Job summary
Deputy Company Secretary
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust (GOSH) is seeking a highly experienced and motivated Deputy Company Secretary to join our Corporate Affairs Directorate. This is a senior leadership role at the heart of one of the world's most respected paediatric hospitals, offering a unique opportunity to shape and support the governance of a complex and high-profile NHS Foundation Trust.
As Deputy Company Secretary, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the Trust's corporate governance framework is robust, effective, and compliant with statutory and regulatory requirements. You will work closely with the Company Secretary, Trust Board, Council of Governors, and Executive Team to provide expert advice and support on all matters of governance. This includes preparing and managing Council, Board and committee meetings, advising on constitutional and regulatory compliance, and leading on the production of the Trust's Annual Report.
You will also deputise for the Company Secretary as required, including acting as secretary to the Trust Board and key committees. The role involves managing the Head of Corporate Governance and overseeing the delivery of governance services across the organisation. You will lead on the recruitment and development of Non-Executive Directors, oversee elections to the Council of Governors, and ensure the Trust's policies and assurance processes are up to date and effective.
Main duties of the job
This is a role for a qualified Chartered Secretary or equivalent professional with significant experience in a senior governance role, ideally within the NHS or a similarly complex public sector environment. You will bring exceptional communication and leadership skills, a deep understanding of corporate governance, and a commitment to upholding the highest standards of probity and transparency.
At GOSH, we are proud of our inclusive and values-driven culture. We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome, supported, and empowered to thrive. Our Always Values - Always Welcoming, Always Helpful, Always Expert, and Always One Team - guide everything we do.
If you are ready to take on a challenging and rewarding role at the heart of a world-class organisation, we would love to hear from you.
The role will require the successful candidate to be on site at GOSH for at least 3 days week.
About us
We are keen to make our workforce as diverse as the communities we serve, and we hope to attract applications from underrepresented groups, including people with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic heritage, people with a disability, and people from LGBTQ+ communities. By growing an ever more diverse workforce, we'll have a greater range of perspectives and knowledge, meaning that we can provide the children and young people at our hospital with even better care.
Our hospital is committed to creating an environment that is open and inclusive. Our staff are encouraged to engage with colleagues through the following networks: REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage) ENABLED (Enhancing Abilities & Leveraging Disabilities Network), PRIDE and Women's networks; all of which are sponsored by a member of our Executive Management Team.
We want to ensure that all of our people, regardless of their background, are seen and heard. We want to attract applicants that share our commitment to inclusion and that understand diversity is a strength that is embraced and valued.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.
Person Specification
GOSH Culture and Values
Essential
- Our Always values
- Knowledge and Understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- Understanding of Diversity and Inclusion challenges in the workplace.
- Demonstrable contribution to advancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential
- Educated to master's degree or equivalent level management qualification
- Qualified Chartered Secretary or professional governance equivalent
- Proven significant post-qualification experience of working within a corporate governance environment
- Evidence of Continued Professional Development
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Have a demonstrable track record of working at senior level in a company secretarial environment in a substantial complex public or private sector organisation.
- Have experience of working within an organisation under political and public scrutiny
- Have experience of writing Board and committee papers and dealing with highly complex subject matter
- Demonstrate experience of researching and applying best practice in corporate governance
- Have experience of effective partnership and working with internal and external stakeholders, including working across multiple teams and disciplines.
- Have experience of handling confidential and delicate information with extreme sensitivity
- Have experience of managing staff
- Have a good understanding of the issues faced by the NHS and appreciation of the roles of Foundation Trusts and relevant regulations including the FT licencing regime and Constitution;
- Experience of budgetary management
- Have an understanding of the roles and relationships between the Council of Governors and Trust Board
Desirable
- Have prior experience of working in a corporate governance role in a health or social care environment
- Have political awareness of national and local issues
- Have experience of using Artificial Intelligence tools such as Copilot.
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Be a dynamic, passionate, open, participative leader with a supportive leadership style;
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills to have sometimes difficult and courageous conversations with senior members of staff and others
- Be a decisive leader, capable and committed to working autonomously and translating policy/ legislation and analysis into practical actions;
- Be a team player with experience of managing teams;
- Be innovative, with strong service focused approach, exceptional negotiating and influencing skills;
- Ability to conduct research and analyse, interpret and present highly complex information to a range of audiences;
- Have the ability to build effective relations with a range of internal and external stakeholders;
- Highly developed tact and diplomacy skills
- Have strong prioritisation skills with the ability to manage competing demands;
- Have a good understanding of corporate governance frameworks.
- Have the ability to draft and give unambiguous guidance and prepare of documentation designed to be user-friendly to a wide and varied audience
Person Specification
GOSH Culture and Values
Essential
- Our Always values
- Knowledge and Understanding of diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
- Understanding of Diversity and Inclusion challenges in the workplace.
- Demonstrable contribution to advancing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace
Academic/Professional qualification/Training
Essential
- Educated to master's degree or equivalent level management qualification
- Qualified Chartered Secretary or professional governance equivalent
- Proven significant post-qualification experience of working within a corporate governance environment
- Evidence of Continued Professional Development
Experience/Knowledge
Essential
- Have a demonstrable track record of working at senior level in a company secretarial environment in a substantial complex public or private sector organisation.
- Have experience of working within an organisation under political and public scrutiny
- Have experience of writing Board and committee papers and dealing with highly complex subject matter
- Demonstrate experience of researching and applying best practice in corporate governance
- Have experience of effective partnership and working with internal and external stakeholders, including working across multiple teams and disciplines.
- Have experience of handling confidential and delicate information with extreme sensitivity
- Have experience of managing staff
- Have a good understanding of the issues faced by the NHS and appreciation of the roles of Foundation Trusts and relevant regulations including the FT licencing regime and Constitution;
- Experience of budgetary management
- Have an understanding of the roles and relationships between the Council of Governors and Trust Board
Desirable
- Have prior experience of working in a corporate governance role in a health or social care environment
- Have political awareness of national and local issues
- Have experience of using Artificial Intelligence tools such as Copilot.
Skills/Abilities
Essential
- Be a dynamic, passionate, open, participative leader with a supportive leadership style;
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills to have sometimes difficult and courageous conversations with senior members of staff and others
- Be a decisive leader, capable and committed to working autonomously and translating policy/ legislation and analysis into practical actions;
- Be a team player with experience of managing teams;
- Be innovative, with strong service focused approach, exceptional negotiating and influencing skills;
- Ability to conduct research and analyse, interpret and present highly complex information to a range of audiences;
- Have the ability to build effective relations with a range of internal and external stakeholders;
- Highly developed tact and diplomacy skills
- Have strong prioritisation skills with the ability to manage competing demands;
- Have a good understanding of corporate governance frameworks.
- Have the ability to draft and give unambiguous guidance and prepare of documentation designed to be user-friendly to a wide and varied audience
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
