WHAT DOES A COMPANY SECRETARIAL ASSISTANT DO?

Updated: Jan 11, 2025 - The Company Secretarial Assistant assists with the production of the Annual Report by drafting sections and liaising with auditors on deliverables. This role involves managing subsidiary compliance, including drafting agendas, papers, and minutes and overseeing accounts management, board portal maintenance, and share dealing compliance. The assistant also supports AGM delivery, maintains registers and structure charts, drafts announcements, and provides general administrative support to the secretarial team.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Company Secretarial Assistant

1. Company Secretarial Assistant Job Summary

  • Administrative Support: Provision of administrative support to the Close Brothers Group Plc Board and its directors
  • Paper Compilation: Responsible for compiling and distributing Board and Committee papers, including through Diligent Board Books
  • Agenda Management: Maintain rolling/forward agendas and matters arising logs for Board and Committee meetings
  • Calendar Planning: Liaise with Directors and their assistants in planning/setting the calendar of Board and Committee meetings
  • Material Coordination: Liaise with presenters and paper authors to ensure efficient administration and timely submission of necessary materials
  • Register Maintenance: Maintain key Board registers, including the registers of conflicts and related parties, and Directors’ training records
  • Regulatory Compliance: Responsible for regulatory procedures, including maintenance of insider lists, producing/checking/uploading of regulatory announcements to the London Stock Exchange and FCA and maintaining LEI codes
  • Share Administration: Administration of requests by employees to deal in Close Brothers’ shares
  • Process Improvement: Support ongoing projects to streamline and modernize departmental processes and implement technological solutions
  • Year-End Support: Support Close Brothers Group PLC year-end and half-year processes, including liaison with auditors on ad hoc queries and as part of year-end processes
  • Subsidiary Formation: Form new subsidiaries/branches and provide Company Secretarial support for subsidiary/legal entity rationalization projects (including company strike-offs/liquidations)
  • Agenda Preparation: Prepare annual agendas for the AJ Bell Committees in collaboration with the relevant chairs and the Company Secretary
  • Meeting Support: Prepare agendas for the AJ Bell Committees and support the preparation of electronic meeting packs and management information

2. Company Secretarial Assistant Functions

  • Meeting Attendance: Attending AJ Bell Committee meetings
  • Minute Drafting: Draft detailed minutes of AJ Bell Committee meetings, capturing points discussed and including resolutions and actions arising
  • Action Monitoring: Monitor and report on the completion of actions arising from AJ Bell Committee meetings, including annual effectiveness review actions
  • Schedule Management: Arrange Committee meeting dates at least two years ahead, in collaboration with the Company Secretary and other relevant internal stakeholders
  • Proactive Engagement: Proactively engage with key reminders of activities coming up and what to prepare for in line with annual worklists for the committees, and liaising with the authors of papers to ensure they are submitted on time and in the correct format
  • Project Management: Be responsible for various matters, including corporate projects, one-off research into key questions/requirements, the induction of new Board and Executive Committee members, and the provision of Board and Executive Committee training
  • Stakeholder Liaison: Liaising with internal and external stakeholders, including the Sponsor and Registrar
  • Register Maintenance: Supporting the maintenance of statutory registers and records for all AJ Bell plc group entities, and the preparation and filing of all Companies House forms
  • Compliance Management: Compliance with MAR and listing rules, including the maintenance of the share dealing code and insider lists
  • Report Drafting: Draft the Annual Report and Accounts, other shareholder circulars, and accompanying documentation, including the Corporate Governance Report
  • AGM Coordination: Production of the Notice of Annual General Meeting (AGM) and all associated documentation, and assisting with the organization of the AGM
  • Governance Policy Maintenance: Maintenance of internal corporate governance policies and the governance section of the Company's website
  • Meeting Pack Management: Arrange for Board, Executive Committee, and sub-committee meeting packs to be uploaded to Govenda for distribution
  • Govenda Support: Act as the chief point of contact for queries regarding the Govenda board portal software

3. Company Secretarial Assistant Job Description

  • Client Management: With assistance from senior members of the team, managing a portfolio of clients from inception to dissolution
  • Statutory Compliance: Ensuring companies abide by their statutory obligations including ensuring all statutory filings are undertaken on time
  • Meeting Preparation: Preparing and circulating notices, agendas, and board packs and attendance and minuting of board meetings
  • Minute Drafting: Drafting ad hoc minutes, ensuring the company registers are kept up to date and actively maintained
  • Correspondence Handling: Dealing with correspondence received from third parties
  • Compliance File Completion: Completion of internal compliance files for new clients
  • Client Liaison: Liaising with clients, both local and international, and responding to queries and requests on time
  • Client Coordination: Liaising with colleagues from our client's offices and in other jurisdictions regarding mutual group clients
  • Project Assistance: Assisting with ad-hoc projects and other tasks, and working closely with internal finance and other departments
  • Billing Management: Ensure Govenda license costs and billing are correct and within contract and budget parameters
  • Govenda Maintenance: Maintained Govenda internal processes and troubleshooting software issues in conjunction with the TS service desk and Personal Assistants
  • Govenda Setup: Coordinate and assist with the setup and installation of Govenda for the Board, Executive Committee, and sub-committee members, liaising with the TS service desk and Personal Assistants
  • Website and Social Media Management: Maintain the website and social media engagement, including assisting with the organization of seminars and events
  • Account Preparation: Preparation of non-trading accounts and invoicing of clients

4. Company Secretarial Assistant Overview

  • Office Administration: Assist with the day-to-day running of the office including dealing with the post, telephone queries, and other administrative duties
  • Compliance Monitoring: Monitor and advise clients of key compliance events including annual return filings and holding of AGMs within statutory timeframes
  • Governance Support: Dealing with and responding to general corporate governance queries from clients promptly to meet their requirements
  • Filing Management: Meet deadlines for CRO filings and ensure the timely delivery and filing of forms with the various statutory agencies
  • Database Maintenance: Ensure all relevant databases, software, and online portal facilities remain up-to-date and accurate continuously
  • Minute Preparation: Be responsible for the preparation of Board Minutes and AGM minutes
  • Director Support: Provide support and backup to the Directors and work as part of a team
  • Relationship Management: Develop and maintain a strong and professional working relationship with key internal and external stakeholders
  • Stakeholder Communication: Effective and considered stakeholder management with Senior Managers, Board Directors, their PAs and EAs including drafting of communications
  • Onboarding Support: Assist with onboarding new colleagues/returning colleagues, including setting up new equipment and arranging appropriate systems access
  • Meeting Support: Supporting the Insurance Company Secretarial Team to ensure the smooth running of all aspects of Board and Committee meetings
  • Inquiry Management: Be the primary contact for all general inquiries relating to the organization and logistics of the Board and Committee meetings or information requests
  • Local Compliance Support: Supports and coordinates the local in-country company secretary's requirements as directed by the Finance Accounting Manager
  • Information Provision: Being a primary contact for stakeholders providing information related to Directories and other corporate secretary admin

5. Company Secretarial Assistant Tasks

  • Annual Report Production: Assist with the production of the easyJet plc Annual Report, including drafting specific sections and liaising with auditors on deliverables
  • AGM Support: Draft the AGM notice and ancillary documents and support the delivery of the AGM
  • Subsidiary Compliance: Ensure subsidiary compliance, including drafting agendas, papers, and minutes for operating subsidiaries
  • Accounts Management: Review subsidiary accounts and manage signing and filing
  • Board Portal Management: Manage the electronic Board paper portal including uploading Board, Committee, and AMB papers
  • Share Dealing Compliance: Manage the clearance to deal process and compliance with the Share Dealing Code
  • Register Maintenance: Maintain director's interests register, external appointments register, and conflicts register
  • Announcement Drafting: Draft and release announcements to the London Stock Exchange
  • Dividend Management: Review the dividend timetable and related stationery where applicable
  • Power of Attorney Management: Manage the Powers of Attorney in place across the group
  • Structure Chart Maintenance: Maintain the company structure chart
  • NED Liaison: Liaise with NEDs on various matters and manage any expense claims
  • Invoice and Budget Management: Assist with invoice payments and budget management
  • Administrative Support: Provide general support to the Sec team
Relevant Information
What Does A Corporate Secretary Do?