Assistant Company Secretary in Belfast

Your role: Assistant Company Secretary

Please note that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role. Applicants must already have the legal right to work in the UK. Relocation assistance is not available, and any costs associated with relocating will be the responsibility of the successful candidate.

Why you'll want to work with us: At Danske Bank, we're driven by a clear purpose: to help customers, colleagues, and society thrive. We believe that what we do genuinely makes a positive difference and that our culture and ways of working create a unique place to grow your career. This includes investing in our people's personal growth and wellbeing to ensure everyone feels that they belong and are set up for success. We value diversity in its broadest sense which we know makes us stronger as a business and invites all colleagues to bring their whole selves to work. Our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy is central to our purpose and shows up in how we work every day. Driving sustainability is a key strategic priority for us. We're passionate about giving back to the communities in which we live and work.

Your benefits: There's much more to working at Danske Bank than just a salary but for this role we are offering a competitive salary which is dependent on experience. We also offer an attractive range of flexible benefits centred on wellness, financial, psychological, physical and social. Everyone's circumstances are different, and our benefits can be tailored to your needs.

The Role: Reporting to the Head of Governance & Company Secretary, the Assistant Company Secretary will play a leading role in championing good governance practices across the Bank; act as subject matter expert and trusted adviser to the Chairs of the Board Audit and Risk Committees, providing governance advice and support, where required. You will deliver a smooth and efficient Board/committee cycle; co-ordinate cohesive communication across the Boards and Committees of Northern Bank Limited and its subsidiaries; ensure all Companies House filings are submitted as required and within the specified timeframes in respect of the Bank and its subsidiary companies and prepare the Bank's Corporate Governance and s172 Statements for inclusion in the Bank's Annual Report and Accounts and publication on the Bank's website.

Key responsibilities:

• Arrange meetings, preparing agendas, collating papers and ensuring their timely distribution for the bank and its subsidiary companies
• Prepare governance related papers for Board and Board Committees
• Monitor follow up actions to be taken after the meetings and maintaining a rolling agenda/Schedule of Submissions
• Maintain Board and Committee records including papers, minutes, delegated authorities and indices
• Prepare the Bank's Corporate Governance and s172 Statements and any other governance related content for inclusion in the Bank's Annual Report and Accounts and publication on the Bank's website
• Ensure all Companies House filings are submitted as required and within the specified timeframes in respect of the Bank and its subsidiary companies
• Assist in the management of all legal, regulatory and governance aspects of the process for the resignation, appointment and reappointment of Directors
• Support the delivery of the induction programme for new directors
• Provide support to the CEO, Deputy CEO, CRO, and Head of Internal Audit on matters relevant to the Audit and Risk, Committees taking into account all relevant laws, regulation, guidance and governance principles and best practice
• Enhance the delivery of good governance practices by embracing new technologies and developments
• Act as Enterprise Risk Manager and manage all third party contracts and relationships for CEO Office

What skills and experience you need: To be successful in this role you will have a genuine passion and interest in governance with the ability to communicate with influence across a wide range of stakeholders.

Essential skills & experience:

• Excellent organisational and time management skills
• Ability to manage competing priorities and fixed deadlines across a structured Board and Committee calendar
• Ability to interact confidently and effectively with board members, senior management, and internal & external stakeholders
• Proactive and able to work on own initiative, while knowing when to escalate or seek guidance
• Sound judgement, discretion and integrity in handling sensitive, confidential and Board-level matters
• Strong drafting skills, with the ability to prepare clear, accurate and professional documents for senior audiences
• Adaptable and resilient, with the ability to work flexibly around Board and Committee deadlines
• Confident using Microsoft Office and digital tools to prepare, review and manage high-quality documents and records
• Strong attention to detail

Desirable skills & experience:

• Qualified Solicitor or 3rd level qualification in Law or Corporate Governance
• Previous company secretarial or corporate governance experience
• Experience of using a legal entity management database such as GEMs

How we work: Our belief is that we are "Better when Together" and want to balance the benefits of teaming up in person with flexible working. With the nature of this role as Assistant Company Secretary, there is a pre-agreed Board Meeting Schedule which can result in some restrictions in when annual leave can be taken and may include early starts or late evenings however, we will try our best to accommodate flexibility when required. Fully remote working is not available in this role, which requires a minimum of 3 days per week in the office.

Danske Bank is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. That means that, as a committed equal opportunities employer, we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates regardless of (but not limited to); gender, ethnicity, background, nationality, generation, age, working style, religious background, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and cognitive diversity, including neurodiversity.

About Us: Danske Bank is the trading name of Northern Bank Ltd, one of the largest banks in Northern Ireland and an autonomous subsidiary of Danske Bank Group. We've been helping people and businesses achieve their ambitions for over 200 years. Today, we serve the needs of our personal and business customers through our branches, our regional business centres, telephone banking and a wide range of digital banking channels.