General Counsel (CDP Foundation)

FQPS Academy Ltd.; Greater London; On-site; GBP 115,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement (30 days + bank)

Pension plan

Life assurance

Training and development

Flexible working

Job summary

CDP Foundation seeks a General Counsel to lead the legal function, guiding governance, regulatory, and risk matters during the UK separation from CDP. You will oversee charity and corporate governance, trust relationships, and contracts across international entities.

The role is based in London as a permanent position. Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK; sponsorship is not available, with 2–3 days in the office weekly.

Qualifications

• Qualified to practice law in England and Wales with extensive charity-sector experience.
• 10+ years PQE in England & Wales, including leadership in governance and risk.
• Proven ability to advise senior management and boards with credibility.
• Experience overseeing international entities and cross-border governance.
• Collaborative style with strong judgement and integrity.

Skills

Legal leadership

Regulatory compliance

Governance

UK charity law

Contract negotiation

Education

Qualified to practice law England & Wales

10+ years post-qualification experience England & Wales

Job description

CDP is a global organization that runs the world’s only independent environmental disclosure system. As the founder of environmental reporting, we believe in transparency and the power of data to drive change.

CDP has been navigating a complex, multi-jurisdictional separation that will result in two legally and operationally distinct organisations (CDP and CDP Foundation). The process requires strategic direction and coordination in a number of areas including corporate, charity, legal and regulatory governance across a number of jurisdictions. The separation also involves defining and documenting the respective rights, responsibilities, decision‑making authorities, financial commitments, and ongoing service arrangements of each of the two separating organisations.

CDP Foundation

CDP Foundation will be a mission‑driven non profit advancing Earth‑positive decision‑making through science‑led environmental disclosure and research. Building on more than 25 years of leadership in environmental transparency, it will develop forward‑looking disclosure methodologies, translate leading climate and nature science into action, and help organisations make informed decisions for a more sustainable future. Through innovation, collaboration, and a commitment to public benefit, the Foundation will accelerate environmental accountability and positive impact worldwide.

Our team is truly global, united by our shared desire to build a world where people, planet and profit are balanced. Visit cdp.net or follow us @CDP to find out more.

About this role:

The General Counsel will serve as CDP Foundation’s senior legal adviser and trusted partner to the CEO, leadership team, and Board of Trustees. Initially, the General Counsel will focus on providing legal and regulatory advice to Foundation in connection with the legal separation from and ongoing relationship with CDP including transitional services, intellectual property and shared governance arrangements. The General Counl will be responsible for establishing the Foundation’s legal function managing legal resources, a legal budget and external counsel. Going forward the General Counsel will be instrumental in building the legal, regulatory, compliance, governance and risk structure within the Foundation.

As a member of the Foundation Management Team, the General Counsel will provide actionable advice on legal, governance, regulatory and compliance matters as well as providing strategic insight on matters of risk.

What you will do:

• Strategic legal advice: Advise the Board of Trustees, CEO and leadership team on legal, regulatory, and reputational matters.
• Organisational separation and ongoing relationship: Safeguard the Foundation’s interests in its ongoing relationship with CDP, the commercial entity, in line with the legal separation agreements.
• Negotiate future service arrangements between the two organisations.
• Advise on compliance with the legal agreements governing the relationship between CDP Foundation and CDP (including temporary service agreements and separation transaction agreements).
• Foundation governance: Lead on the Foundation’s charity and corporate governance. Advise the Board of Trustees and executive leadership on their duties under applicable laws including charity law. Establish policies, processes and procedures to facilitate Foundation compliance with charitable purposes, delivery of public benefit, and management of conflicts of interest. Act as the Company Secretary managing Board and subcommittee meetings, maintaining governance policies, and advancing governance best practice.
• Entity governance: Oversee governance and legal requirements across the Foundation’s international entities, charities and operations.
• Presently the Foundation is organised as a charity with the related governance structures in Brazil, Japan, UK and USA.
• The Foundation has legal entities in, Germany, Hong Kong, and Singapore.
• Agreements and Grants: Review, negotiate, and/or draft a variety of contracts and other agreements including technology, consulting, employment and partnership arrangements;
• Oversee legal, governance, and risk related to grant funding including drafting of and compliance with grant agreements.
• Legal operations: Establish and maintain effective legal systems, policies, templates, delegated authorities, contract‑management processes, and matter‑tracking tools to support consistent, efficient, and risk‑based legal service delivery.
• Risk and compliance: Oversee Foundation risk, maintain the risk register, and manage compliance obligations.
• Advise on employment legal matters including employee re organizations.
• Advise on the management of litigation and other legal disputes.
• Data Advise on Data privacy, data licensing, information security and other legal issues related to access, use, transfer, sharing and storage of data. Advise on other technology related legal issues including AI.
• Intellectual Property: Advise on intellectual property issues especially issues related to the development of intellectual property by the Foundation. Advise on trademark registrations and maintenance of a trademark portfolio.
• Legal Developments Follow legal and regulatory developments, advising relevant stakeholders on applicable law and regulation especially those rules applicable to UK charities and US 501C3 organisations.

Qualifications

• Candidates must be qualified to practice law in England and Wales.
• At least 10 years' post-qualification experience in England and Wales, where the Foundation is headquartered.
• Significant experience practicing law in the charity sector.
• International experience, including oversight of legal entities.
• Experience providing legal and regulatory advice to senior management teams and working with Boards.
• Collaborative interpersonal relationship style combined with authority and credibility.
• Sound judgement and integrity.

Salary and benefits

The salary banding for this role is £115k-120k/year, 30 days' holiday plus bank holidays, generous non‑contributory pension provision, Employee Assistance Programme, life assurance, training and development, flexible working opportunities and other benefits.

Final offer amount depends on multiple factors such as candidates experience and expertise, geographic location, total compensation, and market data.

This is a permanent role based at CDP’s London office. Interested applicants must be eligible to work legally in the UK and live within a commutable distance of the London office and be comfortable with 2-3 days in the office per week. We cannot sponsor for this role.