Senior Assistant Company Secretary, PLC Governance

Senior Assistant Company Secretary, PLC Governance

Who we're looking for

We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated qualified Governance professional to hold a key role in the Plc Governance team, providing high quality governance advice to Schroders plc and Schroders Group subsidiaries.

Your role will have a focus on plc governance and will involve liaising directly with the Schroders plc board and other senior stakeholders, taking a key role in strategic projects, managing external reporting deliverables, providing technical advice to the business, owning the relationship with the registrar and managing and mentoring more junior members of the team.

We are looking for someone who is passionate about governance, continuously seeks improvement, and is interested in working in an international, fast-paced organisation, as part of a well-established and close-knit team. In return, the role will give you exposure to a broad remit of governance work and the autonomy to take ownership of your own workload and to make improvements to processes.

About Schroders

We're an active investment manager in 38 locations globally. We help institutions, intermediaries and individuals around the world invest money to meet their goals, fulfil their ambitions, and prepare for the future.

We have around 6,000 people on six continents. We've been around for over 220 years, and keep adapting as society and technology changes. What doesn't change is our purpose to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management, and through that, serve wider society.

What you'll do

1. Responsible for onboarding and induction of new directors to the board of Schroders plc, and ongoing liaison with directors;
2. Lead the governance reporting process to the plc Board;
3. Manage the relationship with Schroders plc's Registrars, including KPI management, reporting, fees, shareholder queries;
4. Act as Company Secretary to the parent company of the Group's Investment Firm Group under IFPR, including technical and governance advice.
5. Responsible for end-to-end support (forward planning, board papers, attending board meetings, board evaluations and drafting minutes);
6. Take a key role in Group projects as required, including related party transaction advice, acquisitions and other strategic projects, including investigating the use of automation and AI to improve governance processes;
7. Support the Schroders plc year end process: conflicts, related party transactions and Director annual declaration packs, assisting with drafting of governance section of the Annual Report, AGM planning;
8. Provide technical advice on statutory and regulatory requirements arising from, inter alia, the Companies Act, FCA Listing Rules and Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the Market Abuse Regulation, UK Corporate Governance Code;
9. Oversee compliance with our listed debt continuing obligations;
10. Providing governance support to the business in China;
11. Responsible for horizon scanning of legislation/regulation, inputting into or leading responses to consultations, including collaborating with senior stakeholders in the business;
12. Manage a company secretarial assistant, responsible for their delivery and development;
13. Provide governance support and technical advice to Schroders Group subsidiary boards as required and keeping the Boards up to date on all governance developments;
14. Manage insider lists for financial results and key projects, including relevant business communications and managing the group's insider list software;
15. Review departmental policies, updating and ensuring that these are actively followed by team members;
16. Be an active member of our global Group Governance Network, sharing knowledge and encouraging best practice.

The knowledge, experience and qualifications that you need:

1. Qualified chartered secretary with a background in a listed company environment, c. 5 years PQE.
2. Experience in plc governance, with a good understanding of external reporting requirements.
3. Experience in financial services desirable.
4. Commercial, data led approach to governance.
5. Knowledge of Companies Act, FCA Listing Rules and Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the Market Abuse Regulation, UK Corporate Governance Code.
6. Experience of entity management software, electronic board portals.

What you'll be like:

1. Excellent communication, influencing and analytical skills.
2. Gravitas to liaise with directors and senior management and positively influence outcomes.
3. Ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure with minimum supervision.
4. Commercial approach to the provision of governance, including an interest in the use of technology to support that.
5. Proactive and self-motivated.
6. Collaborative team player.
7. Line management experience and the ability to manage and mentor team members.
8. Ability to contribute to the overall strategy and management of the Governance function.

We recognise potential, whoever you are

Our purpose is to provide excellent investment performance to clients through active management. Diversity of thought facilitated by an inclusive culture will allow us to make better decisions and better achieve our purpose. This is why inclusion and diversity are a strategic priority for us and why we are an equal opportunities employer: you are welcome here regardless of your age, disability, gender identity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, socio-economic background or any other protected characteristics.