Company secretaries work in a strategic and influential way to ensure that a company operates within the law and abides by financial regulations
As a company secretary, you'll need to ensure a company complies with financial and legal requirements, as well as maintaining its high standards of corporate governance. Although not strictly required to provide legal advice, you'll also need to have a thorough understanding of the laws that affect your areas of work.
Also sometimes known as head of governance, you'll hold a strategic position at the heart of governance operations within an organisation. A key part of your role will be to act as a point of communication between the board of directors and company shareholders, and in some cases an organisation's executive management.
Responsibilities
As a company secretary, you'll need to:
- guide the chairman and the board to ensure they are operating in accordance with rules and regulations
- support the chairman in ensuring the board functions efficiently and effectively
- facilitate good communication between the board, committees, senior management and non-executive directors, and shareholders
- take responsibility for the administration of the company, for example: maintaining statutory books, including registers of members, directors, and secretaries, and shareholders with all their past and present shareholdings, organising board meetings and annual general meetings (AGMs), preparing agendas and taking minutes
- file necessary documents with Companies House, such as annual tax returns and audit reports
- inform Companies House of any significant changes to the company’s share capital, administration or registered address
- monitor changes in relevant legislation and the regulatory environment and take appropriate action
- liaise with external regulators and advisers, such as lawyers and auditors
- develop and oversee the systems that ensure the company complies with all applicable codes, in addition to its legal and statutory requirements
- pay dividends and manage share option schemes and take a role in share issues, mergers and takeovers.
Depending on the organisation you work for, you may also need to:
- take responsibility for the HR and health and safety of employees and manage matters related to insurance and property
Working hours
The work is mainly office based and you'll usually work regular office hours. On occasion it may be necessary to work longer hours to accommodate lengthy meetings and to complete reports, such as the company annual report, for regulatory deadlines.
Part-time work is available.
Qualifications
Although this area of work is open to all graduates, the following subjects may be preferred and can offer some exemptions from the professional examinations:
- accountancy and finance
- business and management
- law.