Senior legal advisor jobs in Oxford, oxfordshire
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!
About Us
Global Canopy is a data-driven not for profit delivering real transparency and accountability for market impacts on nature and people. Our special focus is on ending deforestation – an essential step in achieving urgent global goals on climate, nature and human rights. We deliver our work by building and maintaining open-data platforms, creating stronger voluntary and compliance frameworks, and accelerating accountability and action in the finance sector with nature-positive guidance to help achieve deforestation-free portfolios.
We work globally, with a focus on both forested regions (particularly across Latin America and South East Asia), and major consumer and financial markets (with a focus on Europe, the US, Singapore and China). We have a distributed team of around 70 people worldwide, with a main office in Oxford (UK). We work via close and deep partnerships, including with institutions like the Stockholm Environment Institute, the UN Climate Change High-Level Champions, UNEP Finance Initiative, the World Conservation Monitoring Centre, the Zoological Society of London, and many many others.
About the Role
As People and Culture Lead, reporting to the Director of Execution & Planning, you will be responsible for the development of the People function at Global Canopy. Providing advice and support to the Leadership Team and colleagues across the organisation, you will lead on people and culture initiatives that enable our team to maximise their potential, resulting in greater impact as an organisation.
You will bring excellent relationship-building and influencing skills as well as strong technical expertise to ensure that we can recruit, retain, develop, support and engage the people we rely on to deliver our vital work for forests, nature and human rights. You will manage all aspects of team members’ journey with the organisation, including recruitment, performance and development, employee relations and pay and benefits.
We are looking for someone who leads with empathy and wisdom, putting individuals at the heart of their work.
Responsibilities
Employee life cycle management
- Be responsible for the creation, maintenance, evolution and operation of all HR policies, processes and systems
- Work closely with the leadership team and internal boards on areas such as recruitment, performance, learning and development, absence, salaries/benefits, job grading and employee engagement
- Ensure the ongoing development of our P&C offering is aligned with our culture
Support & advice to leaders an managers
- Build strong working relationships with the leadership team in order to support them directly
- Provide coaching, guidance and support to managers ensuring that our people are supported to thrive and develop
- Advise on people issues and managing cases, to ensure that processes are followed in line with Global Canopy’s policy, best practice and employment legislation
Support delivery of Global Canopy's People plan
- Alongside the Director of Execution & Planning, drive the implementation of people initiatives and be responsible for the successful embedding of changes
- Lead on connection and collaboration initiatives to build a cohesive, highly motivated team in line with Global Canopy’s culture and in the context of hybrid working
- Provide reports and maintain KPIs related to our people and present these to senior leaders and trustees
Management
- Line management of People and Recruitment Advisor, supporting them in their management of recruitment for Global Canopy, and providing coaching and mentoring to support their ongoing development
- Manage the relationship with our EOR
- Alongside the Director of Execution & Planning and Operations Coordinator, provide leadership on data protection across the organisation
Requirements
To be successful in this role, these are the things that will matter the most:
- People-first and positive approach to HR management
- Broad experience of managing human resources work across organisations, with a good understanding of HR procedures and legislation in the UK
- Alignment with our values and our mission, a commitment to collaboration and a passion for developing an organisational culture in which people thrive
Essential behavioural competencies:
- Leading with warmth
- Credibility as both structured and effective as well as emotionally intelligent
- Able to handle difficult situations sensitively and confidentially
- Initiative and ability to manage and prioritise own workload, working to deadlines
- Creativity
Skills and experience:
- Significant experience in all aspects of employee lifecycle management
- CIPD level 5 or equivalent experience
- Strong understanding of UK employment law and best practice
- Experience and expertise to support in the areas of diversity and inclusion, learning and development and employee wellbeing and engagement in a hybrid context
- Experience of working in an advisory capacity with leadership teams and regularly reporting to senior leaders and trustees
- Ability to take a leadership role in change projects
- Experience of working across different departments/functions in a matrixed and international organisation
- Experience of working internationally with employees based outside the UK - and covered by non-UK law
- Experience or understanding of the context for a charity / not for profit organisation
Salary & Benefits
Salary: £55,000- £60,000 full time equivalent. This role sits within Band C on Global Canopy’s remuneration framework.
Nature of contract: Full time or 0.8 FTE. Permanent. This is a hybrid role working from home and our office in Oxford. There is a requirement to attend the office once a week and for other meetings/work as required.
Holidays: 36 days (including bank/public holidays) for discretionary use across the annual leave year. Option to purchase up to an additional 5 days or equivalent of one week’s leave.
Pension: Employer pension contribution of 8%.
Healthcare cashback plan: Covering dental fees, eye-care, wellbeing, physiotherapy, chiropody and much more – for you and any children.
Employee Assistance Programme: Which provides free, confidential advice on personal and legal matters.
Other: Huge range of discounts and cashback deals at gyms, restaurants, holidays, and much more.
How to Apply
To apply for the position, please follow the link and submit an up-to date CV and covering letter. The covering letter should explain your motivation for the role, and how your skills and experience fit the person specification. (Please no more than 1 side of A4).
All candidates are asked to complete an anonymous diversity monitoring form when they apply. The closing date for applications is 23 February at 9am GMT. Early application encouraged. We may close applications early if suitable candidates are identified.
First round interviews are planned for w/c 23 February via video call, and final interviews are planned for w/c 2 March in-person at our Oxford office.
At Global Canopy, we value diversity and inclusion. You can read our diversity statement on our website. We encourage applications from all backgrounds and are committed to having a team with a diverse set of skills, experiences and abilities. Global Canopy works on issues of global deforestation. We are particularly interested in strengthening our team to include those with a background from forest regions such as Latin America and South East Asia. We would welcome applications from people from these regions. Right-to-work in the UK is required.
Applicant data will be managed in accordance with the candidate privacy policy available on our website.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.