Deputy Company Secretary

London, England, United Kingdom

12/18/2024

St. James's Place (SJP) works in partnership to plan, grow and protect our clients’ financial futures. We deliver personalised, face-to-face financial advice to our clients, who trust us to manage their money to reach their goals. We provide this service via the Partnership, a network of qualified, expert advisors. We put financial wellbeing and responsible business choices at the heart of everything we do. We believe in the value of difference and know that diverse teams can help us problem solve and innovate for clients.

We look for people to join SJP to make an impact and to contribute to our culture which is based around long term relationships, doing the right thing, and being the best version of ourselves.

Location: London - Paddington

Workplace Type: Hybrid

Employment Type: Permanent

Seniority: Director

Reporting to the Company Secretary this key individual will take a leading role in overseeing the Company Secretariat’s operations and delivery of its services to stakeholders. The role holder is responsible for providing strategic governance advice and support to Directors/management within the St James’s Place Group of companies, and leading the support provided to PLC Board committees and material subsidiaries. This person will deputise for the Company Secretary as required and support with governance arrangements for the PLC Board, ensuring SJP’s day to day compliance with governance, regulatory and legal requirements. Previous FTSE 350 experience at Group Company Level within Financial Services required.

What you’ll be doing:

Corporate Administration

• Oversee the maintenance of the statutory books of all Group companies.
  
  

Board/Committee Meeting Support

• Providing full company secretarial and governance support for PLC Board Committees and material subsidiaries including minuting the meetings of these entities.
• Provides support in relation to planning, organising and attending PLC Board meetings and PLC Board committees, including attending and minuting meetings where required and preparing papers for those meetings.
• Deputising for the Company Secretary at PLC Board meetings (and ad hoc committees) as required.
  
  

Governance Support and Guidance

• Act as SME and providing support/advice to the business in a Company Secretarial capacity.
• Oversee the company secretarial and governance support provided to the Group’s material subsidiaries.
• Lead on the training/induction of new directors/NEDs, including assisting with preparation for regulatory interviews.
• Act as a key point of contact/relationship manager for Non-executive Directors and senior stakeholders in the business.
  
  

Regulatory/Company Law Compliance

• Identify new/proposed rules and guidelines in relation to governance and relevant regulatory requirements and communicate to relevant audiences.
• Oversee compliance with applicable legislation, regulations and governance guidelines including MAR and the UKLA’s Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules and Listing Rules.
• Monitor investor stewardship and voting guidelines and assess implications for SJP.
• Monitor/assess implications of guidelines/legislation in relation to Executive and Non-executive remuneration for SJP.
• Oversee the implementation of changes required to meet new statutory and regulatory requirements.
  
  

Shareholder/Investor Relations and Support

• Lead in the preparation of the Consolidated Group Annual Report and Accounts and the Annual Report and Accounts of the Group’s subsidiary companies.
• Oversee/manage engagement with investors and investor bodies seeking to engage on matters of corporate governance.
  
  

Team

• Day to day responsibility for managing the Company Secretariat team and its operations.
• Driving the development of more junior members of the team
• Create a comprehensive service catalogue and effective processes to underpin the services delivered by the wider team.
  
  

Who we’re looking for:

• Qualified Chartered Secretary and/or commensurate legal qualification/experience with at least ten years PQE.
• FTSE 350 experience at Group Company level required within the financial services sector.
• Extensive knowledge of UK corporate law, listing regime and corporate governance codes and basic understanding of wider international regimes with strong experience of having to assess, interpret and apply requirements.
• Practical knowledge and experience of executive remuneration/share plans and Market Abuse Regulations.
• Experience of providing support to Boards and Board committees of a listed PLC, in particular acting as the Secretary of meetings and providing advice and guidance to directors in the boardroom.
• A good understanding of SJP and its operating infrastructure and the key responsibilities of the governance bodies across the Group.
• Strong problem solving skills incorporating risk and controls mind-set.
• Able to work under pressure and prioritise multiple tasks across multiple disciplines.
• Strong interpersonal and influencing skills – able to engage and communicate effectively in an inclusive manner with people at all levels.
• Resilient and tenacious.
• Confidentiality and diplomacy essential.
  
  

Special Requirements:

Some travel will be required in this role with the occasional need to work outside traditional working hours with overnight stays.

What's in it for you?

• Private Medical paid for by Company.
• Meaningful protection benefits with real value, such as 10X life cover, PHI, and critical illness.*
• Non-Contributory Pension – 10% (increasing with length of service up to 15%) with further pension matching.
• Parental leave – 6 months full pay
• 28 days holiday entitlement plus bank holidays (based on full-time equivalent) with the option to buy up to an additional 5 days holiday
• Not applicable to Fixed-Term Contracts (standard uplift applies in lieu of the protection benefits)
  
  

Flexible Working We know that everyone works best in different ways, at different times and in different environments. 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.

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

What's next?

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.