Senior Assistant Company Secretary - London / Birmingham

Ernst & Young; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading multinational professional services firm in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced company secretarial governance professional. You will support the Company Secretary and senior leadership, ensuring regulatory compliance and providing oversight to junior team members. The ideal candidate will have strong communication skills and a professional qualification in governance. This role offers a competitive remuneration package and opportunities for career development.

Benefits

Competitive remuneration package

Flexible working support

Career development opportunities

Continuous learning

Qualifications

• Proactive governance professional eager to develop skills.
• Significant experience in a regulated business environment.

Responsibilities

• Report directly to the Company Secretary.
• Support at EY UK Boards and committees.
• Provide oversight and guidance to junior team members.
• Ensure regulatory compliance for EY UK.

Skills

Company secretarial practice

Governance codes interpretation

Board management

Written communication

Relationship management

Project management

Line management

Statutory compliance

Education

Professional qualification (e.g., CGI)

Job description

Responsibilities

• Report directly to the Company Secretary;

• Support the Company Secretary at a number of the main EY UK Boards, as well as being Secretary to certain Board committees delivering high‑quality end‑to‑end Board support;

• Work closely with Senior Leadership at EY UK;

• Support the Company Secretary in governance matters;

• Support the EY UK’s Independent Non‑Executives;

• Provide oversight, guidance, coaching and mentoring to other junior team members;

• Support the team in developing and implementing systems, processes and controls to ensure that regulatory obligations are met;

• Take the lead within the team in ensuring EY UK’s regulatory compliance (i.e., through making the necessary notifications to, and filing annual returns with, the ICAEW, Companies House, ISQM);

• Ensure the ongoing accuracy of the statutory records and assist in implementing technology to support the processes carried out by the team;

• Have other responsibilities, including various governance projects, such as drafting sections of EY UK’s Transparency Report and providing formal governance advice.

We are seeking an experienced and proactive company secretarial governance professional, who is keen to develop their career, governance knowledge, skills and experience in a regulated business environment. The ideal candidate will hold a professional qualification such as Chartered Governance Institute (CGI) or equivalent and have significant experience in a similar role.

Qualifications

• Extensive knowledge of company secretarial practice and its application in a highly regulated environment;

• Experience of interpreting and applying governance codes and regulations;

• Strong board/c‑suite level experience, having attended and managed Board and Committee meetings in a sophisticated business environment;

• Strong written communication skills, including the ability to draft high‑quality formal minutes (informed by good judgement and governance best practice) with excellent attention to detail and produced to tight deadlines;

• Excellent communication skills, with a proven ability to build effective relationships and develop respect, trust and credibility at all levels, including with senior stakeholders;

• Project management and organisational skills, with the ability to manage stakeholder expectations and take a proactive approach to forward planning;

• Line management experience, including providing oversight, guidance, coaching and mentoring;

• Statutory compliance experience, ideally including familiarity with Diligent Entities or similar.

Desired Attributes

What we look for: A self‑starter who proactively looks to build relationships based on trust and confidence with the ability to adapt and be flexible. The ability to work as both a team player but also autonomously is key for this role.

About EY

At EY, you’ll have the chance to build a career as unique as you are, with the global scale, support, inclusive culture and technology to become the best version of you. And we’re counting on your unique voice and perspective to help EY become even better, too. Join us and build an exceptional experience for yourself, and a better working world for all.

Our existing In‑house Company Secretarial team, led by our Company Secretary Claire McSwiggan, forms part of the firm’s legal function, led by general Counsel Lisa Cameron, comprising around 40 lawyers supported by 4 paralegals. Our team supports both the Board, non‑executives and executive leadership in establishing and maintaining a robust and appropriate governance framework. The breadth of work is diverse with exposure to a broad range of disciplines. The opportunity As we continue to evaluate the needs of the firm and how the Company Secretariat can provide optimal support, we have an exciting new opportunity to join our expanding Company Secretariat team to support the firm in finding pragmatic solutions to governance and secretariat related issues. You will play a central role in corporate governance and take on a key role and work closely with the UK Senior Leadership team and independent non‑executives to provide a high standard of governance and secretarial services. The role holder will have exposure to a broad remit of company secretarial and governance work and the autonomy to take ownership of their workload and enhance the effectiveness of governance processes and leverage technology to build a better working world.

We offer a competitive remuneration package where you’ll be rewarded for your individual and team performance. Our comprehensive Total Rewards package includes support for flexible working and career development, and with FlexEY you can select benefits that suit your needs, covering holidays, health and well‑being, insurance, savings and a wide range of discounts, offers and promotions. Plus, we offer:

• Continuous learning: You’ll develop the mindset and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
• Success as defined by you: We’ll provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
• Transformative leadership: We’ll give you the insights, coaching and confidence to be the leader the world needs.
• Diverse and inclusive culture: You’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.

Additional Information

EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long‑term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today. EY is building a better working world by creating new value for clients, people, society and the planet, while building trust in capital markets. Enabled by data, AI and advanced technology, EY teams help clients shape the future with confidence and develop answers for the most pressing issues of today and tomorrow. EY teams work across a full spectrum of services in assurance, consulting, tax, strategy and transactions.