Deputy Company Secretary

at  Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

The post holder supports the Trust Secretary in the provision of support and advice to the Chairman, Board of Directors, and Council of Governors on all aspects of regulation, corporate governance and effective business conduct. You will ensure that the Trust complies with relevant legal, constitutional, and regulatory requirements and that procedures, systems and processes are established and operate to facilitate achievement of good practice. The core responsibilities of the role are summarised as follows: Provide effective governance and secretariat support to the Board and its mandatory committees Provide effective corporate governance advice across the Trust. To provide effective governance support to the Council of Governors Manage the Trusts membership and engagement arrangements Supports the Trust Secretary in the coordination and reporting of the Board Assurance Framework.
Deputise for the Trust Secretary during periods of absence MAIN RESPONSIBILTITES Compliance Ensure that meetings of the Board of Directors and the Council of Governors (and their relevant Committees) are held, and operate within, the Trusts governance framework including Standing Orders and relevant Terms of Reference. Monitor compliance with the Trusts Standards of Personal & Business Conduct Policy including maintenance of registers of interest, gifts, hospitality, and sponsorship and are and are made available as required and reported accordingly. Monitor compliance with the Trusts, Standing Orders, Standing Financial Instructions and Scheme of Reservation Delegation (collectively known as the core governance documents) and ensure that any identified breaches are reported through appropriate channels. Deputise for the Trust Secretary during periods of absence.
Governance Support Analyse and interpret complex governance regulations and guidance and subsequently communicate such information in a form that promotes organisational understanding. This will require a clear knowledge and understanding of specialist areas such as the Trusts governance documents, legislation, regulatory guidance, and the ability to interpret them accurately to provide clear guidance. Contribute to the annual review of the Trusts core governance documents; Standing Orders, Scheme of Reservation and Delegation and Standing Financial Instructions. Assist the Trust Secretary in establishing effective arrangements for the induction/training of Directors and Non-Executive Directors and provide advice and support regarding the discharge of their duties.
Maintain annual work plans of relevant Committees and coordinate annual reviews of Terms of Reference. Establish and maintain systematic, standardised and timely processes for the Board, Council of Governors and their respective committees including setting meeting dates, venues; annual reporting schedules and agendas; document production, distribution and archive; accurate recording of minutes and actions; review and completion of actions; annual committee performance review, including attendance and development preparation of minutes, reports and briefing papers in accordance with relevant timescales. Provide an external scanning function for the Board and Council of Governors, ensuring that the Board and the Council are aware of implications of any changes to the regulatory, stakeholder and best practice environment. To liaise with relevant directors/staff in terms of action to be undertaken by the Trust Manage the Trusts register of external visits and inspection to ensure that arrangements are in place to address areas for improvements and that these are appropriately reported through the Trusts governance arrangements.
Council of Governors Lead the induction process for governors and provide advice and support regarding the discharge of their duties. Provision of administrative resources to facilitate effective working of the Council of Governors including organisation of meeting venues and scheduling of meetings in accordance with the Constitution. Undertake research, including training needs analysis, in relation to the Council and provide succinct reports for the Chairman, the Council of Governors and the Trust Secretary, so that the individual and collective development needs of Governors and the Council respectively are met. Manage the delivery of resulting development programmes appropriately.
Responsible for the planning, arranging and the production of agendas for Council of Governors meetings in accordance with the Trusts Constitution. Responsible for the planning and arrangements for the Annual Members Meeting. Provision of an efficient and effective liaison service to governors in matters relating to Governor support or involvement, offering a problem-solving approach to any issues raised. Lead the management of governor elections and inductions, eligibility, training, declarations of interests, meeting administration for the Council and its committees are planned recorded and administered to high standards of probity and efficiency

Please refer the Job description for details