Chartered secretary

Chartered secretaries hold a senior and responsible position in a company or other organisation. Their responsibilities vary but could include advising the board on effective decision-making, implementing changes in relevant legislation and leading on issues essential to business performance such as contracts, finance, accounting, insurance and property.

Also known as:

Company secretary

Work activities

Chartered secretaries work in a broad range of organisations. In the private sector, they are better known as company secretaries, whereas in the public or voluntary sectors, such as in a local authority or a charity, they might be known as chartered secretaries or chartered administrators. Chartered secretaries are high-ranking professionals who are qualified in corporate law, finance, governance, company secretaryship and management. They are the primary source of advice on the conduct of business; this can span everything from legal advice on conflicts of interest and new legislation, and accounting advice on financial reports, to the development of strategy and corporate planning.

Chartered secretaries also have other high-level administrative duties. These could include organising employee insurance and pension schemes. They might also have responsibility for buying, renting and selling property, such as office space, and for negotiating contracts. In some private companies, they act as a link between managers and shareholders and keep members of the public informed about issues that affect the organisation. They might liaise with auditors, lawyers and tax advisors.

Chartered secretaries act as chairs, chief executives and non-executive directors as well as executives and company secretaries. They provide support for meetings and committees, including the board of directors and management teams. They often advise on points of law at the meeting. They frequently arrange annual general meetings (AGMs), draw up the agenda and might take the minutes.

Chartered secretaries in large accountancy and legal firms work for a number of different companies, making sure they comply with the law on an ongoing basis or supplying expertise in one-off consultancy projects, for example, during mergers or takeovers.

Personal qualities and skills

As a chartered secretary, you’ll need:

The ability to understand complex legal, financial and technical issues.
To focus on detail and work to a high level of accuracy.
A strong interest in business and the economy.
Confidence and strong communication and negotiating skills to work with staff at all levels, and to keep members of the public and shareholders informed.
Excellent organisational skills.
Integrity.
The ability to prioritise many different tasks and duties in a fast-moving environment.
To be adaptable and responsive to change.
Strong numeracy and literacy skills.
IT skills.
Discretion – the ability to keep information confidential.

Pay and opportunities

The pay rates given are approximate. A chartered/company secretary earns on average between £26,000 and £90,000 a year. In financial firms, chartered secretaries may earn much more, while salaries in the charity/not-for-profit sectors tend to be lower.

Chartered secretaries usually work 37 to 39 hours a week, with longer hours and weekend working occasionally.

Where could I work?

Employers in the public sector are local authorities, the Civil Service, the health service and charities. They use the titles “chartered secretary” and “chartered administrator”. Employers in the private sector are larger industrial and commercial businesses. They normally use the title “company secretary”. About half of the members of The Governance Institute (known as ICSA) work in the private sector. Opportunities for chartered secretaries occur in towns and cities throughout the UK.

Some chartered secretaries work as self-employed consultants or in a partnership or consultancy.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in professional journals/websites such as Governance and Compliance, on the ICSA website, on job boards, in local/national newspapers, and on the Government’s Find a Job service.

Entry routes and training

You must be a chartered or certified accountant, barrister, solicitor, advocate or a member of The Governance Institute (ICSA) to become a company secretary in a public limited company. Many of those working in public service are also ICSA members. A small number of graduates might be recruited as trainee company secretaries by larger employers. The Chartered Governance Qualifying Programme from ISCA (The Chartered Governance Institute) is very broad and covers corporate law, finance, governance, company secretaryship and strategy.

ICSA accredits a number of university postgraduate courses that lead to joint Grad.ICSA status. See the ICSA website for a full list. Training is available through full-time and part-time study and distance learning/open learning. You must also complete a period of appropriate work experience before you can become professionally qualified as an Associate Member of the ICSA.

Qualified chartered secretaries can gain experience and take on more responsibility by moving to larger organisations. They can progress to director and chief executive posts.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act: Working as a chartered or certified accountant, advocate, barrister or solicitor is an exception to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This means that you must supply information to an employer about any spent or unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings, if they ask you to. This is different from other careers, where you only have to reveal information on unspent convictions if you are asked to.

Qualifications

Your point of entry to The Governance Institute (ICSA) depends on your qualifications. Check with ICSA for further details. Many chartered secretaries have a degree. The usual entry requirement for a degree in any subject is:

Two to three A-levels.
GCSEs at grades 9-4 in two to three other subjects.

Alternatives to A levels include:

Edexcel (BTEC) level 3 National qualifications.
International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma.

However, course requirements vary so check prospectuses carefully.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Many chartered secretaries have a background in senior administrative, management or accounting positions, either in a registered company or local government. Your point of entry to The Chartered Governance Institute (ICSA) depends on your qualifications. Qualified lawyers and accountants can apply for the Fast Track Professional route. There are also exemptions for those with certain other relevant qualifications. Graduates are sometimes recruited as trainee company secretaries directly by employers, but only in small numbers.

If you don’t have the usual qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

Distance learning for all stages of the ICSA examinations is available from ICSA, with study texts and website support for students. Candidates can also undertake study through a number of academic institutions and providers (the ICSA has a full list of distance learning providers). The programmes can be studied part-time.

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