Legal Support Lead/ In- House Counsel

Organisation: HOST 

Team:Legal 

Reports to: Legal Lead 

Hours: 0.6 FTE, typically 9:00am-5:00pm UK time 

Location: Remote, with flexibility to meet team and organisational needs 

Salary:Competitive, dependent on experience 

About HOST 

HOST supports climate and social change initiatives around the world by providing project hosting, operational infrastructure, and grantmaking support. We work alongside activists, organisers, and movements across climate and social justice, helping them operate safely, sustainably, and effectively in complex environments. 

As our organisation grows, so does the need for practical, accessible legal support. Our Legal function helps ensure that HOST operates safely, compliantly, and in line with our values, while enabling partners and teams to make informed decisions with confidence. 

About the Role 

We're looking for a qualified Legal Counsel to join our growing Legal team. Reporting to the Legal Lead, you'll provide practical legal advice across a broad range of matters, including contracts, governance, compliance, risk management, and organisational policies. 

This is a hands-on role that combines legal expertise with a pragmatic, solutions-focused approach. You'll work closely with colleagues across the organisation, many of whom are not legally qualified, helping them navigate legal issues and understand risk in a clear and accessible way. 

As a relatively new function within HOST, the Legal team is continuing to develop its processes, systems, and ways of working. You'll play an important role in shaping these foundations, improving legal workflows, developing templates and guidance, and exploring how legal technology and AI tools can support efficient service delivery. 

This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys building systems, improving processes, and applying sound legal judgement within a mission-driven organisation. 

Key Responsibilities 

Contracts and Legal Advice 

• Review, draft, negotiate and approve a wide range of contracts and agreements. 

• Maintain and improve legal templates and precedents. 

• Provide practical, risk-based legal advice to colleagues across the organisation. 

• Manage legal requests through a structured and auditable process. 

• Liaise with external legal advisors when specialist expertise is required. 

Risk, Due Diligence and Compliance 

Working alongside the Legal Lead, you will: 

• Assess higher-risk matters, including sanctions, safeguarding, governance, employment and data protection issues. 

• Support organisational risk management processes. 

• Ensure legal considerations are appropriately aligned with operational and financial processes. 

• Maintain clear and proportionate risk records. 

Legal Operations and Governance 

• Support the implementation of legal technology and AI-enabled tools to improve contract management and legal workflows. 

• Develop and maintain policies, guidance documents and legal resources. 

• Embed efficient legal processes across the organisation. 

• Contribute to governance and compliance initiatives. 

• Support continuous improvement of the Legal function. 

About You 

Essential 

• Qualified Solicitor in England and Wales with a current practising certificate. 

• Strong grounding in English contract law. 

• Experience drafting, reviewing, negotiating and interpreting a wide range of agreements. 

• Excellent judgement and ability to provide balanced, pragmatic legal advice. 

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to explain legal concepts clearly to non-legal audiences. 

• Highly organised and able to manage competing priorities effectively. 

• Comfortable working independently in a remote environment. 

• Previous in-house legal experience. 

Desirable 

• Experience working within the charity, non-profit or social impact sector. 

• Knowledge of charity law and governance frameworks. 

• Experience using legal technology and AI tools to support legal operations. 

• Familiarity with GDPR, data protection and privacy matters. 

• Understanding of employment law, contractor arrangements and international workforce considerations. 

• Knowledge of sanctions, compliance and risk management frameworks. 

• Experience supporting organisations operating across multiple jurisdictions. 

What We're Looking For 

• Collaborative and approachable. 

• Pragmatic and solutions-focused. 

• Comfortable balancing legal accuracy with operational realities. 

• Confident advising managers and colleagues who may be unfamiliar with legal processes. 

• Motivated by continuous improvement and building effective systems. 

• Passionate about HOST's mission and values. 

Why Join HOST? 

This is an opportunity to help shape and grow a legal function within an organisation working at the forefront of climate and social justice. You'll work with colleagues and partners across the globe, contribute to meaningful work, and play a key role in helping HOST operate safely and effectively as it continues to grow. 

To apply, please submit your CV and a short covering statement outlining your suitability for the role.