Posted: 01-May-26
Location: Amarillo, Texas
Type: Full Time
Required Education:
GOLDEN SPREAD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
General Counsel / Chief Legal Officer
Golden Spread Electric Cooperative, Inc. (GSEC) was incorporated in 1984 as a non-profit wholesale power supplier for its sixteen member distribution cooperatives that provide retail service to about 337,000 electric consumers located in the Panhandle, South Plains, and Edwards Plateau Regions of Texas, the Panhandle of Oklahoma, and small portions of Southwest Kansas, Southeast Colorado, and Northeast New Mexico. GSEC serves loads in two markets: the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). With approximately 1,745 MW of owned generation, GSEC prides itself on reliably and efficiently meeting Members’ power supply needs with a flexible and diverse generation fleet.
GOLDEN SPREAD ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE
GSEC has an Operations Center that monitors the grid in real-time. Five of GSEC’s Member Cooperatives operate solely in SPP, four operate solely in ERCOT, and seven operate in both regions. GSEC is an active participant in FERC proceedings involving terms and conditions for the procurement of transmission services from SPP.
Power supply resources include close to 1,700 MW of gas-fired generation located at three sites, the 78 MW Panhandle Wind Ranch, and power purchase agreements with other wind energy providers. To meet Members' growing electric needs, and to comply with market changes, GSEC is building a new gas-fired unit with grid-switchable capability.
GSEC is facing the potential for tens of thousands of megawatts of new load from mega-consumers. GSEC is collaborating with Members on an approach that balances innovation, growth, stability, risk management, and all Members’ interests.
GSEC’s strategic plan identified the following four key focus areas for 2026:
- Generation & Planning: evaluate and plan generation resources, load growth/ forecast and DER programs to promote a flexible and reliable portfolio while navigating industry risks.
- Finance & Rate: balance financial and rate flexibility that is equitable to all Members while supporting evolving market dynamics and large load requirements.
- Transmission: Improve operations, responsiveness, and reliability while managing costs.
- Value-Added Services: Provide services, such as IT, HR, communications, large load negotiations, SFAs, and legislative advocacy.
In 2025, GSEC generated approximately $604 million in annual revenue, assets totaled $1.38 billion, and long-term debt was $543 million. Fitch Ratings, Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, and Moody’s Investors Service all recently reaffirmed credit ratings of “AA-,” “A+,” and “A2,” respectively. More information on GSEC can be found at: https://www.gsec.coop/home
AMARILLO, TEXAS
GSEC is headquartered in Amarillo, a city with a population of roughly 200,000 to 268,000 that serves as the commercial hub of the Texas Panhandle. Known as "The Yellow Rose of Texas," it features notable attractions like Palo Duro Canyon, the historic Route 66 district, the famous Cadillac Ranch, fifty city parks, and many local arts and culture options, such as the Amarillo Symphony and Opera. The cost of living in Amarillo is approximately 18.4% lower than the national average, with average home prices in the low- to mid-$200,000’s.
GSEC seeks a General Counsel/Chief Legal Officer (GC) to serve as an Officer of the cooperative leading legal and regulatory departments. He or she will provide strategic insight and leadership, ensuring alignment with GSEC’s strategic direction and risk appetite. The GC is responsible for building trusted and credible relationships with GSEC’s Board of Directors and will represent GSEC’s interests and brand at external forums and organizations.
The GC must be a person of high integrity who fosters a culture of compliance with all legal requirements, company policies and procedures, rules and regulations of regulatory agencies, and market requirements of ERCOT and SPP. The GC influences and encourages employee development and growth through personal behaviors that demonstrate Cooperative Principles, GSEC’s Mission, Vision, and Values.
He or she reports to the President & Chief Executive Officer and will lead a team of external legal specialists and lobbyists, along with twelve employees through a Senior Vice President of Regulatory & Market Strategy, Director of Regulatory & Market Affairs, and Senior Counsel. He or she serves as Secretary of the Board, which requires close collaboration with GSEC’s Director of Governance & Corporate Services. Depending on candidates’ credentials and experience, the GC may also assume leadership responsibility for GSEC’s compliance functions.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS INCLUDE:
- Provide leadership and recommendations to the CEO regarding areas of accountability, prioritization of organizational resources, trends, rates, issues, and market interactions.
- Develop and monitor Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to identify opportunities for improvement in areas of accountability.
- Be an organizational leader to ensure staff are motivated and prepared to achieve organizational-wide goals.
- Lead the legal, regulatory, and market affairs teams to ensure staff is developed, successfully performing, and positively impacting the GSEC culture.
- Ultimate accountability in the areas of market and regulatory risk including advising on legal, market, and regulatory aspects of GSEC’s business strategies and implications of current and future business.
- Ultimate accountability for leading the legal function, including providing Board legal advice and counsel on company issues, matters of significance, requirements, and managing internal and external counsel.
- Responsible for promoting a culture of compliance and directly engaging in interactions with regulators like FERC, PUCT, TCEQ, EPA, NERC, RRC, SPP, and ERCOT and overseeing the use of outside counsel and consultants on issues of major importance.
- Accountable for compliance with GSEC’s Safety Policy including all Safety Procedures and third party and Member contractual obligations.
THE SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATE
Candidates must possess the depth and breadth of experience to assess business environment impacts and make sound recommendations to address issues and facilitate business needs that impact the entire organization. He or she will serve as an integral member of the Executive Leadership Team, which requires a willingness to work on-site at GSEC’s Amarillo headquarters to best collaborate on the development and implementation of companywide strategy and culture.
The successful candidate must be able to influence, collaborate, and support the Board of Directors, Executive Team, and GSEC at large through a high level of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, integrity, discretion, and confidentiality.
REQUIRED EDUCATION, KNOWLEDGE & EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree, J.D. from an accredited law school, and admission to a State Bar.
- Fifteen to twenty years of progressive experience as a practicing attorney with a minimum of ten years in public utility law or equivalent experience in private practice.
- In-depth knowledge of regulatory law and the ability to oversee the application of legal and regulatory theory and practice.
- An understanding of compliance and risk management.
- Five to ten years of experience in the cooperative sector and/or an understanding of, and commitment to, the cooperative business model and cooperative principles. Including a working knowledge of the relationship between distribution member systems and a generation and transmission cooperative.
- Successful track record of performance in executive or managing partner positions with ability to lead teams by inspiring, engaging, motivating, and developing employees including in times of change.
- Demonstrated ability to effectively resolve conflicts and find solutions using judgment, tact, and diplomacy.
- Experience working on matters of corporate governance and with a board of directors.
- Ability to communicate verbally and in writing legal, legislative, regulatory, and compliance information in a clear and concise manner to audiences of varying degrees of subject familiarity.
- Ability to speak at professional meetings and debate/communicate on issues related to all areas of regulatory, legal, legislative, and compliance.
COMPENSATION, BENEFITS & RELOCATION
GSEC will negotiate a competitive compensation and relocation package with the successful candidate. GSEC provides pension benefits through the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association Retirement and Security Program, a 401k plan with an employer match, a 457b plan, and an Executive Benefit Restoration Plan to address IRS contribution limits.
RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION TIMELINE
- Mycoff Fry Partners will share resumes of qualified candidates with GSEC throughout the networking phase of this recruitment effort and GSEC plans to assess candidates on an on-going basis. We encourage interested candidates to submit credentials early in the process and no later than June 5, 2026.
- Mycoff Fry Partners and GSEC will complete virtual interviews with selected candidates by June 25, 2026.
- Selected finalists will participate in interviews in Amarillo, Texas, on July 13 and 14, 2026.
TO APPLY
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter and resume to:
Joyce Gallo - Mycoff Fry Partners LLC - PO Box 1310, Conifer, CO 80433
(860) 307-1747 - jgallo@mfpllc.us
GSEC is an Equal Opportunity Employer
