Assistant Company Secretary at 1st Central in Haywards Heath

Assistant Company Secretary

Location: Haywards Heath · Hybrid

At 1st Central, everything starts with our people.

As one of the UK’s leading motor and home insurers, we use smart technology, data and great service to make insurance fast, fair and simple for over 1.4 million customers. We’re proud to create an environment where people feel supported, trusted and able to grow - whether that’s developing new skills, taking on fresh challenges or making a real impact every day. If you’re looking for a role where you can make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Are you an experienced governance professional with strong company secretarial knowledge and a keen eye for detail? Do you enjoy working with senior stakeholders, managing key governance processes and helping to maintain high standards across a complex organisation?

We’re looking for an Assistant Company Secretary to join our Corporate Governance team, based in either Haywards Heath, West Sussex, Salford Quays, Manchester or Guernsey.

You’ll play an important role supporting the Group Company Secretary to deliver effective, high-quality company secretarial and corporate governance services across the Group. You’ll work closely with stakeholders to support Board, Committee and Executive governance, statutory compliance, governance reporting and corporate records, with responsibility for leading defined workstreams, exercising judgement on routine governance matters and supporting the development of robust governance practices as the Group continues to mature.

We're big on working flexibly, spending your time working either at home or in the office.

Core skills we’re looking for:

• Company Law & Governance: Strong knowledge of company law, statutory compliance and corporate governance, with the ability to apply it in practice.
• Minute-Writing & Drafting: Able to produce clear, accurate and concise minutes, reports and governance documents.
• Communication & Stakeholder Management: Confident engaging with senior stakeholders and providing practical governance support.
• Organisation & Delivery: Able to manage competing priorities and deliver high-quality work to tight deadlines.

What’s Involved:

• You’ll support the Group Company Secretary in leading the end-to-end company secretarial support for selected Board, Committee and Executive meetings, including forward planning, agenda development, timetable management, quality assurance of papers, preparation of minutes, and tracking of actions and decisions through to completion.
• You’ll provide informed and expert governance advice and practical support to meeting chairs, senior stakeholders and paper owners, ensuring that governance processes are clear, proportionate and delivered to a high standard.
• You’ll oversee and manage the maintenance of statutory and Group entity information within Co-Sec software and related records, including structure charts and corporate information, ensuring changes to directors, officers, shareholders and registered details are accurately recorded and filed in line with statutory and governance requirements.
• You’ll manage and maintain KYC records and related processes for Group entities, ensuring information is accurate, complete, up to date and available to support governance, banking, regulatory and due diligence requirements.
• You’ll lead and coordinate responses to audit, regulatory, corporate transaction and due diligence information requests, reviewing governance records, collating evidence and liaising with internal and external stakeholders as required.
• You’ll support the development, implementation, maintenance and periodic review of governance policies, registers, templates, procedures and process documents, identifying opportunities to improve consistency, controls and service delivery.
• You’ll prepare and review governance reports, briefing notes, resolutions, written decisions, certificates and other company secretarial documents, ensuring they are accurate, appropriately evidenced and suitable for senior stakeholder use.
• You’ll support the Group Company Secretary and wider Company Secretariat team in delivering departmental priorities, including governance projects, statutory compliance activities, Board effectiveness support and implementation of governance improvements.
• You’ll support in the renewal of insurance cover for employees, equipment and premises, coordinating inputs and records as required.
• You’ll comply with the requirements and act in accordance with the Group Code of Conduct and Fitness and Propriety policies at all times.
• You’ll ensure compliance with Company policies, values, guidelines and other relevant standards and regulations at all times.

Experience & Knowledge

• Demonstrable experience in a company secretarial, governance or equivalent professional role, with experience supporting Board, Committee and/or senior executive governance in a regulated, listed or complex corporate environment.
• Strong working knowledge of company secretarial practice, statutory compliance and corporate governance processes, with the ability to apply that knowledge independently and escalate complex or judgement-based matters appropriately.
• Experience preparing and reviewing Board and Committee materials, minutes, action logs, resolutions, statutory filings, governance registers and corporate records to a high standard.
• Experience coordinating governance workstreams, managing competing deadlines and engaging confidently with senior stakeholders, advisers and colleagues across the business.
• Knowledge of the Companies Act 2006 and associated statutory filing requirements.
• Understanding of the UK Corporate Governance Code, Board and Committee governance, directors’ duties and good governance practice.
• Experience of working in financial services, insurance or another regulated sector is desirable.
• Understanding of the UK motor insurance industry is desirable.

Skills & Qualifications

• Relevant professional qualification, or significant progress towards one, such as the Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme or equivalent company secretarial/governance qualification.
• Commitment to continuing professional development and maintaining up-to-date knowledge of relevant statutory, regulatory and governance developments.
• Excellent minute-writing and drafting skills, with the ability to produce accurate, clear, concise and appropriately balanced records for senior governance forums.
• Strong analytical skills and sound judgement, with the ability to identify key governance points, manage risk and escalate matters appropriately.
• Meticulous attention to detail and a high standard of accuracy in document production, record keeping and stakeholder communications.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the confidence to engage professionally with senior stakeholders and external advisers.
• Ability to work at pace, prioritise effectively and deliver high-quality work against challenging deadlines.
• Excellent work ethic and diligence in the production, review and ownership of work and responsibilities.
• Excellent organisational and stakeholder management skills, with an ability to coordinate inputs across multiple workstreams.
• Good numeracy and literacy skills.
• Strong IT and software skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, with experience using company secretarial or governance systems desirable.

Behaviours

• Able to handle information in a confidential manner
• Keen to embrace, embed and incorporate the Company Values
• Diplomatic, personable and pragmatic
• Uses initiative, exercises sound judgement and escalates matters appropriately.
• Looks for opportunities to improve governance processes, ways of working and service delivery in support of departmental and business objectives.
• Approachable and keen to help others
• Self-motivated and enthusiastic
• An organised and proactive approach
• Able to work on own initiative and as part of a team
• A flexible approach and positive attitude

Ready to join us?

We’re looking for talented people who want to make a real impact for our customers, colleagues and business. Apply today and discover where a career at 1st Central could take you.

To find out more about careers at 1st Central, take a look here