Head of Legal & Risk

Head of Legal & Risk

Ewell, Epsom

£60,000-£65,000 per annum

We are looking for a Head of Legal & Risk to join Samaritans on a full-time, 12 month fixed term contract covering maternity leave. Based in Ewell, Epsom, this role leads an in-house legal team that provides specialist advice and guidance on legal, governance, compliance and risk issues relating to the branch structure and central charity.

• 12 months fixed term contract (until Jan 2022)
• £60,000-£65,000 per annum
• 35 hours per week
• We are open to flexible working
• Home-based and then 2-3 days per week in Ewell, Surrey when our office reopens in 2021

As a member of the Senior Leadership Group and the most senior legal expert in the charity, the Head of Legal & Risk is responsible for the organisation-wide strategy on risk and legal compliance.

About Samaritans

As the Head of Legal at Samaritans , you'll be part of an established charity which for over 60 years has been delivering services to some of the most vulnerable people across the UK and Republic of Ireland. Our mission is to reduce the number of people who die by suicide and we pride ourselves in taking a leading role in influencing suicide prevention policy and practice. We're keen to hear from candidates who are equally passionate about our charitable purpose.

Key Responsibilities

Our new Head of Legal & Risk will be responsible for:

• Line management for a Legal Counsel (Procurement & Contracts) and Data Protection Officer
• Developing and leading the organisation-wide strategy on compliance and risk
• Providing specialist legal advice to the organisation
• Leading the organisation's approach to risk management and reporting
• Ensuring compliance with external law and regulations

Skills, Knowledge & Experience

We are looking to hire a qualified Solicitor or Barrister who demonstrates:

• At least 6 years' PQE
• PQE in data protection law, employment law, intellectual property law, company law & commercial contracts
• Knowledge on fundraising and charity law and property law is desirable but not essential as you will have a legal panel to support you with this expertise
• Previous in-house experience with line management
• Experience of providing advice on technical legal, risk and compliance issues to senior stakeholders
• Experience of translating complex information into accessible and understandable advice for a non-technical audience
• Understanding of different approaches to risk and experience of implementing organisation-specific risk management frameworks and tools
• Experience of providing legal advice to support innovation and new product development (including technology products)

Samaritans is wholly committed to inclusion and diversity and to building a culture and environment where everyone is appreciated for the unique person that they are. We warmly welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.

If you're interested in applying or would just like to find out more about this Head of Legal opportunity, then we'd love to hear from you. Applications close on 14th December and we will be reviewing applications as they come in. Please see the attached document for a full Job Description..