UK Company Secretary and Corporate Governance Officer (VP/D)

UK Company Secretary and Corporate Governance Officer

Societe Generale is one of Europe's leading financial services groups and a major player in the economy for over 160 years, we support 25 million clients every day with more than 126,000 staff in 65 countries

Our Group draws on our European roots to develop our business internationally. Our unique geographic positioning enables us to connect Europe and Africa with major global financial centres in Asia and the Americas.

The Group combines financial strength, proven expertise in innovation and a sustainable growth strategy with the objective of creating value for all our stakeholders. We seek to be a trusted partner in the projects of those building tomorrow's world today.

About the team:

The UK Governance team is part of the CEO office and has been set up with the following mission, in all cases by establishing linkages to Group functions (e.g. GBIS/DIR, Regions, BUs/SUs) to enable two-way exchange of relevant best practices with the UK:

·         Enhance Regulatory Engagement governance

·         Drive Transversal Controls governance

·         Enable sound Transaction governance

·         Support UK CEO Office on governance

·         Deliver on Corporate & SMF governance objectives (core area for the role), in coordination with Legal & Compliance within the 3LoD model, by creating scale, continuity and empowerment in the Governance team to achieve existing objectives, including the effective establishment, review, implementation and maintenance of key UK corporate governance, policies & procedures, committees, SMF best practices

These include:

i)                     Corporate Secretariat – corporate secretarial services including oversight and supervision of the internal governance and corporate secretarial administration of SG’s UK subsidiaries;

ii)                    Mandatory Normative Documentation (MND) review and management – comprehensive UK MND review, roll-out of the new ‘policy for MNDs’, automation and digital roadmap, UK Policies sharepoint;

iii)                  Committees mapping and oversight/supervision – review of Terms of Reference (ToR), clear escalation/delegation for sub-committees, rollout of new committees, automation and a digital roadmap;

iv)                  Governance controls – MyGovernance roll-out and use for quality control, consistent templates and minimum standards for committees, effectiveness reviews; v) SMF governance – Handover Docs & SYSC attestation process management, UK organisation charts, process for update of MRM, SMF JDs, evidence pack controls and data retention, and implementation of SMCR-linked decisions.

Summary of Key Purposes of the Role:

This role will take primary responsibility for the Corporate Secretariat and Corporate Governance pillar of the GOV team’s activity.

·         Company Secretariat for SGLB and SG UK’s investment banking subsidiaries,

including Board meetings, Companies House filings, Company Directorship updates, Liquidations, SG London Legal and Tax Committee Secretary, Authorisations, etc.

·         Company Secretary for SG International Ltd. (SGIL)

including, in addition to the above, acting as Board Secretary/secretarial services (including the Board’s ToR, agenda planning, meetings support, minutes, etc.), liaison with NEDs/INEDs (including offsites), Secretary/secretarial services for Board Technical Committees (Nomination, Governance and Remuneration Committee, Board Audit Committee, and Board Risk Committee), and other relevant Board support.

·         Corporate Governance advisory and support for SGLB and SG’s UK investment banking subsidiaries

including advice and support on SG Group and UK corporate governance best practices and related legal and regulatory standards.

·         Assist the UK Head of Corporate Governance and Conduct

including internal committees governance and Senior Management Functions governance.

Responsibilities:

1.        Company Secretariat for SGLB and SG UK’s investment banking subsidiaries:

Management and coordination of Boards and (where relevant) Board Committees, and related administrative management for SG UK’s investment banking subsidiaries

2.        Company Secretary for SG International Limited (SGIL):

Corporate Governance of SGIL in accordance with the SG Group requirements (SG Code and Group corporate governance rules for subsidiaries) and the SGIL Board ToR

3.        Corporate Governance advisory and support for SGLB, SGIL and SG UK’s investment banking subsidiaries:

Advice and support on SG Group and UK corporate governance best practices and related legal and regulatory standards across SGLB and SG UK’s investment banking subsidiaries

4.        Assist the UK Head of Corporate Governance and Conduct in wider responsibilities

The role requires someone with the following skills:

·         Strong communication and organisational skills

·         Decision making

·         Analytical skills

·         Teamwork: able to work effectively with a number of different departments and senior management as well as maintaining transparent communication with local management

·         Strong drafting skills

·         Ability to cope under pressure in a fast-paced and demanding business environment

·         Ability to treat sensitive information appropriately

·         Ability to establish credibility quickly with internal clients

·         Ability and confidence to participate in and advise at Board and Board Committee level meetings (particularly for SGIL)

·         Knowledge of SG organisation and of UK corporate governance principles

·         Identifies, analyses, and solves/addresses difficult legal issues and risks within area of coverage, demonstrating appropriate level of attention to detail

·         Works with limited amount of supervision but will seek guidance if necessary, evaluating, and escalating issues to hierarchy as appropriate

·         Able, if requested, to perform role of coordinator on projects or work streams

·         Demonstrates good knowledge of banking industry

·         Is recognised as consistent and reliable and shows strong sense of personal accountability in discharging duties

·         Demonstrates a strong sense of engagement to role and takes initiative to resolve issues

·         Demonstrates openness to innovation and ability to support and apply new ways of proceeding; is also able to suggest, where appropriate, improvements for systems and processes

WORK EXPERIENCE

·         Associate of the Chartered Governance Institute UK & Ireland (formerly the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators).

·         Previous experience of company secretarial and/or corporate governance roles for UK corporates

·         At least 5 years’ experience in financial services and/or investment banking environment

·         Legal or para-legal background is an asset

EDUCATION

·         Degree level

·         UK Company Secretarial professional qualifications (as applicable)

LANGUAGES

·         Fluent in English

·         French (preferable but not essential)

People join for the impact they can have on us. They stay for the impact we have on them. A flatter structure offers visibility and exposure beyond that of our competitors, so you know our names, and we know yours. It's personable, human, and inspires success through passion. By encouraging open mindedness and a willingness to share ideas, we have adapted to market changes and thrived through innovation. Bringing words like “hard work” and “dedication” together with “community” and “respect” has enabled us to work collaboratively and build our future together. We call this Team Spirit and it's what makes us different. It's what makes you different

If you feel you have the required experience and qualifications, then please apply to the SG Resourcing Team, and we will manage your application. At Société Générale, we believe our people are our strength and are core to the success of our business. As such, we search for, recruit and appoint the best available person on the basis of aptitude and ability, regardless of sex, marital or civil partnership status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, pregnancy, disability, age, sexual orientation, religion, belief or gender identity.