Senior Company Secretary in London

Senior Company Secretary, Public Markets (Asset Management/Regulated Entities) 

Who we're looking for 

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

This role has a focus on FCA and/or PRA regulated company governance, including Board support, and compliance with external regulatory requirement as well as the Schroders Governance Framework.

You will take a key role in strategic projects, managing senior stakeholders, including external directors, 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

• Responsible for an effective governance framework for the public markets (asset management) business, meeting regulatory requirements and business expectations;

• Act as Company Secretary to several of the Group's regulated entities, acting as trusted advisor to the Board, providing technical and governance advice.

Responsible for end-to-end support (forward planning, board papers, attending board meetings, board evaluations and drafting minutes); 

• Responsible for leading the recruitment and induction of independent non-executive directors as required, and their ongoing training;

• Provide governance support and technical advice as required and keeping the Boards up to date on all governance developments;

• Responsible for horizon scanning of financial services regulation (as it relates to governance), input into or leading responses to consultations, including collaborating with senior stakeholders in the business and overseeing the application of the Group's governance framework;

• Work closely with other Group functions, in particular compliance and HR to ensure compliance with the Senior Manager and Certification Regime; 

• Manage a small team of governance professionals, responsible for their delivery and development;

• 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;

• Be involved in business and 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;

• Review departmental policies, updating and ensuring that these are actively followed by team members; and

• Be an active member of our global Group Governance Network, sharing knowledge and encouraging best practice.

The knowledge, experience and qualifications that you need

• Qualified chartered secretary with a background in a listed and/or financial services company environment, c.

5 years PQE

• Experience in subsidiary governance within financial services, with a good understanding of international governance frameworks

• Ability to establish and maintain internal and external stakeholder relationships and to manage relationships with external service providers

• Commercial, data led approach to governance

• Knowledge of Companies Act, FCA Listing Rules and Disclosure and Transparency Rules, the Market Abuse Regulation, UK Corporate Governance Code. 

• Experience of entity management software, electronic board portals. 

What you'll be like

• Excellent communication, influencing and analytical skills

• Gravitas to liaise with directors and senior management and positively influence outcomes. 

• Ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure with minimum supervision. 

• Commercial approach to the provision of governance, including an interest in the use of technology to support that.

• Proactive and self-motivated.

• Collaborative team player.

• Line management experience and the ability to manage and mentor team members.

• 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.