General Counsel (CDP Foundation)

ImmigrationGPT; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 38,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

30 days holiday

Pension

Employee Assistance Programme

Life assurance

Training & development

Flexible working

Other benefits

Job summary

CDP Foundation is seeking a General Counsel to lead the legal function amid a multi-jurisdictional separation from CDP. Based in London, the role provides strategic legal and regulatory guidance to the CEO, leadership team, and Board, including governance, IP, and contract management.

You must be qualified to practice in England & Wales with 10+ years post-qualification experience, particularly in charity law and governance across international entities.

Qualifications

• Qualified to practice law in England and Wales.
• 10+ years post-qualification experience in England and Wales.
• Significant charity sector experience.
• International experience overseeing legal entities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic legal advice to the Board, CEO, and leadership team.
• Lead on charity and corporate governance, policy development, and compliance.
• Draft, negotiate, and manage contracts, agreements, and IP matters.
• Oversee risk, compliance programmes, and governance across international entities.

Skills

Legal expertise

Charity law

Regulatory advice

Governance

Job description

The employer's own job site no longer lists this role. Check the employer's website for current openings.

The advert does not give a salary. The minimum for this job is £41,700 a year.

CDP Worldwide holds an A-rated Skilled Worker licence.

We read this job as Legal professionals not elsewhere classified (2419). That occupation is eligible for Skilled Worker.

Read from the advert, the Home Office register and the Immigration Rules. Whether you can be sponsored also depends on your own circumstances, such as your age and visa history. This is information, not advice.

About the job

About CDP: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 FoundationCDP 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.

We’re looking for

• 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
• 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.

Application deadline is 20th November, 2026.