VP Legal Transmission

Job Summary: The Vice President Legal, Transmission serves as the principal legal advisor to the President of Transmission and the Transmission leadership team. Reporting directly to the President of Transmission, this role provides strategic, practical, and business-focused legal counsel supporting Transmission operations, investments, growth initiatives, and overall business objectives. The Vice President is responsible for leading legal strategy across commercial transactions, procurement and contracting, real estate matters, and other significant legal and business issues impacting the Transmission organization. This individual partners closely with executive leadership to structure and negotiate complex transactions, assess business opportunities, manage legal and commercial risk, and support informed decision-making. The role leads a small, specialized legal team, expected to include two direct reports with primary responsibility for real estate, easements, rights-of-way, and procurement contracting matters. The Vice President also works closely with the company's broader legal organization and manages outside counsel as needed to ensure efficient, high-quality legal support and alignment with enterprise legal standards.

Commercial and Transactional Matters: Lead legal support for complex transactions, partnerships, investments, and commercial initiatives. Structure, negotiate, and draft key commercial agreements. Advise business leaders throughout the transaction lifecycle, including due diligence, negotiation, and closing. Provide guidance on contract disputes, interpretation, and risk allocation.

Procurement and Contracting: Advise on procurement strategies, sourcing activities, and commercial risk. Draft, review, and negotiate vendor, construction, supply, technology, and service agreements. Partner with business teams to support contract performance and risk management. Establish contracting standards and best practices.

Real Estate and Property Matters: Oversee legal matters involving acquisitions, easements, rights-of-way, title, and land use. Advise on real estate issues related to projects, operations, and asset strategy. Lead resolution of significant property disputes and risks. Direct legal resources supporting real estate activities.

Legal Risk, Governance, and Compliance: Lead legal risk identification, assessment, and mitigation efforts. Advise on regulatory, governance, compliance, and policy matters. Support executive decision-making, approvals, and risk acceptance processes. Promote ethical conduct and sound business judgment.

Disputes and Outside Counsel Management: Advise on significant commercial, procurement, and real estate disputes. Develop dispute resolution strategies aligned with business objectives. Manage outside counsel, legal budgets, and specialized legal resources. Coordinate litigation and complex legal matters as needed.

Leadership and Team Management: Lead and develop a small legal team supporting the Transmission business. Establish priorities, allocate resources, and ensure responsive legal support. Coach, mentor, and develop team members. Foster collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Enterprise Coordination: Partner with enterprise legal teams to align strategy, policies, and standards. Collaborate with internal subject matter experts on complex matters. Leverage enterprise resources while supporting Transmission business priorities. Escalate matters with broader enterprise impact as appropriate.

Education: Bachelor's degree. Juris Doctor or equivalent law degree from an accredited law school.

Licenses and Certifications: Active license to practice law in at least one U.S. jurisdiction. Ability to obtain any additional licenses or authorizations required for the role.

Experience: Minimum of 14 years of legal experience in private practice, corporate, government, or regulatory environments. Significant experience advising senior leaders on complex commercial, transactional, and business matters. Strong background in negotiating commercial agreements and supporting strategic transactions. Experience supporting procurement, construction, infrastructure, real estate, energy, or other capital-intensive operations. Proven leadership experience managing legal professionals and outside counsel. Ability to assess and communicate legal risk to support sound business decisions. Experience working effectively across legal, operational, financial, and commercial functions.

Skills and Capabilities: Strategic legal and business judgment. Strong commercial, transactional, and contract negotiation experience. Ability to assess complex issues and deliver practical business solutions. Executive presence with strong communication and influencing skills. Proven leadership and team development capabilities. Strong collaboration and relationship-building skills. Ability to manage multiple priorities, outside counsel, and legal resources. Commitment to ethics, governance, compliance, and safety. Preferred

Qualifications: Experience supporting utilities, energy, infrastructure, or other capital-intensive industries. Experience with transmission, major projects, or regulated operations. Experience with strategic transactions, procurement, construction, and real estate matters. Experience serving as lead counsel to a business unit and partnering with enterprise legal teams. Experience managing complex, cross-functional legal matters. Advanced degree in business, finance, public policy, or a related field. Where You'll Work: New Albany, OH or Austin, TX

What You'll Get: Base Salary Annual BonusLong Term Incentive 401KAEP Pension Comprehensive Benefits Package At AEP, we're more than just an energy company — we're a team of dedicated professionals committed to delivering safe, reliable, and innovative energy solutions. Guided by our mission to put the customer first, we strive to exceed expectations by listening, responding, and continuously improving the way we serve our communities. If you're passionate about making a meaningful impact and being part of a forward-thinking organization, this is the company for you! Compensation DataCompensation Grade: SP20-013

Compensation Range: $221,489.00 - $287,934.50 The Physical Demand Level for this job is: S – Sedentary Work: Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally (Occasionally: activity or condition exists up to 1/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force frequently. (Frequently: activity or condition exists from 1/3 to 2/3 of the time) to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects, including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time but may involve walking or standing for brief periods of time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally, and all other sedentary criteria are met. Hear about it first! Get job alerts by email. Log in to your Candidate Home Account today! If you don't have an account, you can create one. It is hereby reaffirmed that it is the policy of American Electric Power (AEP) to provide Equal Employment Opportunity in all respects of the employer-employee relationship including recruiting, hiring, upgrading and promotion, conditions and privileges of employment, company sponsored training programs, educational assistance, social and recreational programs, compensation, benefits, transfers, discipline, layoffs and termination of employment to all employees and applicants without discrimination because of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity, and sexual orientation), national origin, age, veteran or military status, disability, genetic information, or any other basis prohibited by applicable law. When required by law, we might record certain information or applicants for employment may be invited to voluntarily disclose protected characteristics.

Location: New Albany, OH; Austin, TX

Type: Full time