Commercial Solicitor

£51,729 per annum

The Woodland Trust is looking for an experienced Commercial Solicitor to provide expert legal advice across a broad range of commercial and operational matters, helping the Trust achieve its strategic objectives while effectively managing legal risk.

We are particularly interested in solicitors with experience in the charity, public or third sector and ideally with 7+ PQE.

The Role:
You’ll be part of a small busy team providing practical, risk-based legal advice across a broad range of commercial and compliance matters, where the role includes:

• Commercial contract review, drafting and negotiation for the purchase of services, goods and work to support the operational activities of the Trust and its subsidiary companies.
• Drafting, review and negotiation of a variety of contracts, agreements and legal documents that support the Trust’s work and strategic objectives including fundraising, funding agreements and grants, intellectual property, data protection, regulatory compliance and charity governance;
• Managing a diverse caseload autonomously, balancing competing priorities while delivering a responsive and high-quality legal service to the Trust.
• Working closely with colleagues across the organisation, helping them navigate legal issues and make informed decisions, including by identifying and communicating legal risks clearly and providing pragmatic solutions that support positive outcomes
• Building effective relationships with internal stakeholders and external advisers, acting as a trusted legal partner.
• Maintaining robust legal records and contribute to strong governance and compliance practices across the Trust.
• Share legal knowledge and support colleagues to build confidence and understanding in key legal areas.
• This is a hybrid position with a mix of home working and from our head office in Grantham, Lincolnshire. Head office attendance would be required once every four months on average. Occasional travel to sites, other offices and remote locations may also be required.

The Candidate:

• Experienced in drafting, reviewing and negotiating a wide range of commercial contracts, grants, and legal agreements, with the ability to deliver clear, pragmatic and proportionate advice.
• Comfortable advising on a range of legal issues and able to quickly get to the heart of a problem and recommend practical solutions.
• Skilled at communicating complex legal matters in a way that is easy for non-legal colleagues to understand and act upon.
• Confident building and maintaining relationships with a wide range of stakeholders and working collaboratively to achieve the best outcomes.
• Commercially minded, with sound judgement, critical analysis skills and a balanced approach to managing legal risk.
• Self-motivated and organised, able to manage competing priorities while maintaining high standards of work.
• Curious and keen to keep developing your expertise, staying up to date with changing legal and regulatory requirements and emerging areas of law.
• You’ll be a qualified solicitor with a current practising certificate and a good level of post-qualification experience – ideally with 7+ years PQE.

Previous experience of charity law is desirable but not essential and we are equally interested in solicitors with strong transferable skills and experience who are committed to our cause and wish to develop at the Woodland Trust.

Benefits and Wellbeing:
Joining our team means you’ll be part of our fight for a greener, healthier planet for people and wildlife. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:

• Enhanced Employer Pension
• Life Assurance
• Flexible and hybrid working options (7am – 7pm)
• Generous annual leave – 25 Days plus Bank Holidays (pro rata for part-time)
• Buy and sell holiday scheme
• Enhanced parental pay
• Employee assistance programme

To support inclusivity and remove barriers for candidates, we publish all salaries upfront and proudly follow the We Show the Salary pledge. The salary listed is the set salary for this role, and we don’t ask applicants to state their current pay or expectations. If you choose to apply, we’ll take that as confirmation that the advertised salary meets your expectations.

About Us:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity.  We want to see a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make a difference by protecting, restoring and creating woodland and getting more trees in the ground.

Our commitment to Diversity and Inclusion:
To achieve our mission, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply.

Application information and advice:
For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, and CVs are redacted until after shortlisting is complete.

Make sure that you answer the application questions to show your relevant skills and passion for the role.
Completed applications will be reviewed by a hiring manager and/or a member of the recruitment team, and you will receive an update on the outcome of your application via email.

Acceptable Use – Artificial Intelligence (AI):
We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

Closing date: 8 November 2026

For further information or to apply, please click on the ‘Enquire/Apply’ button.