Company Secretarial Career development
The most common starting point for Company Secretarial jobs is to start off in Trainee Company Secretary or Company Secretarial Assistant jobs. For the most part, trainee positions are usually offered only by larger organisations, including investment banks, the “Big 4” accountancy firms, and some of the more sizeable (i.e. FTSE 250) corporates. This is predominantly for reasons for resource availability. Some organisations also offer study leave for ICSA qualification.
The degree of responsibility in trainee and assistant roles varies greatly, depending on the size of the organisation, the structure of the secretarial team, and the nature of the industry in which the company is engaged. A company secretarial assistant working in a large corporate secretariat as a junior member of a team of assistants is likely to be restricted to filing and updating records, with greater responsibilty being given in line with greater experience.
Assistants within smaller teams quickly gain broader experience and greater levels of responsibility, which may include sole responsibility, for example, for compliance matters or a portfolio of subsidiary companies.
The “normal” career path for a Company Secretary generally follows the model:
Trainee / Company Secretarial Assistant
↓
Assistant Company Secretary
↓
Deputy Company Secretary
↓
Company Secretary
Depending on the size and nature of a particular organisation, there may be additional levels such as “Assistant Deputy” or “Company Secretariat Manager”.
As a rule of thumb, Assistant Company Secretaries tend to be ACIS-qualified (i.e. have achieved the necessary experience post-qualification for admission as an Associate of the Institute), although there are numerous exceptions to the rule. It is certainly not unusual for diligent and capable secretaries with around two years' experience to be considered for such roles by some SMEs. The top Company Secretary roles (i.e. Group Secretary, Head of Secretariat etc.) typically go to candidates with five or more years’ relevant experience.
Other Company Secretary career routes
The majority of company secretaries follow the traditional corporate Company Secretary career path (outlined above). However, other career routes are also open; these include working in professional services firms and not-for-profit organisations.
Professional services firms
There are an increasing number of roles within the professional services sector. This rise stems from the growth of “billable” company secretarial services offered by law and accountancy firms to clients. A small but growing number of corporate administration firms also offers bespoke and “off the peg” company secretarial services.
Company secretaries in this sector typically work on a portfolio of clients, providing external (a.k.a. “outsourced”) secretarial services ranging from fund administration through board support to corporate governance advice. The benefit of working in this field is that the work tends to be broader in scope, with greater opportunities to gain experience in a variety of areas.
Not for profit organisations
Not for profit organisations offer another alternative to corporate company secretarial work. Typically opportunities arise within charities, regulatory bodies, schools and central / local government bodies. The work tends to be less complex than in the private sector, though it can be rewarding and working hours tend to be more favourable.
