Deputy Company Secretary

Canada Life UK looks after the retirement, investment and protection needs of individuals, families and companies. We help to build better futures for our customers, our intermediaries and our employees by operating as a modern, agile and welcoming organisation.

Part of our parent company Great-West Lifeco, Canada Life UK has operated in the United Kingdom since 1903. We have hundreds of respected and supported employees committed to doing the right thing for our customers and colleagues.

Canada Life UK is transforming to create a more customer-focused business by providing our customers with expertise on financial and tax planning, offering home finance and annuities propositions, and providing collective fund solutions to third party customers.

Accountable to the General Counsel & Company Secretary for company secretarial services for The Canada Life Group (U.K.) Limited and its direct and indirect UK subsidiaries (the “CLG Group”), including arranging for Board and Committee meetings, attending the meetings and minute taking, maintaining corporate records and share administration. Managing complex capital management and other projects in response to line of business initiatives to ensure compliance with relevant regulatory requirements. Providing expert advice on corporate governance matters to management, directors and Legal group and performing skilled corporate secretarial administrative duties.

**What you'll do**:

- Decision making responsibility for implementing and developing an effective Company Secretarial team including hiring and performance review and pay decision in conjunction with the head of legal (decision maker).
- A recommendation role responsible for gathering facts, analyzing information and preparing a proposal for the ultimate decision maker. In developing a proposal, the role holder obtains the required advice, clearances and concurrences; addresses different views and approaches; and evaluates options.
- An advisory role responsible for rendering relevant and current advice within the scope of their technical experience and escalating to the decision maker as appropriate.
- The role requires due judgement as to decisions to be taken, and those escalated to the ultimate decision maker.
- Work is proactively reviewed and checked as required.
- Accountable to the General Counsel & Company Secretary for company secretarial services for The Canada Life Group (U.K.) Limited and its direct and indirect UK subsidiaries.
- Providing full board support to the regulated boards and committees, or to manage and advise the assistant company secretaries in providing such support.
- Day to day management of the team including reviewing work, overseeing processes and supporting their technical and personal development.
- Developing the team’s and individual’s objectives in line with the Legal team and company objectives.
- Ensuring the Company Secretarial team has appropriate processes in place to carry out the work for which it is responsible within the required timeframes.
- Helping the team to manage and prioritise workload.
- Managing the company secretarial governance aspects for all entities within the UK group including statutory and regulatory compliance within the responsibility of the Company Secretariat.
- Preparing or providing advice as appropriate on corporate governance and regulatory matters to non-executive directors, group directors and officers.
- Leading on a wide-range on a wide range of company secretarial including but not limited to company formation and dissolutions.
- Leading on other ad hoc company secretarial projects as required by the business or legal or regulatory requirements.
- Ensuring the General Counsel & Company Secretary is kept informed of all company secretarial matters concerning the regulated entities.

**What you'll bring to the role**:

- Company secretary with at least 5 years’ experience
- Experience in a regulated environment, including the securities and banking industries and conversant with applicable legislation and regulation.
- Corporate governance experience from a financial institution preferred
- Excellent communication skills, written and oral
- Highly organized, able to prioritize and manage multiple tasks
- Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) qualified.

**What you’ll like about working here**

As a Canada Life UK colleague, you’ll receive a competitive salary and comprehensive reward package including income protection, private medical insurance and life assurance, along with a generous pension and bonus scheme. You’ll also receive the support you need with your personal and professional development.

**Diversity and inclusion**

Canada Life is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace. Our role as an employer of choice is to provide the right environment for talented people to do their best work, by respecting, understanding and valuing individual differences