General Counsel (Not For Profit) – 6 month FTC

Taylor Root is partnering with a high-profile, global, mission-led organisation operating at the forefront of environmental science, sustainability and data-led decision-making.

The charity is entering an important new chapter as part of a significant strategic transformation.

This is a visible and influential leadership role, working closely with the Foundation’s CEO, Executive Leadership Team, trustees and senior international stakeholders. The successful candidate will sit at the centre of the relationship between the charitable Foundation and the commercial organisation, helping to establish strong governance, effective working arrangements and an independent legal capability.

The role

As Interim General Counsel, you will take responsibility for legal, governance, risk and compliance matters across the Foundation and its international charitable entities.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Acting as a trusted legal adviser to the CEO, Executive Leadership Team, trustees and board chairs
• Providing strategic advice during the separation and supporting the Foundation as it establishes its new operating model
• Leading charity governance, corporate secretariat and entity management matters
• Preparing board agendas, governance papers and supporting effective trustee decision-making
• Acting as a governance gatekeeper across a multi-jurisdictional charitable structure
• Managing the legal relationship and ways of working between the Foundation and the commercial organisation
• Partnering closely with the General Counsel of the commercial business during the transition
• Advising on commercial agreements, transitional arrangements and service agreements
• Supporting grant, funding and general commercial contracts
• Overseeing separation-related and transaction documentation
• Owning and developing the organisational risk register
• Helping to establish and maintain proportionate compliance and governance frameworks
• Coordinating external legal advisers across several jurisdictions
• Advising on regulatory engagement and matters involving relevant charity regulators

The legal workload is expected to cover governance and corporate secretariat activity, commercial arrangements, grant agreements, real estate matters, entity management and ongoing separation-related work.

About you

This opportunity would suit an experienced General Counsel/ Head of Legal who combines strong technical judgement with excellent governance and stakeholder-management skills. You will be used to supporting business through trasitions and change and be able to provide stability and reliable and robust legal support.

You are likely to bring:

• Significant charity, foundation, NGO or wider mission-led organisation experience would be desirable
• If you do not have this experience, a strong desire to work in mission led foundation and robust international experience is a must.
• Strong governance and corporate secretariat expertise
• Experience advising trustees, boards and senior leadership teams
• Credibility operating at Executive and Board level
• International legal and governance experience across multiple jurisdictions is essential
• Strong risk, compliance and regulatory expertise
• Experience navigating organisational change, transactions or complex separation programmes
• The ability to work autonomously, make pragmatic decisions and provide calm leadership in a changing environment
• Confidence managing external counsel and coordinating legal support internationally
• An interest in environmental, sustainability or broader purpose-led work

Knowledge of ESG or sustainability-related regulation would be particularly valuable.

Working arrangements

• Location: Central London
• Hybrid working: Ideally two to three days per week in the London office, with some flexibility
• Duration: Initially approximately six months
• Start date: ASAP
• Remuneration: Very competitive interim package and will be highly dependent on experience

Why consider this opportunity?

This is a rare chance to help shape the legal and governance foundations of an internationally recognised, purpose-led organisation at a defining point in its development.

You will have genuine influence over how the Foundation operates following the separation, while advising senior leaders and trustees on matters central to its future structure, risk profile and charitable mission.