Job Description

Join a purpose-driven housing provider as its first in-house legal hire, advising the CEO and leading on transactions, compliance, and strategic legal matters. You'll build the legal function from the ground up, shaping policy, managing risk, and enabling growth in a fast-moving, mission-led environment.
key responsibilities Include:

• Act as the principal legal advisor to the CEO and leadership team.
• Lead on all legal matters, including corporate, commercial, regulatory, and property law.
• Manage key transactions such as acquisitions, funding rounds, and institutional exits.
• Oversee financing legal workstreams, including debt facilities and security documentation.
• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide range of contracts and agreements.
• Ensure compliance with housing regulations, planning law, and ESG standards.
• Manage relationships with external legal counsel, ensuring quality and cost-effectiveness.
• Develop internal legal frameworks, policies, and training.
• Provide clear, pragmatic legal advice across all business functions.
• Contribute to board-level strategic decision-making and risk management.
• Liaise with the housing regulator on compliance and regulatory matters.

Develop the legal strategy for a mission-led, fast-growing organisation.Work at the intersection of law, entrepreneurialism and social impact.
The successful applicant will be a a qualified solicitor or barrister with 10+ years of post-qualification experience, ideally with a strong background in real estate, housing, or infrastructure law. You should have proven ability working on a very broad range of legal matters in a start up style of organisation where everyone is required to role their sleeves up, step out of their lane and contribute in unison to the success of the organisation. Technical proficiency aside, your approach and mindset will be key. You should be:

• Someone who can contribute to high-level decision-making and risk management, with strong commercial instincts.
• Comfortable being the first in-house legal hire, building the legal function from scratch, and working independently.
• A legal advisor who simplifies complexity and enables growth, not someone who blocks progress.
• Humble, hands-on, collaborative, and aligned with the organisation's values of humility, honesty, and ambition.

Our Client is a purpose-driven affordable housing provider based in central London. Our mission is to deliver high-quality, sustainable homes through Affordable Rent and Shared Ownership, helping individuals and families build secure, long-term futures. Regulated by the national housing authority, we combine strong governance with a deep commitment to customer wellbeing, financial sustainability, and community impact. Guided by our values of humility, honesty, and ambition, we put people at the heart of everything we do.
Competitive Package