Governance Officer

Wax Recruitment Ltd; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 23,000 - 33,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Housing seeks a Governance Administrator to deliver high-quality company secretarial services for Boards and Committees. You will coordinate meetings, prepare minutes, write reports, and maintain governance papers and records.

You will support AGM processes, recruitment of board members, induction materials, and annual governance reviews. The role requires strong organisation, regulation knowledge and precise minute-taking abilities.

Qualifications

• Experience in company secretarial duties and governance.
• Knowledge of governance frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Exposure to board and committee servicing and secretarial tasks.
• Understanding of social housing regulation and related laws.

Responsibilities

• Provide efficient governance support to Southern Housing Boards and Committees.
• Arrange meetings, plan agendas, write reports, distribute papers and minutes.
• Maintain governance registers and probity, gifts, hospitality and whistleblowing records.
• Support AGMs: notices, packs, minutes, and follow-up actions.
• Assist succession planning and recruitment for Board/Committee Members; prepare shortlisting reports.
• Support induction and training for new Directors and Committee Members with materials.
• Assist with annual appraisals and effectiveness reports for Boards/Committees; produce surveys.
• Handle execution of legal documents using electronic signing or seals as needed.
• Assist in managing the Consumers Credit Licence; ensure regulatory filing duties are performed.
• Develop and maintain governance policies to meet current legislation and regulatory requirements.
• Contribute to governance projects and regulatory inspection preparations.
• Perform general admin: filing, archiving, invoicing, notices, and expenses.

Skills

Company secretarial

Governance

Minute taking

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Social housing regulation

Laws and compliance

Organisational skills

Communication

Networking skills

Job description

Location: Fleet House, 59-61 Clerkenwell Road, London, London, EC1M 5LA, Southern Housing

Salary: £20.27 per hour

2 days remote, 3 days office.

The role

Reporting to the Head of Governance & Regulation, you will provide an efficient, effective quality administrative service to Southern Housing Boards and Committees and contribute to ensuring Southern Housing meets its legal and regulatory requirements with regard to company secretarial matters.

Accountable for servicing and supporting Southern Housing Subsidiary Boards and Committees including arranging meetings, agenda planning, writing reports, collation and distribution of papers, servicing and taking minutes and follow-up actions. Working closely with Chairs and senior staff to ensure a high‑quality service.

• To maintain the Governance Team system, files and records, ensuring that these are up to date and kept securely.
• Administer and maintain Southern Housing's governance registers, including probity, shareholders, gifts and hospitality, fraud and whistleblowing registers ensuring compliance with related policies.

• Support the AGMs for the Board and subsidiary boards by arranging meetings, approval of AGM Notices, distribution of AGM packs plus servicing and minuting meetings.

• Support the Head of Governance & Regulation to manage the programme of succession and recruitment of Board and Committee members. Create recruitment packs, arrange interviews and shortlisting meetings and provide written recommendation reports to the relevant Board and committees.

• Assist the Corporate Director of Governance & Regulation with the induction and training of new Board and Committee Members by organising meetings and providing necessary training or presentation materials.

• Assist with the annual collective appraisals and effectiveness reports for all Board and Committees by producing surveys, arranging meetings and writing reports including recommendations.

• Responsible for administration relating to the execution of legal documentation including using electronic signing or the application of seals on behalf of the Southern Housing Board and its subsidiaries.

• Assist the Head of Governance & Regulation in managing Southern Housing's Consumer Credit Licence.

• Undertake statutory and regulatory filing duties for various regulatory bodies under the direction of the Head of Governance & Regulation.

• Assist the Head of Governance & Regulation in developing and maintaining governance policies and procedures to ensure compliance with current legislation and regulatory requirements.

Provide support and be accountable for other governance projects and tasks including preparations for Regulatory Inspections and Governance Review projects.

• General administrative duties including filing, archiving, processing invoices, logging of legal notices, dealing with telephone enquiries and processing board member expenses.

What you’ll need:

Knowledge & Experience

• Knowledge and experience of company secretarial duties and governance.
• Knowledge of social housing regulation.
• Knowledge of laws that apply to the business of Southern Housing.

Excellent organisational skills. Skills

• Excellent organisation and communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and to tight legislative deadlines.
• Excellent minute taking.
• Drafting policies and procedures.
• Attention to detail.
• Being professionally curious.
• Strong communication and networking skills.