Understanding of construction dispute related matters including Security of Payment claims and Extension of Time claims.
• Understanding of land access, planning approvals, or environmental regulations relevant to energy or infrastructure projects.
• Knowledge of Australian energy market regulations (e.g. NER, AEMO, AEMC).

Additional Information

What we offer

• 💰 A competitive salary package including annual bonus
•  🩺 A generous contribution to your private health insurance, when you join the Octopus Australia-sponsored Medibank policy.
• ✈️ An extra five days’ annual leave entitlement
• 🏡 Hybrid working arrangement.
• 💼 Ongoing learning and career development opportunities including a LinkedIn learning subscription.
• 📱Monthly mobile phone allowance.
• 🧘‍♀️Access to our employee wellness program, including an annual wellness allowance and Headspace subscription.
• 🚗 Access to novated leasing
• ☀️ The opportunity to apply your skills to the renewable energy transition.

Octopus Australia has built an exciting and inclusive high-performance culture where employees feel empowered. We understand the value of diversity, and we are dedicated to creating an inclusive workplace environment. We welcome people of all backgrounds to apply. 

Our Values 

At Octopus Australia we don’t just focus on what we do but also how we do it. Everyone shares our values of being straightforward, helpful, bold and empathetic. Our culture is critical to our success and is built around four principles that underpin how we pursue our goals:

We empower people to:

• Be Bold – make decisions quickly and be OK changing your mind if it turns out there’s a better way of doing things.
• Be Helpful – behave like it’s always day one and remember that without our customers, there is no business.
• Be Straightforward – have opinions and express them in a way that’s respectful and easy to understand.
• Be Empathetic – care about others and take the time to understand different perspectives. It’s about listening, supporting, and creating an environment where everyone feels valued – so we can send our people home happy.