International Governance Assistant

Our client is currently recruiting for an International Governance Assistant. Based in Aberdeen, the role is on a permanent basis and offers hybrid working.

ROLE

• The International Governance Assistant will provide corporate governance and company secretarial support to various overseas subsidiaries or investments within the International group that are either incorporated or located in Guyana, Jersey, the Netherlands, Nigeria, and Senegal, with potential for expansion in line with the company's growth strategy.
• Based full time in the Uxbridge office, the role involves supporting the boards of directors of these entities in regular and ad hoc decision-making, including corporate reorganizations, bank account openings, distributions, capital reductions, liquidations, and compliance with local company laws.
• Acting as a key coordinator, the individual will liaise with directors, both executive and non-executive, as well as colleagues from the Legal & Compliance department in Beijing and other internal stakeholders across the UK, Asia, and Africa.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• In this role, you will be responsible for arranging board and intra-group shareholder meetings, including preparing notices, board materials, and minutes for both scheduled and ad hoc meetings related to material decisions such as reorganizations, dividend payments, restructurings, and corporate changes.
• Key tasks include organizing and distributing agendas and supporting documents for meetings, responding to queries from directors, taking minutes, drafting resolutions, lodging required forms with regulatory authorities, and maintaining statutory books and company records for each entity.
• You will manage correspondence, compile information, write reports, ensure decisions are communicated to relevant stakeholders, and provide advice on the legal, governance, accounting, and tax implications of proposed decisions. You will also monitor changes in relevant legislation and regulations, taking appropriate action when necessary, and oversee external advisors and service providers.
• The role also involves overseeing compliance matters, interfacing with relevant compliance committees, and promoting best practices in preventing improper payments in high-risk jurisdictions for both the board of directors and external service providers managing these entities.
• You will liaise with company management, government authorities, agents, internal and external counsel, and various departments to prepare the necessary documents for incorporations, branch registrations, amalgamations, and dissolutions.
• This role also involves researching and staying up to date on corporate governance regulatory requirements across jurisdictions, recommending and implementing process changes in response to evolving legislation.
• You will provide advice to company management and subsidiary boards on governance, company law, compliance procedures, and corporate administration, while responding to requests for corporate and due diligence information from business units and third-party service providers. In addition, you will develop a strong understanding of corporate statutes, charters, by-laws, articles, and other regulations governing international subsidiaries.
• Collaboration with Subsidiary Governance Teams across the company’s international offices, such as Beijing and Calgary, will be key to implementing globally aligned, simplified, and standardized corporate governance processes.
• You will also support ad hoc projects and other responsibilities within the Legal team in the UK as needed.

REQUIREMENTS

• The ideal candidate will already have prior experience as a company secretary or assistant company secretary for multiple private limited liability companies, with experience in providing corporate governance support to non-UK companies being preferred but not essential.
• A degree is required, with ICSA Grad qualification preferred, though equivalent experience will be considered.
• The role demands excellent written, verbal, and computer skills, along with strong organisational and teamwork abilities.
• The candidate should be confident in interacting with senior management, capable of balancing the big picture while maintaining attention to detail, and skilled at managing multiple and potentially conflicting priorities.
• High cultural and emotional intelligence is essential, as is the ability to work autonomously within an international team with diverse cultures.
• A self-starter with a global mindset is key to succeeding in this role.

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