General Legal Counsel Location: Preferably Oxford-based, hybrid (office remote working) Contract type: negotiable (flexible hours, by agreement) Salary: Competitive Hours: Approx. 1-2 days per week flexibility to suit candidate/ organisation needs Reporting to: Deputy Warden Operations & Finance The Rhodes Trust is seeking an experienced and pragmatic lawyer to provide general in-house legal support across the organisation. You will be the primary legal adviser on charity, governance, contracts, data protection, employment and regulatory matters. You will work closely with senior leaders, the Board of Trustees and its Committees providing practical and solutions-focused advice that supports the Trusts mission and global operations. The role Provide clear, practical legal advice to the Board of Trustees, Warden and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) on charity law, governance, data protection, employment matters and regulatory compliance. Manage the relationship with the Trusts solicitors and external counsel to ensure the Trust is receiving effective advice. Monitor and advise on external legal spend to promote financial prudence and cost efficiency. Draft and review policies (codes of conduct etc) and contracts (partnerships, consultancy, supplier). In conjunction with the Development team, draft, review and negotiate gift agreements and related donor documentation (including restricted and endowment gifts), ensuring terms are clear, feasible, legally robust and aligned with our governance framework. In conjunction with the SLT, oversee external disputes and support the investigation of complaints (other than those internal to Rhodes staff). Support risk management identify legal risks and propose mitigations and policy updates. Prepare and present legal briefings for the SLT/Board/Committees; support the SLT in drafting resolutions and governance papers as required. Advise on employment law issues, including contracts, disciplinary processes and redundancy consultations. Ensure compliance with data protection (UK GDPR), privacy and information-sharing obligations; advise on donor-data issues. Role modelling the Trusts organisational values of commitment, inclusion, belonging, growth and innovation. Carrying out any other duties relevant to the role, as requested. A deep commitment to the values, ethos and mission of the Rhodes Trust. About you You will be a qualified solicitor (or equivalent UK legal professional) with substantial post-qualification experience and the ability to operate confidently in a complex and values-driven organisation. Essential?Knowledge,? Skills ?and Experience Qualified solicitor, or equivalent UK legal qualification with entitlement to practise. Significant PQE (post-qualification experience), ideally 10 years, preferably including in-house and/ or charity sector experience. Strong working knowledge of charity law / governance, contract law, employment law and data protection. Proven ability to provide pragmatic legal advice and to draft clear legal documentation. Excellent drafting and negotiation skills, with the ability to communicate complex legal issues clearly and succinctly. Excellent interpersonal skills with experience advising senior stakeholders (CEOs, Board members). Experience managing external counsel cost-effectively. Ability to work independently and prioritise across multiple issues in a limited time allocation. Desirable skills and experience Previous experience working with charities/third sector organisations. Familiarity with grant/donor agreements and fundraising regulatory considerations. About the Rhodes Trust The Rhodes Trust is an educational charity which offers Rhodes Scholarships to exceptional students from around the world to come and study at the University of Oxford. Our mission is to build a better world through global fellowship programmes that develop and connect compassionate, innovative, and public-spirited people committed to solving humanitys challenges. In recent years, we have also partnered with several other remarkable organisations to create the Mandela Rhodes Foundation, the Atlantic Institute, the Schmidt Science Fellows, RISE and Oxford Next Horizons. Further Information To find out more and to apply, please click apply to view the full job description and to find the link to apply. Please send us your CV and a covering letter. Please note, this advert will close on 26 June 2026. If you have any issues with submitting your application, please email the? Recruitment team. The Rhodes Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We warmly welcome applications from talented people of diverse backgrounds and appoint without regard to age, disability, gender, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy or maternity, parental status, marital or civil partner status, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, religion or belief.