Governance Officer

Our offer to you:

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
• Hybrid, Flexible working
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping

About Us:

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,400 employees and over 28,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning. As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future. St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid.

Job Summary:

As a Governance Officer, you’ll play a key role in supporting the Company Secretary and Chancery Team at the centre of St John. You’ll take an active lead in governance administration, provide secretarial support to the Executive Leadership Team and Board Committees, and manage projects relating to executive and senior Trustee recruitment. You’ll work closely with executive and trustee stakeholders, offering confident, high-quality support while building strong relationships across the organisation and with external partners. You’ll be comfortable working under pressure, handling sensitive information with discretion, and maintaining a professional yet approachable manner. Working in collaboration with the Executive Assistant Team, you’ll coordinate meeting administration and ensure papers are prepared and circulated on time. You’ll also contribute to a range of business workstreams and play an active role in organisational initiatives that help advance St John’s mission. This role is ideal for someone looking to take the next step in their governance career, offering opportunities to work closely with senior leaders, contribute to strategic decision-making, and further develop your expertise within a respected charity.

About You:

• GCSEs (Grade C/4 or equivalent) including Maths and English is essential.
• Ideally you will hold a further or higher education or relevant administrative qualifications.
• Proven experience providing high-level administrative support to senior executives or non-executive leaders, including supporting Board/Committee/Executive meetings and working in complex, matrixed environments.
• Proven experience in minute‑taking, ensuring accurate and timely records of key decisions and actions.
• Your attention to detail and ability to capture complex discussions will be highly valued in this role.
• Practical understanding of governance frameworks, board and committee operations, compliance requirements, and familiarity with the charity sector.
• Strong administration skills, including producing, editing, and managing documents and reports using MS Office 365 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint) and openness to emerging AI tools.
• Highly organised, able to prioritise multiple tasks, work independently with attention to detail, exercise initiative, and maintain integrity, flexibility, and adaptability.
• Excellent people skills with the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels, understand the roles and accountabilities of senior executives, and exemplify St John’s HEART values.

About the Role:

• Lead end-to-end secretarial support for the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and Board Committees, including agenda planning, paper commissioning, minute‑taking, action tracking, and ensuring compliance with governance standards.
• Work closely with senior stakeholders, Committee Chairs, Executive Leads, and the Company Secretary to enable effective meeting management, timely decisions, and adherence to governance requirements.
• Manage administrative and project tasks for the recruitment and appointment of senior volunteer and executive roles, liaising with committees, executives, recruitment teams, and external agencies.
• Utilise project management tools like Governance Planner to organise workstreams, track progress, and maintain consistency across governance activities and teams.
• Draft correspondence, reports, and briefings for Chairs and executives, ensuring stakeholders are fully prepared for meetings and engagement with internal and external contacts is professional and effective.
• Support additional governance meetings, manage shared and personal inboxes, identify ways to enhance service delivery, and maintain high standards of executive and trustee support.

Please see the job description for more detail (this can be viewed on our website or once you click apply).