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.

Requirements

To be successful, you will need:

• A qualified solicitor (English law) with significate post-qualification experience.
• A combination of commercial and contract law and practice experience. Legal experience gained in–house and private practice environment, including in international organisations, the charity sector experience is preferred but not essential.
• Proactive approach to identifying legal risks and providing pragmatic and balanced solutions, manage expectations; maintain confidentiality at all times and display high ethical standards.
• Ability to build credibility quickly and communicate effectively across different cultures and business needs with good written communication skills, able to convey information clearly and accurately.

Closing date: Applications close 12:00 PM UK time on Monday 4th May. Interviews are expected to take place week commencing 11th May and week commencing 18th May.

Shortlisting will be scheduled on a rolling basis, and the role may close earlier if a suitable candidate is found. Therefore, we encourage you to apply at an early stage.

How to apply: Click Apply to upload your CV only and Cover Letter.

Can I use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology in my application?

At WaterAid, we strongly advise against using AI technology at any stage of the recruitment process. Our goal is to ensure a fair and transparent process that provides every applicant with an equal opportunity to succeed. We value hearing about your unique experiences and perspectives in your application, and, if shortlisted, during the interview as well.

Pre-employment screening

To apply for this role, you must be able to demonstrate your eligibility to work in the respective country. All pre-employment checks will be carried out according to local law and WaterAid’s Safer Recruitment policy. All UK based roles require a basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Benefits

• 36 days’ holiday (including 8 Bank Holidays)
• Option to buy an extra 5 days’ annual leave
• Employer pension contribution up to 10 %
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• Season ticket loan
• Free annual eye tests
• ‘Give as you Earn’ charitable giving scheme
• Enhanced parental leave (maternity, adoption/surrogacy, shared parental and paternity)
• Sabbaticals
• One paid volunteer day each year

As part of our annual leave policy, all employees receive three additional days of annual leave on top of their standard allocation of 25 days. These days are designated to cover the period when our UK office closes between Christmas and New Year, allowing all UK WaterAiders to take a well-deserved break.

These days are automatically scheduled and cannot be changed or moved. Annual leave is accrued based on your start date. If sufficient leave has not been accrued by the time of the closure, the 3 days will be taken as unpaid leave or pro-rated, depending on your circumstances.

Our People Promise

We will work with passion and focus to make sure everyone everywhere has clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. WaterAid is a place of purpose – where people have a real commitment and shared responsibility for the impact we have. We are a global community with diverse backgrounds and perspectives, motivated by inspiring, stimulating work. We are determined to be a place where people feel safe and able to contribute their voice and truly live our values.

Equal Opportunities

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, beliefs, customs, traditions, ways of life and status. This includes, but is not limited to, race, ethnicity, caste, colour, gender, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth, disability status, neurodiversity, age, marital and family status, sexual orientation and gender identity, health status, place of residence, economic and social situation.

Safeguarding

We are committed to protecting everyone we come into contact with. We have a zero- tolerance approach to abuse of power, privilege or trust across our global work, and to any form of inappropriate behaviour, discrimination, abuse, bullying, harassment, or exploitation. Safeguarding the people and communities we work with, our staff, volunteers and anyone working on our behalf is our top priority, and we take our responsibilities extremely seriously. All offers of employment are subject to satisfactory references and appropriate screening checks (which can include counterterrorism, safeguarding and criminal records checks).

Together, we’ll change the world through water.

Join us and be part of the change!