Counsel - Procurement & Project Support

Job Title

Tallgrass is seeking an attorney to provide legal support for a diverse range of traditional midstream operations and energy transition ventures.

Primary purpose

Tallgrass is seeking an attorney to provide legal support for a diverse range of traditional midstream operations and energy transition ventures, with a primary focus on services, procurement and construction contracting, project support, enforcement and recovery of procurement-related costs, insurance and risk management, contract lifecycle process improvement, and special projects. This attorney will serve as a key legal partner to Procurement, Project Management, Operations, Commercial, Finance, and other internal stakeholders by supporting the development, negotiation, administration, interpretation, enforcement, and closeout of procurement and project-related agreements.

The role includes advising on contract compliance, change order discipline, documentation of claims, preservation of legal rights, recovery of costs, dispute avoidance and resolution, and training business personnel on contracting processes and risk issues. The position also supports the responsible use of contract management and AI-enabled tools, including Doc Juris or similar platforms, to improve consistency, efficiency, and risk visibility.

The ideal candidate should be nimble, resourceful, organized, and motivated to support cutting-edge energy transition projects.

Essential duties and responsibilities

• Negotiate or assist the Procurement team, Project team, and other Company stakeholders in the selection, preparation, review, and negotiation of goods, facilities, and service agreements, equipment purchases, facilities leases, construction contracts, statements of work, work orders, amendments, change orders, and other vendor agreements.
• Assist stakeholders in the preparation of bid documents, requests for proposals, scopes of work, pricing frameworks, contractor qualification materials, and contract exhibits for construction, operations, maintenance, and IT-related engagements.
• Provide legal support to Project Management and Operations throughout the project lifecycle, including project kickoff, procurement strategy, template management, contractor engagement, contract administration, performance issues, change management, claims documentation, and project closeout.
• Advise on the interpretation, enforcement, and administration of procurement and project contracts to protect the Company's contractual rights and commercial position.
• Support enforcement of procurement costs by:
• Reviewing contract pricing structures, reimbursement provisions, rate schedules, allowances, unit pricing, milestone payment terms, retainage, and invoicing requirements.
• Identifying contract noncompliance, unsupported charges, scope creep, unauthorized work, and deviations from agreed commercial terms.
• Advising stakeholders regarding documentation necessary to challenge, withhold, negotiate, recover, or otherwise resolve disputed contractor and vendor charges.
• Supporting development of legal and factual positions concerning back charges, offsets, rejections of nonconforming invoices, cost disallowances, liquidated damages, warranty enforcement, and other contractual remedies.
• Partnering with Procurement, Projects, Finance, and business teams to improve controls around cost validation, approval authority, change order discipline, and claim preservation.
• Assist in the enforcement and improvements of contract governance processes and playbooks to improve consistency in procurement contracting, project support, and cost enforcement practices.
• Advise internal stakeholders regarding key contractual provisions.
• Provide legal counsel and guidance in the ordinary and special activities of the corporation to ensure the compliance with Company's risk profile, maximum protection of its legal rights and to maintain operations within the limits prescribed by law.
• Assist in the defense of the corporation against suits or claims and prepare the prosecution of the corporation's claims against others, including claims involving vendors, contractors, procurement disputes,…