Associate General Counsel

America’s mining industry supplies the essential materials necessary for nearly every sector of our economy – from technology and healthcare to energy, transportation, infrastructure, and national security. The National Mining Association (NMA) is the only national trade organization that serves as the voice of the U.S. mining industry and the hundreds of thousands of American workers it employs before Congress, the federal agencies, the judiciary and the media, advocating for public policies that will help America fully and responsibly utilize its vast natural resources. We work to ensure America has secure and reliable supply chains, abundant and affordable energy, and the American-sourced materials necessary for U.S. manufacturing and economic security, all delivered under world-leading environmental, safety and labor standards.
Associate General Counsel Position
The NMA is currently conducting a search for a full-time Associate General Counsel position in the association’s headquarters office in Washington, D.C. Reporting to the General Counsel and Senior Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, this position is a critical role in the development and implementation of legal and regulatory strategies to achieve the NMA’s regulatory and policy priorities.
 Responsibilities:
 

• Develop strategies and advocate mining industry positions before federal regulatory agencies on identified regulatory matters. This work includes drafting comments to federal agencies that contain the technical, policy, and legal arguments to support NMA’s policy position, as well as engaging administration officials on the development of policies advantageous to the mining industry.
• Serve as principal liaison and/or assist with identified NMA internal committees to develop consensus positions with NMA members on policy matters and responses to rulemaking.
• Update members on recent regulatory and legal matters impacting the mining industry through timely memoranda analyzing the action and explaining its practical implications.
• Serve as a primary contact to NMA members on select regulatory issues to build internal relationships on priority policy matters and ensure responsiveness to membership needs.
• Support NMA’s General Counsel in providing subject matter expertise and review on litigation matters that arise from regulatory proceedings.
• Lead, build, manage, and collaborate with outside groups and coalitions to create a cohesive voice to shape consensus and garner a wider range of support for NMA’s legal and regulatory priorities.
• Support NMA’s Government Affairs team on legislative matters impacting the mining industry by reviewing legislative text, developing questions for Congressional hearings, developing NMA testimony, and assisting in oversight and appropriations activities.
• Ensure that the Legal and Regulatory Affairs team is informed in a timely and effective way about legislative, policy, regulatory, and political risks, and opportunities relevant to our membership.

Required Skills and Experience:
 

• Law degree required.
• 5+ years of experience, preferably as legal counsel on Capitol Hill, the federal government, or at an industry association.
• Knowledge of one or more of the following federal statutes preferred: the Clean Air Act, the Federal Land Policy and Management Act, National Environmental Policy Act, General Mining Law, Mineral Leasing Act, Federal Power Act, the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act, and the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act.
• Experience working with the following federal agencies: the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior, Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, Department of Defense, Department of Labor (including the Mine Safety and Health Administration), as well as independent agencies such as the Securities Exchange Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
• Strong knowledge of the Administrative Procedure Act and administrative law.
• Strong analytical, written and oral communication skills.
• Self-starter who takes initiative and can anticipate needs before they arise and resolve issues quickly.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate across a wide-range of constituencies with professional discretion and decisiveness.
• Previous experience working in a fast-paced environment, with demonstrated ability to meet deadlines while managing multiple projects and ever-changing priorities.
• Highly organized and detail oriented.

The NMA is a proud equal opportunity employer. We are committed to furthering our engagement with, support for, and understanding of, our community; supporting all team members in being themselves; and driving the ongoing diversification of our team. We believe that everyone has distinct characteristics, skills and backgrounds that make their experiences as members of the NMA team and the perspectives they bring to the office unique. We want to encourage and celebrate that uniqueness. Above all else, through our work, the ultimate goal is to maintain a welcoming culture for all. For us, “welcoming” means that all employees feel that they are accepted, respected and valued, that we have created a safe space for the discussion of and embracing differences, and that the entire team is invested in their success.