Head of Legal & Compliance

Head of Legal and Compliance

Contract type: Permanent, Full Time – 35 hours per week

Location: London, UK

UK hybrid working – a minimum of 40 % of working time is spent face-to-face (London office, external meetings or travel). 60/40 hybrid working at WaterAid means roughly three days wherever you work best and two days together in person.

Salary: Salary: £71,481 per year with excellent benefits.

We offer competitive, market-aligned starting salaries. While most roles are offered at the advertised starting salary, we may adjust this in exceptional cases depending on a candidate’s experience, skills, and potential.

Change starts with water. Change starts with you.

Every day, millions of people live without clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid exists to change that – for everyone, everywhere. Join us, and your energy will help unlock people’s potential and create a fairer future.

About WaterAid

We’re a global federation driven by one vision: a world where everyone, everywhere has clean water, sanitation and hygiene by 2030. Powered by our values of Respect, Accountability, Courage, Collaboration, Integrity and Innovation, we work alongside communities, partners and supporters to make change happen.

About the team

The Head of Legal & Compliance sits within the Finance, Technology, Strategic Planning, Legal & Compliance Directorate and reports directly to the Executive Director of Finance, Technology, Strategic Planning, Legal & Compliance. You will manage Data Protection Manager, Fundraising Compliance Manager, Legal Counsel, Governance Officer.

About the role

As our WaterAid UK Head of Legal & Compliance, you will lead the Legal, Data Protection and Fundraising Compliance team in providing advice, support and challenge to ensure WaterAid complies with all applicable regulations and legislation

and follows best practise. You will work closely with Trustees and Directors Team to drive sustainable change.

In this role, you will:

• Provide sound legal support and specialist advice to all levels of the organisation for contracts between WaterAid UK and third parties (including commercial contracts, contracts for services including consultancy contracts, fundraising contracts, donor/grant agreements and agreements with implementing partners, as well as media Intellectual Property and IT agreements).
• Prepare, negotiate and advise on commercial and legal matters relating to complex matters.
• Support the organisation to review contracts, to recognise and respond to risk, especially in relation to restricted income funding contracts.
• Lead and manage the main point of contact for all legal queries across WaterAid, referring to external advice only when necessary.
• Champion WaterAid’s commitment to equity, inclusion and safeguarding.