Law advisor jobs in Edinburgh
At Alzheimer's Society, we're a team of advisors, supporters, fundraisers, researchers, and advocates, united by one purpose: to make life better for everyone affected by dementia. Everything we do must be worthy of that purpose. That's where you come in.
Please note that the internal post title will be known as Company Secretary and Governance Lead.
We're looking for a Company Secretary and Governance Lead to play a vital leadership role in ensuring our registered charity operates to the highest standards of governance, transparency, and integrity. This isn't just about compliance. It's about enabling an organisation to do its best work for the people who need it most.
Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer and working closely with the Chair of the Board of Trustees, Chief Executive, Executive Leadership Team, and Board Committees, you'll shape and strengthen our governance framework, creating the conditions for confident, informed decision-making that supports delivery of our strategy and our impact. If you're a strategic governance leader who combines technical expertise with strong relationships and a genuine belief that good governance matters, we'd love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities
- Act as Company Secretary for Alzheimer's Society and its subsidiaries, ensuring compliance with Charity Commission and Companies House requirements.
- Provide trusted, expert advice to the Chair, Board of Trustees, and Executive Leadership Team on their legal, fiduciary, and regulatory responsibilities.
- Oversee governance arrangements, ensuring effective information flow and clear decision-making structures across the organisation.
- Develop and lead a team of governance professionals, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, accountability, and inclusivity.
- Lead the design and continual improvement of our governance framework, embedding transparency, accountability, and evidence-based decision-making at every level.
- Serve as Whistleblowing Officer for the Society, championing integrity and openness in all governance processes.
- Support the governance team to deliver efficient Board and Committee meetings, forward planning, and statutory reporting.
- Build strong relationships across the organisation, helping teams see governance and compliance as enablers of effective, ethical leadership, not obstacles to it.
About You
You're a confident, collaborative leader who brings professional rigour without losing sight of people. You know how to advise senior leaders with authority and earn trust at every level. You can hold the big picture and the detail at the same time, and you genuinely care about the organisation you work for.
We're looking for someone who can:
- Demonstrate a strong track record of advising Boards and senior leaders on governance, compliance, and organisational risk.
- Bring excellent knowledge of charity law, company law, and the UK governance landscape.
- Communicate complex information clearly and credibly, whether to lawyers, trustees, or people who've never read a governance report in their life.
- Lead with authenticity and integrity, building trusted relationships across all levels.
- Drive continuous improvement, simplifying processes and fostering a culture of learning and accountability.
- Lead and develop a small team, championing their collaboration and professional growth.
- Model Alzheimer's Society's values of Determination, Better Together, Compassion, and Trusted Expertise in everything you do.
This role is home-based with occasional travel across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Important Dates:
- The deadline for applications is 23:59 on Sunday 1st March 2026.
- Interview invites will be issued from 2nd March 2026.
- First stage interviews will take place across W/C 2nd March and 9th March 2026.
- The Involvement (lived experience) Panel will take place W/C 16th March 2026.
- The Competency Panel interview will take place at our Crutched Friars London office, with dates to be confirmed.
- Shortlisted candidates will have the opportunity to meet virtually with our Chair of the Board of Trustees prior to any offer of employment.
About Alzheimer's Society
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.
At Alzheimer’s Society, we’re the UK’s leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding groundbreaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.
Together with our supporters, we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.
Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.
Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.
We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society.
Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.
Our hiring process
During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.Please also contact Alzheimer’s Society Talent Acquisition Team for application support or any adjustments you might need.
To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.
We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.
We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a DBS check at the relevant level.
Giving back to you
Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society.
You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it’s like to be an employee at the Society.
Registered Charity
More than 1000
Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia charity.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Thank you!
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
What if your ability to transform tax processes could unlock thousands of pounds in savings while building best-in-class compliance systems for one of the UK's biggest charities?
As a Financial Accountant within our Finance & Assurance directorate, you'll be part of a team that's transforming how we deliver financial partnership across the organisation. We're on an ambitious journey to become the Society's single point of financial truth. We aim to be trusted partners and credible experts who enable the organisation to make faster, better-informed decisions.
This is a highly technical, hands-on role where you'll own and improve our tax function. You'll be responsible for the essential technical delivery, preparing VAT returns, managing partial exemption calculations, overseeing Corporation Tax and Gift Aid. Ensuring we meet every regulatory requirement. But what sets this role apart is the opportunity to transform how we deliver this work. You'll drive continuous improvement across all tax processes, identifying inefficiencies, implementing automation, redesigning workflows, and developing robust controls that optimise our position while maintaining compliance. This is your opportunity to leave your mark on a critical area of the finance function.
Your process improvement mindset and ability to explain complex matters clearly, will help colleagues make tax-efficient decisions.
About you:
You're a qualified accountant with strong process improvement experience who thrives on identifying inefficiencies and implementing better ways of working. You're excited by the prospect of shaping an entire area within a finance function.
You're a problem-solver who constantly asks, "how can we do this better?" You have a genuine curiosity about how things work and a drive to continuously improve. Existing knowledge of VAT compliance, particularly partial exemption, would be beneficial, as would broader familiarity with Corporation Tax, Gift Aid, and other statutory obligations. However, what matters most is your appetite to learn and your determination to find better ways forward.
You'll have:
- Proven experience driving process improvements in a finance environment, demonstrating where you've identified inefficiencies, redesigned workflows, or delivered measurable improvements.
- A CCAB qualification achieved through education, or demonstrable equivalent knowledge and experience that evidences your understanding of the role's requirements.
- Some experience with VAT, Corporation Tax, Gift Aid, or other UK tax regulations. You don't need to be a tax specialist, but you should have exposure to tax compliance and a genuine interest in developing deep expertise in this area.
- The ability to quickly build technical knowledge and confidence in complex tax scenarios, with a problem-solving approach to navigating regulations.
- Experience working with HMRC or other regulatory bodies, demonstrating credibility and professionalism in external relationships.
- Demonstrated experience as a Financial Accountant in a large or complex organisation.
- The ability to work effectively across departments and at all levels, translating complex financial or technical matters into practical guidance.
- Experience with cloud-based ERP systems (we use Unit4) and a mindset of continuous improvement.
What you'll focus on:
- Driving continuous improvement across the tax function.
- Developing robust tax processes and controls that optimise our position while ensuring compliance.
- Overseeing VAT compliance – preparing and reviewing accurate VAT returns, managing partial exemption calculations, and optimising our VAT position.
- Overseeing Corporation Tax and Gift Aid compliance as well as other statutory tax obligations.
- Building and maintaining strong relationships with HMRC, managing enquiries or audits with professionalism.
- Providing clear tax guidance across the Society, empowering colleagues to make tax-efficient decisions.
- Working seamlessly with colleagues across the Finance team to provide integrated financial partnership, while role-modelling our values.
Can you see yourself as the person who transforms our tax function, not just maintains it? Are you ready to shape an entire area within our finance function and make your mark?
Rolling applications
We are accepting applications on a rolling basis for this role. There is no fixed deadline. We will continue to review applications until the role is filled. We encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as we may close the vacancy once we've made a successful appointment.
About Alzheimer's Society
Dementia is the UK’s biggest killer. One in three people born in the UK today will develop dementia in their lifetime.
At Alzheimer’s Society, we’re the UK’s leading dementia charity and the only one to tackle all aspects of dementia by giving help and hope to people living with dementia today and in the future. We give vital support to people facing the most frightening times of their lives, while also funding ground-breaking research and campaigning to make dementia the priority it should be.
Together with our supporters, we’re working towards a world where dementia no longer devastates lives.
Our values make sure that our focus is clear for the challenges and opportunities ahead and remind us of what we all stand for.
Our commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging
We need to ensure the voices around our table better reflect and understand the communities we exist to serve. We strongly encourage individuals to apply who have a disability, impairment or health condition or individuals who identify as Black, Asian or from another minority ethnic background, as these groups are currently under-represented at Alzheimer's Society.
We want everyone we work with, as a colleague, volunteer, supporter, or someone we support, to feel included and that they belong at Alzheimer's Society.
Our Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy here along with our internal employee forum and Employee Lived Experience network groups help us promote inclusion and belonging, becoming an engaged and inclusive organisation for all our people.
Our hiring process
During your recruitment process we want to make sure that you bring your whole self and can be at your best. We are working hard to ensure our recruitment process is as inclusive as possible, so please do inform us of your experience and anything you think we could do better by completing our candidate survey when you apply.Please also contact Alzheimer’s Society Talent Acquisition Team for application support or any adjustments you might need.
To ensure fairness and consistency to select the best candidate for this role, all our applications are anonymised up until an interview has been confirmed. We recognise the benefits of AI, but if you're considering using it to submit your application, we encourage you to reflect on the value it truly adds. AI tools often lack the personal touch and authenticity that set candidates apart. We want to hear your unique perspective, experiences, and skills, so we encourage you to showcase them in your own voice.
We try to avoid closing roles early where possible, however if we receive a high volume of applications, we may close earlier than the advertised closing date. Should this occur, we will aim to provide you with at least 48 hours' notice.
We are committed to safer recruitment and ensuring the welfare of those we work with, due to the nature of some of our roles, we might need to carry out a DBS check at the relevant level.
Giving back to you
Our employees work hard every day to make a true difference in people's lives. We are proud to support them with a range of benefits, recognition and many options for working agilely, all contributing to a strong work life balance. We also have various learning programmes to support you in your development and help you grow to realise your potential and shape a career with Alzheimer's Society.
You can also visit our Working for Us pages, which give you more information about what it’s like to be an employee at the Society.
Registered Charity
More than 1000
Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia charity.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.