Corporate Governance & Secretariat Group Manager

Full time / Part time

Salary: £57,815 - £65,021 with potential for further progression to £73,211 with our pay progression scheme.

Location: Hybrid. Contracted to our Wilmslow, London, Edinburgh, Cardiff or Belfast office, we will be relocating to Manchester city centre from 28 September 2026. Once the move takes place your contracted head office will be Circle Square, Manchester. Through hybrid working we offer flexible home and office-based working opportunities and there will be times when you will be expected to attend the office to collaborate with colleagues or travel due to business need.

Why work for the ICO?

• Pay progression scheme.
• Hybrid and flexible working options.
• 25 days paid holiday per year, plus privilege and public holidays.
• Flexi leave (up to 26 additional days leave per year).
• Pension (employer contribution around 28.9%).
• Online discount scheme to save money at major supermarkets, retailers, gyms, restaurants, insurance providers and many more.
• Health Cash Plan.
• Fantastic development opportunities to learn and progress.

Job summary

The Corporate Governance and Secretariat Group Manager leads the development and delivery of integrated governance and secretariat services that enable effective decision-making, organisational transparency, and public accountability. Reporting to the Head of Risk and Governance and managing a team of specialists, the role ensures the coherence, quality, and continuous improvement of the ICO's governance framework.

Job description

The post holder provides expert advice, drives functional strategy, and oversees the governance support for the Board, Executive Team, and senior leadership groups. This includes managing meeting cycles, coordinating agendas and papers, ensuring accurate records, and tracking actions. They also lead on governance documentation, member induction, and compliance with internal and external standards. Operating with significant autonomy, the role requires sound professional judgement, strong stakeholder engagement, and the ability to influence at senior levels. It contributes to strategic planning, leads key projects, and ensures governance processes support organisational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and line management to the Governance and Secretariat teams, fostering a culture of inclusion, excellence, and accountability, and supporting professional development.
• Maintain and oversee the ICO's governance framework and scheme of delegations, ensuring coherence, consistency, and support for effective decision-making across the organisation.
• Oversee consistent and efficient processes for the preparation and execution of agendas, papers, minutes, and action tracking.
• Provide expert advice on corporate governance and secretariat matters to colleagues at all levels, ensuring alignment with internal policies and external standards.
• Support the Board Secretary in delivering high-quality advisory support to the Board.
• Ensure delivery of a high-quality secretariat service to the Board, Executive Team, and their respective committees and groups, including coordination of forward work programmes, meeting cycles, and preparation of strategically focused agendas and papers.
• Ensure senior stakeholders are equipped with clear, accurate, and timely information to enable effective discussion and decision-making.
• Lead periodic effectiveness reviews of governance bodies, develop action plans, and monitor progress to drive continuous improvement.
• Conduct horizon scanning on company secretarial matters to ensure governance practices remain current and responsive to emerging trends.
• Oversee the production of the ICO's Annual Report, ensuring compliance with governance standards and statutory requirements.
• Collaborate with communications teams to ensure governance-related matters are appropriately communicated both internally and externally.

The post holder is required to work in a flexible way and undertake any other duties reasonably requested by line management which are commensurate with the grade and level of responsibility of this post.

Person specification

Essential criteria assessed at application stage:

• Significant experience in a senior corporate governance or secretariat role.
• Proven experience of supporting and influencing senior stakeholders, including Board and Executive-level colleagues.
• Experience of managing governance frameworks, meeting cycles, and secretariat functions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including drafting high-quality papers and reports for senior audiences.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality outputs under pressure.

Essential criteria assessed during interview:

• Excellent analytical and intellectual capability, with the ability to interpret complex information and provide clear, actionable advice.
• Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build effective relationships and influence at all levels.
• Sound judgement and discretion, with the ability to make considered decisions and maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to lead and motivate a team, fostering a culture of professionalism and continuous improvement.
• Proficient in governance systems and tools, with a good understanding of governance best practice and regulatory expectations.

Equality, diversity, and inclusion

The ICO is committed to promoting and enhancing equality, diversity, and inclusion. We are focused on developing a workforce that is representative of the communities we serve and together we are building an inclusive workplace where all of our colleagues have the opportunity to make a real difference. We are championing this through our Equality Diversity and Inclusion Board together with a number of staff networks. Read more about our commitment on our website.

Candidates with a disability who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy will be invited to interview as part of the ICO's commitment to the Disability Confident Scheme. As part of the ICO's commitment to our EDI objectives and creating a workplace that represents the communities and societies we serve, we guarantee an interview to candidates who declare they identify as belonging from an ethnic minority background and who meet the minimum criteria for this vacancy.

If you are disabled or have an impairment and require an alternative application method, please email the HR team at recruitment@ico.org.uk.

Closing Date

Please submit your CV and cover letter by 23:59 on Sunday 10th May 2026. Your cover letter should be no more than 1,000 words and should clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria for the role. We may close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications. To ensure your application is considered, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application, please contact us at recruitment@ico.org.uk. In the event of a high volume of applications, we may not be able to invite all candidates who meet the minimum criteria to interview. However, we encourage you stay in touch and apply for future roles that match your interests. All candidates who meet the minimum criteria and apply in-line with our guaranteed interview scheme for disabled and ethnic minority applicants will be interviewed.

Clearance Required for this role: Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS)