Co Sec and Governance Specialist (Head of)
Company Secretary and Governance Specialist (Head of)
Role overview:
This is a newly created role to head up the local company secretarial team in Luxembourg, providing professional company secretarial services and governance advice to local Schroders management companies and fund structures in Luxembourg and other European countries.
The role will involve oversight of a team of two to deliver core secretarial services to Luxembourg management companies, funds, investment vehicles (including private assets) and local Group subsidiaries as well as personally acting as company secretary to management companies and/or fund structures as required. The position will also play a key role in the development of corporate and product structures, including those that will support the growth of Schroders’ European private assets business, in response to the impact of Brexit on Schroders’ European product offering.
Reporting functionally to the Head of Asset Management Secretariat in London, sitting within Schroders’ Group Corporate Secretariat, and also locally to Schroders’ COO, Europe.
Key responsibilities:
Responsible for the provision of company secretarial services to Schroders group management companies in Luxembourg as well as Luxembourg fund and investment structures including SICAVs, property vehicles, subsidiaries of a UK property investment trust, securitisation vehicles and other entities as agreed with the Head of Asset Management Secretariat. Responsibilities will include:
• management and oversight of the local team in providing company secretarial services to fund structures and Group subsidiaries, delivering a service in line with governance best practice and statutory compliance requirements
• providing governance guidance to colleagues in other European jurisdictions
• allocating responsibilities across the local team to manage an evolving workload whilst also acting as company secretary to investment vehicles (including in the private assets space) or Luxembourg management companies as appropriate
• delivery of a service in line with governance best practice and statutory compliance requirements
• advising the boards of Group management companies and funds on governance matters to ensure that the corporate governance arrangements are sound, in line with local governance standards and Schroders Group policies and in keeping with the strategic development of the business
• advising the business and boards on appropriate corporate and fund structures
• providing governance advice to members of Schroders’ local senior management team
• oversight of provision of company secretarial services by outsourced providers in relation to certain fund structures and development of the outsourced model across Europe
• oversight of the governance of overseas branches of Luxembourg management companies
• collaborating with other members of the Asset Management Secretariat team on projects as required
Education and training/qualifications:
• governance professional - qualified company secretary a strong advantage
• strong product knowledge, with previous experience in the funds/private assets space, and in particular complex fund structures, essential
• previous experience of managing a team an advantage
Skills/core competencies:
• proactive and self-motivated
• excellent communication skills
• ability to manage and motivate a team without direct supervision
• ability to think strategically and conceive solutions to complex problems
• ability to hold the attention and respect of directors and senior management
• highly organised, able to prioritise and to deliver within strict deadlines
• ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure
• analytical and highly disciplined
• an effective team player
Technical requirements:
• competent computer skills, with a strong knowledge of MS office applications
• experience of statutory register software and Worksite an advantage