Legal Director – Major Projects
Arcadis
full-time
Posted on:
Location: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New York • 🇺🇸 United States
Visit company websiteSalary
💰 $218,000 - $330,000 per year
Job Level
Lead
About the role
- Lead legal strategy for Arcadis’ portfolio of major, cross-border infrastructure projects (typically >€20m revenue)
- Advise on procurement models (D&B, PDB, PPP, Alliancing), JV arrangements, and risk allocation
- Embed legal insight early in project pursuit and structuring; partner with commercial, technical, and legal leaders
- Align project governance with corporate risk appetite, standards, and commercial priorities
- Lead high-stakes negotiations on client contracts, consortium agreements, and partnering structures
- Review and develop bespoke contract terms, deviation strategies, and negotiation frameworks
- Coordinate global legal directors and local teams to maintain consistent legal positioning across jurisdictions
- Act as legal lead in global Major Project governance forums and project reviews
- Institutionalize legal best practices through playbooks, templates, and training
- Set and oversee legal risk thresholds; contribute to governance, approvals, and project risk reviews
- Provide strategic input on disputes and claims and coach legal and commercial teams
Requirements
- Law degree and license to practice in a common law jurisdiction (US strongly preferred)
- Must be US-based with valid work authorisation
- Extensive experience advising in infrastructure, construction, or engineering sectors
- Minimum 15 years post-qualification experience (ideally including top-tier law firm and senior in-house roles)
- Deep knowledge of alternative delivery models (e.g. Alliance, Progressive D&B, PPP) and international contracting
- Strong drafting and negotiation skills across international standard construction contracts (e.g. FIDIC, NEC, JCT)
- Demonstrated autonomy in leading complex matters with high commercial and reputational stakes
- Strong interpersonal skills and cultural fluency; able to work across time zones (North America, Australia, Central Europe)
- Commercial judgment and ability to balance firmness with diplomacy
- Comfortable operating under pressure and in high-accountability environments