Position Description
ESB is Ireland’s foremost energy company, established as a statutory body under the Electricity (Supply) Act, 1927. As a strong, diversified utility, ESB operates across the full spectrum of the electricity market: including generation, transmission and distribution, and supply, in addition to using electricity networks to carry fibre for telecommunications, and other service offerings in retrofitting, energy project management, EV charging and home energy solutions.
ESB develops and operates a portfolio of wholly- and jointly owned electricity generation assets throughout GB and Ireland, as well as retailing energy in those geographies, and has a significant energy trading portfolio. ESB owns the electricity transmission and distribution networks in Ireland and, through its subsidiary NIE Networks, in Northern Ireland also.
ESB’s legal, regulatory and operating environment is complex and ESB’s various regulated businesses in Ireland are subject to strict business separation obligations.
The regulatory legal team is a small team which forms part of the wider ESB in-house legal function, advising across all businesses of ESB on energy regulation and competition. ESB operates in a highly regulated environment, which is constantly evolving, and the team has key involvement in all significant developments and transactions impacting on the business. The successful candidate will be required to stay ahead of legal developments of relevance to the business and to provide clear, strategic and commercially focused advice on a wide range of legal and regulatory issues.
Key Responsibilities
- Advise on complex regulatory, compliance and contractual matters, including energy and climate legislation and regulation, competition law, state aid, statutory and license interpretation, public and administrative law, energy market codes, market abuse, lobbying and critical infrastructure requirements.
- Provide legal and regulatory support on transactions, including acquisitions, joint ventures and related sectoral regulatory, competition, merger control, foreign direct investment and State aid issues.
- Advise on contentious and potentially contentious regulatory matters, including pre-litigation and dispute-stage issues.
- Advise and brief the business on regulatory licence obligations, ring-fencing requirements, competition law compliance and wider compliance policies, working closely with Group Compliance where required.
- Draft, review and advise on regulatory and policy submissions, responses to investigations or enquiries, and other engagements with regulators, Government and external stakeholders.
- Manage engagement with external legal advisers, counsel and other specialist advisers, ensuring external input is effectively briefed, coordinated and aligned with business needs.
- Monitor legal, regulatory and market developments, applying strong commercial judgement and working proactively with business units, specialist legal colleagues and external stakeholders to support ESB’s strategic goals and business plans.
Experience and Qualifications
Essential
- Qualified lawyer admitted to practice in Ireland, with a minimum of 10 years’ relevant experience, preferably including at least 7 years’ post-qualification experience gained in-house within a relevant sector, in a law firm, or at the Bar.
- Significant experience advising on regulated industries, preferably in the energy or utility sector, and/or on competition law and State aid matters.
- Experience providing strategic, commercially focused advice to senior stakeholders, supported by sound commercial judgement.
- Excellent drafting skills, particularly in relation to clear legal advice, regulatory/policy submissions and contractual drafting.
- Strong academic and analytical skills, with the ability to understand complex factual scenarios and provide clear, practical and solution-focused advice.
- Ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary teams and deliver high-quality outputs within demanding timelines.
- Well-developed interpersonal, negotiation, communication, stakeholder management skills.
- Well-developed project management and case management skills.
Desirable
- Strong presentation and communication skills.
- Experience in drafting, implementing and reviewing compliance policies.
- Experience advising on public and administrative law matters.
- Experience advising on dispute resolution and contentious matters.
- Knowledge of market abuse legislation, including the Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) and REMIT.
Location
This position will be in ESB Head Office, 27 Fitzwilliam Street, Dublin 2.
Smart Working at ESB is designed to make ‘in-person’ time together as purposeful as possible while also enabling the effective use of digital tools and hybrid arrangements to preserve our commitment to flexibility. The successful candidate may work flexibly within the jurisdiction where they have been employed, with attendance at the workplace for in-person collaboration at least two days per week. All Smart Working arrangements are subject to regular review based on the operational requirements of the role, the team, and the business.
Reporting To
This role reports to the Regulatory Legal Manager.
Why Work with Us?
- Opportunity to lead Ireland’s transition to net zero carbon future
- Career development through mentoring and training
- Corporate Social Responsibility Opportunities
- Sports and Social Clubs
- Networking opportunities
- Credit Union
- Generous Pension
- Access to staff well-being programmes
- Generous parental leave entitlements
- Strong values-based and inclusive culture
- Strong commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion
- Great team environment working to our Core Values: Courageous, Caring, Driven and Trusted
Salary
€86,300 - 101,600 per annum (depending on experience)
Closing Date
7th September 2026
Interview
Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will complete a Behavioural Interview based on each of the following Behaviours, which underpin how we work at ESB and are critical to delivering our strategy:
- Accountable and Ethical
- Collaborative
- Growing and Adaptive
- Proactive
- Respectful and Supportive
More information available on Our People Promise.
Notes
Your application will be held in reserve for 6 months should you be suitable for the role.
The successful candidate will be required to evidence their right to work in the Republic of Ireland prior to commencement of employment.
