Compliance Legal Counsel

Compliance Legal Counsel

Salary: Circa £60,000 depending on experience

Permanent, Full-Time, 37.5 Hours per week

Location: IB (International Baccalaureate®) Global Centre, Cardiff 

Hybrid working opportunity

About the IB

The International Baccalaureate provides world-class educational services to over 6,000 schools across 160 countries. A career with the IB is not just a job; it’s an opportunity to work with an innovative world leader in education services where we empower our employees to thrive and make a difference.

About the Job

Under general direction and with considerable latitude for independent judgment and action, the Compliance Legal Counsel:

• Ensures the International Baccalaureate (IB) remains compliant with regulatory requirements and operational risks across all jurisdictions.
• Assists the Senior Legal Counsel, Statutory and Compliance in creating, organizing and implementing the Compliance Plan and drafting corresponding policies and procedures for the organization’s various entities, departments and external stakeholders
• Provides additional stakeholder focused support with matters of any kind that arise within the Legal & Compliance department, including contracts advice and negotiation and assistance with any other matters, in consultation with the Senior Legal Counsel, Statutory and Compliance.

Key Responsibilities

• Assist with the implementation and periodic review of the 2026-2030 Compliance Plan, ensuring alignment with ISO 37301 and organizational strategy.

• Support compliance management system (CMS) activities, including risk assessment, policy development, monitoring, and reporting.

• Advise on regulatory obligations and operational risks in areas such as anti-fraud, bribery, trade sanctions, fundraising, data protection, IT security, HR, contractors, child protection, artificial intelligence, and accessibility.

• Coordinate and/or support compliance training, awareness campaigns (e.g., Code of Conduct, Whistleblowing), and e-learning initiatives.

• Manage due diligence processes for stakeholders, donors, contractors, and market expansion.

• Support internal audit and management review of the CMS, ensuring continual improvement.

Key Requirements

•  Law degree (LLB or JD) or equivalent legal qualification and Master’s degree (LLM) with specialization in business or compliance.
• 7-10 years’ experience in legal compliance roles within international organizations or multinational companies.
• Proven experience implementing compliance frameworks (preferably ISO 37301 or similar).
• Strong knowledge of global regulatory environments, notably not for profit sector, data privacy (GDPR), worker classification, anti-fraud, trade sanctions, fundraising, and other compliance domains.
• Experience working in or with international organizations, NGOs, or multinational entities is an asset.
• Experience in cross-functional collaboration and managing compliance across diverse jurisdictions.
• Effective communicator with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and deliver results on time.
• Strong analytical, research, and problem-solving skills.
• High standard of written and spoken English; French/Spanish proficiency highly desirable; knowledge of other languages an asset.
• Exceptional organizational, time management, and relationship management skills.
• Tact, discretion, and integrity in handling confidential and sensitive matters.

Technical Skills:

• Expert knowledge of compliance management systems and governance principles.
• Familiarity with compliance risk assessment, internal audit, and regulatory reporting.
• Proficiency in drafting policies, formal reports, and stakeholder communications.
• Ability to create different types of training materials to diverse audiences. 
• Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Ability to foster a culture of compliance and continual improvement.
• Adaptability to changing regulatory landscapes and organizational needs.
• Excellent presentation skills and at ease giving training to large audiences.
• Strong ability to communicate legal and compliance concepts clearly to non-lawyers and to provide practical, actionable advice to business and internal stakeholders.

Soft Skills:

• Strong leadership and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Ability to foster a culture of compliance and continual improvement.
• Adaptability to changing regulatory landscapes and organizational needs.
• Excellent presentation skills and at ease giving training to large audiences.
• Strong ability to communicate legal and compliance concepts clearly to non-lawyers and to provide practical, actionable advice to business and internal stakeholders.

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including: 

• 10% employer pension contribution from first day of employment (minimum contribution required from yourself is 3%)
• 25 Days annual leave, plus public holidays, with the option to buy up to 5 days additional annual leave
• 10 Days work from anywhere leave (per calendar year)
• Flexi Hours with our core hours as 10am-12pm and 2pm-3pm.  You can flex your 37.5 hours per week around this
• Enhanced family friendly benefits
• Life assurance 4x annual salary
• Paid volunteering leave (one day per calendar year)
• Flexible benefits allowance at 1.5% of your annual salary
• Excellent continuous professional development
• Health and wellness schemes
• Disability Confident Employer
• Cycle to Work scheme
• Discounts on a range of products, including days out and Gym Memberships
• Cash back opportunities available from a wide range of retailers
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Free onsite parking

Applications will be accepted until 11.55pm BST, 15 June 2026

We are committed to building a working environment that values respect, diversity, and compassion. The International Baccalaureate is proud to be an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all qualified applicants. As a global employer, we adhere to all relevant employment legislation in the countries in which we operate, and we’re happy to provide any reasonable support or adjustments as needed to ensure applicants can fully participate in our recruitment process.