Interim Head of Corporate Services in Haverfordwest

Yolk Recruitment Public Sector & Not-for-Profit is delighted to be supporting Ateb in the appointment of an Interim Head of Corporate Services. This is a 3 month contract, with the potential for extension.

This is a key senior leadership appointment, reporting directly to the Chief Executive, with responsibility for providing strategic leadership across governance, assurance, risk, regulatory compliance, company secretarial services, data protection, legal services and business improvement. The successful candidate will play a critical role in ensuring the organisation maintains the highest standards of corporate governance and regulatory assurance, providing confidence to the Board, Executive Team and wider organisation that the right frameworks, controls and processes are in place to support effective decision-making and compliance.

• Providing strategic leadership across corporate governance, assurance, risk, regulatory compliance and business improvement.
• Acting as Company Secretary to the Board and Committees, ensuring effective governance arrangements and high-quality support to Board and Committee activity.
• Working closely with the Board, Committees and Executive Management Team to embed a strong culture of governance, assurance and accountability across the organisation.
• Acting as the key organisational contact for the Welsh Government Regulation Team, coordinating regulatory requirements and ensuring regulatory matters are appropriately managed, communicated and escalated.
• Leading the organisation's assurance framework, ensuring it has a clear understanding of its risk profile, risk appetite and business continuity arrangements.
• Ensuring effective policies, procedures, controls and assurance processes are in place, with appropriate testing and monitoring to identify risks, gaps and areas for improvement.
• Providing assurance to senior leaders and the Board that the organisation is compliant, well governed and doing the right things.
• Supporting the organisation to identify where it is not compliant, where risks exist and where improvements are required, ensuring appropriate action is taken.
• Leading the organisation's approach to data protection and GDPR, acting as Data Protection Officer.
• Overseeing the organisation's legal services framework, including the management of external legal support and appropriate service level agreements.
• Providing strategic leadership to corporate services, ensuring effective integration with wider organisational priorities and objectives.
• Leading strategic and operational improvement activity, ensuring agreed actions and programmes deliver the intended outcomes.
• Building effective relationships across the organisation, providing leadership, challenge, guidance and support on complex governance, assurance and regulatory matters.
• Keeping abreast of changes in legislation, regulation and the wider operating environment, ensuring these are appropriately reflected in the organisation's governance and assurance arrangements.

You will have a strong track record in corporate governance and assurance, gained within a regulated environment such as social housing, the public sector, local government or another complex organisation.

You will bring:

• Significant experience operating at a senior leadership level across governance, assurance, risk and regulatory compliance.
• Strong knowledge and understanding of corporate governance principles and Board/Committee structures.
• Experience acting as, or supporting the responsibilities of, a Company Secretary, with a strong understanding of effective Board and Committee governance.
• Experience working with regulators and managing regulatory requirements within a complex or regulated organisation.
• A strong understanding of risk management, assurance frameworks, internal controls and business continuity.
• The ability to provide robust challenge and constructive advice to senior leaders and Boards.
• Experience translating complex regulatory, legal and governance requirements into clear recommendations and actions.
• Strong report writing and communication skills, with the ability to prepare high-quality information and recommendations for Board and Committee consideration.
• Experience leading and developing teams, alongside the ability to work collaboratively across an organisation.
• A relevant professional qualification and/or significant equivalent experience.
• A legal background or qualification would be advantageous, given the responsibility for legal services and oversight.
• The ability to operate with a high level of integrity, discretion, sound judgement and diplomacy.

Milford Haven office base with flexible/hybrid working. Open to a day rate or fixed-term contract. Offering a quick start and potential for an extension past 3 months.

To apply, please submit your up-to-date CV demonstrating how you meet the requirements of the role. For further information or a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Hannah Welfoot at Yolk Recruitment.