Assistant Company Secretary

At Wickes we have an exciting opportunity for a governance professional to join our dedicated in-house Legal and Sustainability team, reporting into our Director of Legal & Governance and working closely with our General Counsel & Company Secretary and the Board. In this role you will promote good corporate governance and compliance with laws, regulations and policies, you will support the administration of the Group’s legal entities and share schemes. 

Utilising your excellent communication skills, you will be supporting all levels of management at Wickes on governance matters including:

Board support

• Work closely with the Company Secretary, Board members and senior management to prepare agendas and papers for Plc Board and Committee meetings.

• Coordinate the preparation of papers, ensuring papers are issued in a timely manner.

• Draft and review papers for Board and Committee meetings as required.

• Ensure actions from meetings are followed up and completed.

• Monitor standards for Board administration and seek opportunities for continuous improvement.

Plc listed company compliance

• Coordinate the organisation of the AGM and work with the wider team to prepare the materials required for shareholders and the Board.

• Support the delivery of services to shareholders including dividends, maintaining the corporate website, resolving shareholder enquiries and liaising with external service providers as required.

• Complete any filings and regulatory announcements required for Buybacks

• Draft and release regulatory announcements.

Statutory compliance

• Maintain statutory records for Group entities ensuring all records are up to date and accurate and relevant filings are made at Companies House in a timely manner.

• Support statutory compliance processes, including annual confirmation of related party transactions.

Share schemes

• Support the administration of share schemes and work with the Legal and Reward teams to develop share scheme processes and procedures to reflect best practice and improve efficiency.

• Promote continuous improvement in the delivery and communication of share schemes, ensuring available technology is fully utilised.

• Develop relationships with and monitor performance of external suppliers.

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Insurance

• Collect and validate data from across the business required by insurers to provide quotes for the Group’s insurance policies

• Work with colleagues across the business and external partners to ensure insurance related issues are dealt with in a timely manner

• Coordinate the information flows between internal colleagues and external partners in relation to insured risks

• Ensure the broker is informed of all events required under the Group’s insurance policies in line with the Insurance Act 2015

Horizon Scanning

• Monitor developments in share schemes, company law and governance and identify threats and opportunities. Work with the legal team and cross functionally to develop and implement solutions to ensure the Group meets new requirements as a result of changes in laws, regulations and best practice. 

Team

• Develop self to meet full potential. 

• Support the Legal & Sustainability team, manage supplier invoice payments for the team and assist on projects as required including Cosec, legal and cross-functional business projects.

You’ll need to be ICSA qualified, or part way through your ICSA qualification with at least 2 years relevant experience gained in a fast moving UK listed company environment (ideally retail) and a genuine commitment to be the very best you can. For the right candidate, we will support any outstanding work required to complete the ICSA qualification. 

You will have excellent attention to detail, relationship building and organisation skills and you will have the ability to effectively communicate complex matters in a simple and creative way. In addition, you will be an enthusiastic and curious ‘hands on’ self-starter and be able to operate at all levels within a fast paced but rewarding environment.