General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer

Description:

Seven Seas Water Group

Seven Seas Water Group (www.sevenseaswater.com) is a portfolio company owned by investment funds managed by EQT. Headquartered in Tampa, with operations across the U.S., Caribbean, and Latin America, Seven Seas Water Group (SSWG) delivers annually over 20 billion gallons of water to industrial, commercial, governmental, municipal, and hospitality customers. SSWG designs, builds, owns, and operates, delivers new facilities, or acquires and upgrades existing facilities, with the goal of optimizing project risk transfer between the public and private sectors. We have more than 200 water and wastewater treatment plants in operations throughout the United States, Caribbean, and Latin America. With an outstanding reputation for decentralized water and wastewater treatment solutions, the SSWG “Water-as-a-Service®” approach seeks to help solve global water and wastewater infrastructure challenges.

SSWG operates two businesses within the water and wastewater infrastructure space. Seven Seas Water, which provides water treatment and desalination for governmental, hospitality and industrial customers in United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the AUC Group (www.aucgroup.net), which provides decentralized water and wastewater treatment plants for industrial and municipal customers in the United States.

Position Summary

Our company, the leading “Water-as-a-Service®” provider, which builds, owns, and operates water and wastewater infrastructure with multinational operations, is seeking a dynamic and experienced General Counsel & Chief Compliance Officer (“GC/CCO”) to lead the legal and compliance functions across our global operations. This is a senior leadership role that will be responsible for overseeing the company's legal matters, ensuring regulatory and corporate governance compliance across jurisdictions, and mitigating legal and business risks, all the while keeping a keen focus on providing the necessary guidance, direction and support for the company’s business development efforts.

The GC/CCO will be a strategic advisor to the Board of Directors, CEO, and other senior leadership team members, while also managing a team of legal professionals. This individual will possess an in-depth understanding of the infrastructure sector, international regulatory frameworks, and best practices in corporate governance.

The General Counsel is reporting directly to the CEO and will be located in the Company’s Headquarters in Tampa, FL working a hybrid schedule.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities include the following:

Legal Strategy and Counsel

- Provide Strategic Legal Leadership: Advise the CEO, senior leadership team and Board of Directors on legal matters related to international water and wastewater infrastructure projects, including build, own, operate contracts, partnerships, and acquisitions. Provide prompt common-sense business solutions to support business development and the overall growth of the company.

- Risk Management: Identify, assess, and mitigate legal risks in operations, contracts, and business dealings, including but not limited to joint ventures, financing, construction, operation, and maintenance agreements.

- Corporate Governance: Oversee corporate governance policies and practices, ensuring compliance with domestic and international laws, rules and regulations, and industry standards.

- Dispute Resolution: Manage any legal disputes, arbitration, or litigation involving the company, including interactions with external counsel.

- Contract Management: negotiation, drafting, and review of complex commercial contracts, including build, own, operate agreements, construction contracts, financing agreements, and partnerships.

Compliance Management

- Regulatory Compliance: Ensure the company’s adherence to applicable laws and regulations in all jurisdictions where it operates, including environmental, health & safety, anti-bribery, and data protection laws

- Policy Development: Develop, implement, and maintain a robust compliance program that aligns with global standards and corporate values. This includes policies on anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, trade controls and sanctions, and conflicts of interest

- Global Compliance Framework: maintain a global framework for compliance, working closely with local legal and compliance teams to ensure region-specific legal needs are addressed.

- Training and Awareness: provide direction and guidance on compliance training initiatives for employees at all levels of the company, ensuring a high level of awareness and understanding of key regulatory and legal obligations.

Stakeholder Engagement and Reporting:

- Board and Senior Leadership Interaction: Serve as the primary liaison between the legal and compliance departments and the Board of Directors, CEO and Senior Leadership Team, ensuring effective communication of legal and compliance requirements, guidance and direction.

- Regulatory Reporting: provide direction and guidance and oversee the preparation and filing of legal and compliance-related reports, ensuring timely and accurate submission to regulatory bodies and stakeholders.

- External Relationships: Manage relationships with outside counsel, regulatory agencies, industry bodies, and other third-party partners to support business objectives and ensure legal compliance.

Leadership and Team Development:

- Leadership of Legal & Compliance Teams: Lead, mentor, and manage a team of legal, compliance, and regulatory professionals across multiple jurisdictions.

- Develop Talent: Foster the professional development of the legal and compliance teams, ensuring that team members are equipped with the knowledge and resources to succeed in their roles.

- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with other business leaders, including the CFO, COO, and SVP of HR, to ensure alignment between legal and compliance goals and overall company strategy.

Requirements:

Qualification/Requirements:

- Juris Doctor or equivalent law degree from an accredited institution.

- 15+ years of legal experience in commercial and corporate law, with significant experience in water/wastewater infrastructure, energy, or large-scale infrastructure projects.

- Experience managing legal and compliance functions in multinational operations, preferably in the context of build, own, operate models.

- Working knowledge of regulatory frameworks related to water, energy, environmental regulations, and international compliance.

- Proven track record in negotiating complex contracts and managing commercial and legal disputes

Skills & Competencies:

- Leadership & Team Management: Ability to lead and develop a high-performing team of legal and compliance professionals.

- Risk Management: Expertise in identifying and mitigating risks related to legal and regulatory matters, with a focus on multinational operations.

- Communication & Negotiation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to negotiate effectively with external stakeholders, including regulators, government officials, customers, contractors, and joint venture partners.

- Global Perspective: Strong understanding of international legal systems, cross-border regulatory issues, and the ability to navigate complex jurisdictions.

- Ethical Integrity: Demonstrate a high level of integrity, ethical judgment, and transparency in all business dealings.

EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization focused on active ownership strategies. With a Nordic heritage and a global mindset, EQT has a track record of more than three decades of developing companies across multiple geographies, sectors, and strategies. EQT has investment strategies covering all phases of a business’ development, from start-up to maturity. EQT has EUR 273 billion in total assets under management (EUR 141 billion in fee-generating assets under management) as of 30 June 2025, within two business segments – Private Capital and Real Assets.

With its roots in the Wallenberg family’s entrepreneurial mindset and philosophy of long-term ownership, EQT is guided by a set of strong values and a distinct corporate culture. EQT manages and advises funds and vehicles that invest across the world with the mission to future proof companies, generate attractive returns and make a positive impact with everything EQT does. The EQT AB Group comprises EQT AB (publ) and its direct and indirect subsidiaries, which include general partners and fund managers of EQT funds as well as entities advising EQT funds. EQT has offices in more than 25 countries across Europe, Asia and the Americas and has more than 1,900 employees.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com

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How to Apply

Send resumes to Talent@7seaswater.com or apply online at sevenseaswater.com.

We recognize that our people are our strength and the diverse talents they bring to our global workforce are directly linked to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer and place a high value on diversity and inclusion at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of any protected attribute, including race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, marital or veteran status, pregnancy or disability, or any other basis protected under applicable law. In accordance with applicable law, we make reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as any mental health or physical disability needs.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veterans