The client seeks a Company Secretary to support the Board of Trustees with governance, compliance, and administrative responsibilities. The Secretary helps ensure the charity operates in line with its governing document and applicable legal and regulatory requirements, and supports effective board administration, accountability, and transparent decision-making. The role is advisory and administrative and does not involve trustee responsibilities or voting rights at board meetings.
Key responsibilities include supporting the Board in meeting charity and company law obligations, maintaining up-to-date knowledge of governing documents, policies, and governance requirements, and ensuring required statutory and regulatory filings are completed on time. The Secretary will maintain governance registers, including those relating to trustees/directors and officers, interests and conflicts of interest, monitor governance compliance and escalate issues requiring board attention, and help implement and monitor the standards of the relevant governance code. The role also includes contributing governance and compliance inputs into the Annual Report.
The Company Secretary will plan and coordinate board and committee administration, including drafting agendas, circulating meeting materials in advance, ensuring quorum, maintaining an annual calendar of meetings, and coordinating trustee induction and governance documentation. The role includes attending board and committee meetings and relevant general meetings, taking accurate minutes that record decisions and actions, tracking and monitoring action completion, and ensuring procedures align with the organization’s constitution and governance requirements, then issuing and finalizing minutes for board consideration with secure storage and accessibility. Candidates should have strong organizational and record-keeping skills, excellent written communication and minute-taking ability, attention to detail and deadline focus, understanding of governance and confidentiality, and the ability to work collaboratively with trustees, management, and volunteers; experience in similar governance or compliance roles and familiarity with relevant governance and legal frameworks are desirable.