Legal Team Lead - Volunteer, Leeds

Provide strategic legal leadership to Afrikindness, ensuring integrity, compliance, and strong governance. As Head of Legal, you’ll advise trustees, oversee contracts and charity law matters, and safeguard our community work with sound, ethical legal guidance.

What difference will you make?

Strong legal governance protects Afrikindness, our beneficiaries, and our reputation. Your expertise will give trustees and leadership confidence to take bold, mission-driven decisions while staying compliant and protected. You'll help us navigate growth, manage risk, and build a legally robust foundation for long-term impact.

What are we looking for?

• Qualified solicitor, barrister, or senior legal professional (England & Wales jurisdiction)
• Experience in charity law, nonprofit governance, or public sector legal work
• Strong knowledge of contract law, governance, and regulatory compliance
• Understanding of charity law, Charity Commission guidance, and trustee duties
• Excellent judgment, discretion, and ability to handle sensitive matters
• Strategic thinker able to balance legal risk with organisational mission
• Clear communicator able to explain complex legal issues to non-lawyers
• Commitment to social justice, equity, and community empowerment

Hybrid

What will you be doing? Governance & Compliance

• Advise the Board of Trustees on charity law, governance, and regulatory compliance
• Ensure compliance with Charity Commission requirements, company law (if applicable), and sector regulations
• Review and update constitutional documents, governing documents, and trustee responsibilities
• Support annual reporting, regulatory filings, and governance audits

Contracts & Agreements

• Draft, review, and negotiate contracts (funding agreements, service contracts, partnership MOUs, supplier agreements)
• Advise on grant terms, conditions, and compliance obligations
• Support procurement processes and tender responses
• Manage intellectual property, data sharing agreements, and licensing

Risk Management & Legal Strategy

• Identify and mitigate legal risks across operations, programmes, and partnerships
• Advise on insurance, liability, and indemnity matters
• Develop legal policies and frameworks (e.g., GDPR, safeguarding, employment)
• Provide strategic legal advice to senior leadership on organisational decisions

Employment & Volunteer Law

• Advise on employment law, volunteer agreements, and people policies
• Support HR with complex employment matters, disciplinaries, or grievances
• Ensure compliance with equalities legislation and employment regulations

Safeguarding & Child Protection

• Advise on legal aspects of safeguarding, DBS checks, and duty of care
• Support incident management and liaison with statutory authorities where required
• Review safeguarding policies for legal robustness

Representation & External Relations

• Represent Afrikindness in legal matters or direct to external legal counsel where needed
• Build relationships with pro bono legal providers or legal aid organisations
• Advise on advocacy, campaigns, or public positioning with legal implications

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