Company Secretarial Assistant

Are you ready to chart your own career path? With our refreshed strategy, we’re building on our rich heritage and transforming our business to be more scalable and efficient, unlocking the capabilities needed for future success. This includes significantly investing in technology, streamlining the way we work and creating an environment where colleagues feel engaged, empowered and accountable; where they can show up, speak up and perform – because we believe in the difference our work makes.

At a glance:

Location: Cirencester Office

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Employment Type: Permanent

Seniority: Associate

Who We Are

People have always been at the heart of St. James’s Place, we value long-term relationships and we are a home for people who care about the future – financially, environmentally and socially. These core values have enabled us to become a leading FTSE 100 Wealth Management company.

The role:

This role is integral in providing proactive support to Company Secretarial team members. You\’ll be responsible for the maintenance of statutory records and keeping corporate records up to date, assisting with necessary corporate filings and the preparation of associated documentation.

Utilising relevant knowledge and a capability for research, the role also supports board processes and decision making for Group companies, in particular for Tier 3 companies and below. When new and changing governance and legal requirements arise the Company Secretarial Assistant assists in assessing the impact and preparing board papers, templates, policies, and procedures arising therefrom.

What you\’ll be doing:

Group Governance arrangements

• Provide support to Senior Assistant Company Secretaries and Assistant Company Secretaries in the delivery of governance support to Tier 2 subsidiary boards and GEC.
• Provide support to Assistant Company Secretaries in the delivery of governance support to subsidiaries below Tier 2, including deputising as needed.
• Carry out initial research into the implications of new or changing legislation, regulation and guidelines, highlighting potential areas of impact on SJP.
• Preparing first drafts of board/committee papers, file notes and memorandums. Advising Boards, directors and the business generally on aspects of the Group Governance Framework, governance processes and reporting requirements.
• Supporting the Assistant Company Secretaries with the maintenance of the Governance Hub, including updating the library of Company Secretarial procedures.
• Triaging incoming governance queries and researching proposed responses to queries raised.

Corporate Administration

• Responsible for drafting statutory compliance submissions for Group companies and changes to the corporate records maintained on the chosen Corporate Records system, submitting them to appropriately authorised members of the Company Secretariat for approval together with draft minutes where required. Including but not limited to:
• Regular/periodic companies house filings including confirmation statements and annual report and accounts;
• Event driven, Companies House filings including change of directors and officers and share capital changes;
• Uploading company records for newly acquired and newly formed subsidiaries (including reviewing them for accuracy);
• Controllers, Close Links and Threshold Conditions submissions to the FCA;
• Filings and documentation relating to the statutory process for liquidations and strike off of companies.
• Responsible for drafting, and submitting to an appropriately authorised member of the Company Secretariat for approval, stock exchange announcements in accordance with the FCA’s UK Listing Rules, Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules, Prospectus Rules and Market Abuse Regulations, as applicable.
• Drafting and managing the execution of new or revised Powers of Attorney granted by Group companies, ensuring associated minutes are drafted and registers of Powers of Attorney are maintained and updated.
• Maintaining Corporate Insider Lists, as required under MAR, on the Group’s chosen record system.

Shareholder/Investor Relations and Support

• Supporting Company Secretariat’s involvement in the preparation of the Consolidated Group Annual Report and Accounts, the Annual Report and Accounts of the Group’s subsidiary companies and other key corporate reports by sourcing and validating key information, researching reporting requirements and preparing initial drafts of certain sections of reports.
• Supporting Assistant Company Secretaries to respond to shareholder queries.

Essential Criteria:

• Understanding of corporate governance and UK legal framework, in particular in relation to company law, ideally with a relevant undergraduate legal qualification.
• Understanding of SJP and its operating infrastructure, and the key responsibilities of the governance bodies across the Group.
• Awareness of the operation of boards of directors, including the roles of executive and non-executives.
• Desire to develop a comprehensive understanding of company law, UK listing authority rules and other aspects of corporate governance.
• Curious and inquisitive with a desire to investigate and understand issues, carrying out independent research and demonstrating a willingness to offer potential solutions.
• Eager to learn new approaches and consider different ways of working with the aim of improving themselves and the team.
• Organised and methodical with good attention to detail and capacity for scrutinising complex and detailed documents.

Flexible Working

We know that everyone works best in different ways, at different times and in different environments. We value all of our employees and appreciate that everyone is different, and at different stages within their career. Recognising this, we have introduced a hybrid working policy to provide greater flexibility for part-time work, job-sharing, remote working, and flexibility on hours. Our people are encouraged to work in a flexible way that suits their lifestyle, so please ask the question and start a conversation!

Research tells us that applicants (especially those from underrepresented groups) can be put off from applying for a role if they do not meet all the criteria or have been on an extended career-break. If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you tick every box.

Why work for us?

Our Rewards

In addition to an attractive salary and eligibility to participate in the discretionary annual bonus opportunities, you will also receive an excellent benefit package including:

• Non-Contributory Pension – 10% (increasing with length of service) with further pension matching
• Meaningful protection benefits with real value, such as 10X life cover, PHI, and critical illness.
• Best in class terms and conditions including 6 months paid maternity and paternity leave.
• Private Medical and Dental Insurance
• 28 days holiday entitlement plus bank holidays (based on full-time equivalent) with the option to buy an additional up to 5 days
• Discretionary bonus scheme dependent on company and personal performance, varied by level
• Not applicable to fixed term contracts (standard uplift applies in lieu of the protection benefits)

Our Culture

Our culture is the glue that binds us together – It’s one of our biggest assets and one of the biggest reasons for our success. It’s underpinned by core values of doing the right thing, being the best version of ourselves and investing in long term relationships.

We want to embrace diverse backgrounds and experiences to connect with clients, solve problems and innovate. We raise our voice on the things that matter to us and drive change from the front. Contributing to our inclusive culture is vital, ensuring a space for everyone to be their authentic self, no compromises.

In all we do, we consider how our work affects the communities in which we belong. Over 96% of our group employees are involved in supporting our communities through financial education, charitable giving and volunteering. Over 80% of all our employees and Partners donate each month to our Charitable Foundation, which is now the 3rd largest corporate charity in UK.

SJP are delighted to have signed The Armed Forces Covenant, and we are active members of LGBT Great, 30% club, The Diversity Project, Disability Confident and more! Find out more: https://www.sjp.co.uk/careers/life-at-sjp

Our Awards:

We understand it’s important to be proud of the company you work for, that’s why we’re proud to share with you some of our recent awards:

• Wealth Manager of the Year – Growth Investor Awards 2021
• Best Wealth Manager – Shares Awards 2021
• Championing LGBTQ Inclusion – Financial Adviser Diversity in Finance Awards 2020
• Top 75 Employer – Social Mobility Foundation Employer Index 2021

To find out more visit: https://www.sjp.co.uk/about-us/our-awards-and-recognition

How To Apply

To apply for this role please click on the Apply button below.

We occasionally close vacancies early due to high volumes of applications. We would therefore recommend you complete your application prior to the closing date which is for guidance only.

Careers at SJP | St. James’s Place Careers

What\’s in it for you?

We reward you for the work you do, whether that’s through our discretionary annual bonus scheme that reflects both personal and company performance, competitive annual leave allowance (28 days plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional 5 days), or online rewards platform with a variety of discounts.

We also have benefits to support whatever stage of life you are in, including:

• Competitive parental leave (26 weeks full pay)
• Private medical insurance (optional taxable benefit)
• 10% non-contributory pension (increasing with length of service)

Reasonable Adjustments We\’re an equal opportunities employer and want to ensure our recruitment process is accessible and inclusive for all, if you require reasonable adjustment(s) at any stage please let us know by emailing us at careers@sjp.co.uk

Research tells us that applicants (especially those from underrepresented groups) can be put off from applying for a role if they do not meet all the criteria or have been on an extended career-break. If you think you would be a good match for this role and can demonstrate some transferable experience please apply, regardless of whether you tick every box.

What\’s next?

If you\’re excited about this role and believe you have the skills and experience we\’re looking for, we\’d love to hear from you! Please submit an application by clicking ‘apply’ below and our team will be in touch.

As a business regulated by the FCA we would advise you to familiarise yourself with the conduct regulations and in particular consumer duty obligations prior to an interview with SJP.

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