Assistant Company Secretary

Overall scope/purpose of the role
Fast moving environment, working in a small department. The role will cover the full suite of company secretarial tasks as required by a FTSE premium listed company. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the company's regulatory compliance and there will be overseas governance and compliance matters to consider and address.

The department is busy and deadlines can at times be extremely pressured. It is a varied role and the candidate will need to be adaptable. The role will provide an excellent opportunity for day-to-day learning and the candidate will be given sole responsibility for many key tasks.

Key Responsibilities
*Preparation of Governance Report and other ad-hoc papers as required, for plc Board Meetings
*Support the Company Secretary with Remuneration Committee, Audit Committee and Nomination Committee matters, including the preparation of a Litigation Register
*Primary responsibility for co-ordinating the Group's global insurance programme, including overseeing the annual renewal process with the company's insurance brokers
*Managing the day-to-day relationship with the Company's registrars and managing the processes regarding the issue and listing of new shares, dividend payment arrangements, including reviewing the scrip dividend and agreeing the dividend payment timetable
*Maintaining records for issued share capital and treasury shares
*Registering and managing the Group's worldwide trademark portfolio and liaising with trade mark agents
*Administering and maintaining the records of the Group's share option schemes, including liaising with the trustees of the EBT; completing and filing HMRC annual returns
*Preparing headroom forecasts for share schemes and issued share capital
*Assisting with drafting of the Directors' Report and Corporate Governance Report sections of the Annual Report and Accounts
*Assisting in ensuring compliance with the Corporate Governance Code, Market Abuse Regulation, sanctions, Health & Safety, Data Protection, Anti-Bribery and Corruption, whistleblowing etc, and advising on best practice
*Drafting and releasing RNS announcements and NSM submissions
*Organising and arranging the Company's AGM (and GMs) to ensure a smooth and effective execution, including preparation of the notice of meeting and other ancillary documents, monitoring proxy voting results and responding to queries of Investor Bodies
*Reviewing confidentiality agreements and dealing with ad hoc contract queries from operational businesses
*Dealing with tasks related to acquisitions and corporate actions, as required
*Attending to statutory filings and notifications to the Registrar of Companies for UK companies and State and Federal filings for US companies
*Maintaining central database of group companies (Blueprint 2000)
*Maintaining insider lists and approvals in accordance with company's share dealing policy
*Answering ad hoc shareholder queries and monitoring shareholder analyses
*Involved in rationalising dormant subsidiary companies
*Preparation of routine company minutes

Knowledge, Experience, Skills & Qualifications
*ICSA qualified
*Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
*Ideally someone who has worked in a listed plc with overseas subsidiaries
*Working knowledge of the FCA's Listing Rules and Disclosure & Transparency Rules and Companies Act 2006
*IT skills: Blueprint, Word, Excel
*Minute taking
*Highly organised and practicable
*Computer literate
*Ability to work to deadlines and remain calm and focussed
*High level of accuracy
*Discreet and confidential
*Flexible and adaptable

Key working relationships
Internal:
*Finance (head office and subsidiaries)
*Senior Management and Divisional executives

External:
*Registrars
*Trademark agents
*Insurance brokers
*Company's lawyers
*Trustees of the EBT
*Auditors
*Companies House