6 Company secretary and head of compliance jobs

Head of Governance & Company Secretary (Part-Time)

London (Hybrid – 1-2 days in the office)
3 days per week | 3 Month Contract | £250-£300 per day (Via Umbrella Company)
Start: ASAP

Are you an experienced governance professional with a strong charity background? We're working with a respected UK charity to recruit an experienced Head of Governance & Company Secretary to provide strategic governance leadership and ensure the organisation continues to meet the highest standards of compliance and best practice.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a purpose-driven organisation on a flexible, part-time basis, with the potential for the role to become permanent.

The Role

Reporting to the senior leadership team, you'll lead the organisation's governance function, providing expert advice to Trustees, the CEO and Executive Leadership Team. You'll ensure effective board operations, maintain compliance with charity and company law, and support the ongoing development of governance frameworks and risk management.

Key responsibilities include:

• Acting as Company Secretary and advising on governance best practice.

• Supporting Trustee meetings, including agenda planning, board papers and minute taking.

• Ensuring compliance with the Charity Commission, Companies House and relevant UK charity regulations.

• Maintaining statutory records and governance policies.

• Managing and developing the organisation's governance framework and risk register.

• Providing governance and project support to the CEO and Executive Leadership Team.

• Supporting board development, trustee induction and governance improvements.

• Monitoring legislative and regulatory changes, ensuring the organisation remains compliant.

Essential Experience

We're looking for someone who brings:

• Proven Company Secretary and governance experience within the charity sector.

• Strong knowledge of Charity Commission requirements, charity law and governance frameworks.

• Experience supporting Boards of Trustees and senior leadership teams.

• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

• Strong communication skills and the confidence to advise senior stakeholders.

• Experience of risk management and governance policy development.

• High levels of integrity, discretion and attention to detail.

What's on Offer

• £250-£300 per day (Via Umbrella company).

• Part-time opportunity (3 days per week).

• Hybrid working with 1-2 days per week in the London office.

• Initial 3-6 month contract with the potential to become permanent.

• Immediate start available.

• Opportunity to make a meaningful impact within a well-respected charity.

If you're an experienced governance professional with charity sector expertise and are available to start at short notice, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today for immediate consideration.

Please ensure that as much of the above essential experience is clearly reflected in your CV where possible and email to  ASAP

Help build the operational backbone of a multi-award winning charity that's ready to grow further, with a clear path to becoming our COO.

For seven years, one exceptional leader has held impact, organisational development and much of YUAF's operations, building the processes, funder relationships and team support that became part of the spine of how we grew. As they move on, we're not just replacing them. We're rethinking and widening the role.

This post exists to hold the organisation steady and take operational responsibility off the Chief Executive's plate, freeing her to focus on strategy, key donors and the funding pipeline.

What you'll hold

You'll report to the Chief Executive and sit on the Senior Management Team, owning income generation, impact and evidence, business planning, governance, performance management and the systems underneath them all. You'll line-manage four people: the Pathways Lead, Marketing Lead, Project Manager and Futures Lead.

Where the role is going

From month seven, this role is intended to move to full time with deeper ownership of income and strategy. As YUAF grows, and subject to income generation, we want this post to develop into our Chief Operating Officer role. We'd rather appoint someone who outgrows this description than someone who fits it exactly.

How you'll start

The first six months are a settling period at 30 hours per week. You'll learn how the organisation actually works, get embedded in the culture, and understand the programmes by spending real time with young people and the people who deliver them.

You'll build relationships across the team, with funders and with partners, and by month three, we want people to naturally come to you as a trusted point of contact.

We also want you to look at YUAF with fresh eyes. Where are the gaps? What's held together by one person's memory alone? Where does delivery quality drop, and why? What would make life easier for the staff doing the hardest work? Bring us both the diagnosis and the solutions.

The timing is on your side: November to February is our quietest season, when the Studio Bus is largely off the road. Delivery picks up again in March 2027, so the role builds in stages rather than coming to you all at once.

How to apply

In addition to providing your CV and cover letter, it is a requirement of the application process that you complete our Head of Operations Questionnaire. A link for this can be found on the attached job description. 

Note

We recognise that AI is a useful tool, however, we will be assessing applications, cover letters and running through AI to ensure that it was written by yourself as part of our shortlisting process. So please take the time to write your own application, this is a serious role that requires critical and independent thinking.

Location: Amersham Hospital, Buckinghamshire, with a minimum of 50% on-site working and flexibility to work remotely.
Salary: Circa £60,000 FTE per annum
Contract: Permanent, Part-Time, 3-4 days per week

Buckinghamshire Healthcare Charity is looking for an experienced and collaborative finance leader to become its new Head of Finance and Operations, helping shape the financial and organisational foundations of a newly merged charity.

Formed in April 2026 through the merger of Scannappeal and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust Charitable Fund, Buckinghamshire Healthcare Charity brings together two established organisations with a shared commitment to improving healthcare across Buckinghamshire. This is an exciting opportunity to join at a formative point in its development, with strong foundations already in place and significant scope to shape what comes next.

Reporting to the Chief Executive and working as part of the Senior Leadership Team, you will provide strategic financial leadership across the charity, supporting the Chief Executive, Trustees and senior colleagues with clear insight, advice and constructive challenge. You will lead financial strategy, planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting, alongside oversight of governance, risk, investments and organisational systems.

You will also play an important role in supporting and developing the existing finance team. Working closely with the Finance Manager, you will build strong relationships, provide direction and support, and create the right balance between senior accountability and genuine ownership within the team. You will work collaboratively across the charity, as well as with Trustees, auditors, investment managers and Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with significant senior-level experience across strategic financial management, reporting, governance and risk. You will combine strong technical expertise with sound judgement, excellent communication skills and a collaborative leadership style. Experience of joining or inheriting an established team and developing people to take ownership of their work will be particularly important.

This is an opportunity to play a central role in building the financial and organisational strength of a new independent charity, helping Buckinghamshire Healthcare Charity turn its ambitions into greater impact for patients, NHS staff and communities across Buckinghamshire.

Please download the Candidate Information Pack [PDF] for further information.

Closing Date: Tuesday, 15th September

Help transform healthcare for patients across Bristol, Weston and beyond

At Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity, we do great things for everyone. From first breaths to final goodbyes, our work touches over 1.75 million patients across our hospitals. Together with our supporters, NHS colleagues and partners, we fund projects that bring comfort, hope and innovation to patients and their families.

We're looking for an experienced and strategic finance leader to join our Senior Management Team during an exciting period of delivery and growth following our recent merger with Southmead Hospital Charity.

This is a rare opportunity to use your expertise to help improve healthcare for patients, families and NHS staff across the region. Reporting directly to the CEO, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the charity's future, ensuring strong financial stewardship, effective governance and operational excellence across the organisation so that together we can create the greatest possible impact.

About the role

As Director of Finance & Operations, you'll provide strategic leadership across finance, operations, governance, risk management and charitable grant-making. You'll work closely with the CEO, Trustees and senior colleagues, helping guide key decisions that support the charity's long-term sustainability and impact.

No two days will be the same. One moment you could be presenting financial insights to the Board, the next working alongside NHS colleagues to identify where charitable funding can make the greatest difference for patients, families and staff. You might be leading an operational improvement project, overseeing risk and governance, supporting investment decisions, or helping develop our people and culture. You'll also have opportunities to meet the incredible supporters, donors and fundraisers whose generosity makes our work possible, giving you a direct connection to the impact of the charity and the communities we serve.

You'll lead and support a talented team, including our Financial Controller, Head of Grants and Head of Operations, creating an environment where people can thrive and continue delivering outstanding results.

About you

We're looking for a qualified accountant with significant senior leadership experience in the charity sector and a track record of providing strategic financial leadership at executive or director level.

You'll bring:

• Strong experience presenting to boards and trustees and influencing decision-making.
• Expertise in financial strategy, budgeting, cashflow management, reporting and audit.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to make complex financial information clear and accessible.
• Experience of charity governance, risk management and regulatory compliance.
• A collaborative leadership style and a talent for building trusted relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience leading operational, digital or systems improvement initiatives.

Most importantly, you'll share our commitment to improving healthcare and making a lasting difference for patients and communities across Bristol, Weston and beyond.

Please note we are looking for the successful candidate to start in early to mid October to ensure a handover period with the substantive Director of Finance & Operations before she goes on maternity leave.

Why join us?

This is an opportunity to use your financial and operational expertise for a cause that matters. You'll join a passionate and supportive team and play a key role in helping the charity deliver extraordinary impact in our hospitals every day. In addition, you'll enjoy: 

• 27 days annual holiday entitlement plus an additional day off on your birthday and a wellbeing day. Plus, an additional two days leave after five years of service.

• Commitment to hybrid and flexible working. 

• Competitive pension scheme. We'll match employee pension contributions up to 8% (minimum 5%). 

• Additional support via our enhanced Employee Assistance Programme, including up to eight sessions with a licensed counsellor. 

• Life assurance cover - 4x annual salary 

• Commitment to training and development with budget set aside 

• Medicash health plan - claim cash towards a range of medical costs 

• Free Blue Light Card that allows access to hundreds of discounts at major retailers. 

If you're an experienced charity finance leader who combines strategic thinking with hands-on delivery, we'd love to hear from you.

1st stage interviews: 23/24th September.2nd stage interviews: 29/30th September.

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION

Bristol & Weston Hospitals Charity is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion.

We are committed to a fair and inclusive recruitment process and use anonymised recruitment, removing personal details such as names and email addresses during shortlisting.

As a Disability Confident and Mindful Employer, we will offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who meet the eseential criteria for the role. If you wish to share information about a disability or long-term condition and would like us to consider any adjustments, please let us know in your application.

We are looking for a person with an understanding of working with a values-driven team of people, in the charity or not-for-profit sector.

The person appointed will have an appreciation of the aims and values of the Sustain alliance and be excited by supporting our organisation in effective ways of working, whilst freeing up senior leaders and spokespeople to undertake influencing, communication, partnership development and fundraising activities.

The Operations and People Manager will help Sustain function effectively as an organisation and be a great place to work. This is a senior, trusted role working closely with the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Senior Management Team (SMT), line managers and Trustees to strengthen our people, operational and governance systems.

The post-holder will lead practical improvements in HR, people processes, line management standards, staff development, onboarding, offboarding, organisational culture and compliance. They will combine sound judgement, strong systems thinking and a people-centred approach, helping Sustain keep processes clear, proportionate and well-managed, while supporting colleagues to focus on effective delivery.

The mission of the Sustain alliance is to catalyse systemic change in the UK’s food and farming system – securing a healthy, fair, and sustainable future for all people, nature and a stable climate. Working in collaboration with our alliance members and others, we run a range of advocacy work, projects and campaigns to achieve permanent changes in policy and practice; and to engage more people, organisations and communities in being food system change-makers.

As with all senior roles at Sustain, the person appointed to this role will work mainly at the Sustain office in London during their probationary period, and thereafter at least half of working hours at our office, whilst benefiting from the flexibility offered to all colleagues. This is part of senior role-modelling of the creativity, support, engagement and well-being benefits that in-person working cultivates between colleagues. This will be managed in coordination with other senior colleagues to enable good in-person coverage and connectivity across the week and across common holiday periods.

Role and responsibilities
•Strengthen Sustain’s people, HR, operational and governance systems so that the charity works effectively, fairly and well.
•Help Sustain be a great place to work, with clear standards, supportive line management, good staff development and a positive, inclusive culture.
•Lead on high standards and practical improvements in recruitment; induction; probation; appraisals; people and HR processes; line management skills, knowledge and tools; staff consultation; and organisational policies and practices.
•Support senior leaders, line managers and Trustees with clear advice, reliable processes, good records and proportionate and effective risk management.
•Develop and maintain systems that are simple, useful and appropriate for Sustain’s size, values, resources and legal responsibilities
 

Tasks and responsibilities:

Organisational operations and systems
•Lead on managing and developing the charity’s operational activities.
•Ensure that senior management actions that support operational effectiveness are managed and carried out in a timely way, via an accessible and accountable process.
•Lead and/or participate in a range of internal groups that support operational effectiveness.
•Support the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and other relevant staff with governance matters, including:
oReporting to the Council of Trustees on operational and people matters;
oPerformance of the ‘Company Secretary’ role on behalf of Trustees;
oTrustee recruitment, induction and management of necessary information and processes;
oAppropriate compliance with the Charity Governance Code.
•Working with the Chief Executive and Chair of the Council of Trustees, help prepare and coordinate the agendas and the running of the quarterly board meeting and occasional (at least annual) staff and Trustees strategy day, as well as the Sustain AGM, Annual Report and Trustee elections (annual), as one of the key links in communication with and between Sustain’s Council of Trustees.
•Lead on development and implementation of one or more relevant chapter of Sustain’s Organisation Development Plan (ODP).

•Support the planning and running of events, working with Sustain team leads, partners, venues and contributors.
•Work with the Head of Finance, Head of Digital and Design and external suppliers to help ensure office, IT and operational arrangements are appropriate and support effective working.
 

People, HR and employment processes
•Lead development and implementation of HR processes, practical actions and transactions, using external HR and/or legal advisors for authoritative support and advice where needed.
•Lead on full lifecycle support for Sustain staff including:
oEffective and inclusive recruitment, onboarding and offboarding – implementing Sustain’s commitment to recruitment for diversity – working with SMT, finance and admin leads;
oCreating, grading, reviewing and updating job descriptions, working with line managers and the senior leadership team;
oManaging employment contract variances; funding precarity; end-of-contract and risk-of-redundancy processes, working with senior managers, line managers, affected employees and HR/legal advisors;
oCreating or supporting a range of opportunities for people from diverse backgrounds and identities to get involved.
•Act as first point of contact for HR queries, taking ownership of policies and process, culture and employee relations; informed by HR advice, consultation and annual staff survey, including overseeing an action plan to embed areas of good practice, and to pursue improvements in an accountable way.
•Regular review of job descriptions, grades, progression and staff benefits within Sustain to ensure we remain competitive within the sector.
•Provide or commission sector benchmarking data, analysis and recommendations to inform decision-making, using a methodology agreed with Trustee oversight, on matters such financial and non-financial staff benefits.
•Maintain and improve the Staff Handbook, Recruitment Handbook, and related policies, guidance, advice and other support.

Line management standards, learning and staff development
•Lead the development and implementation of clear, practical standards for line management at Sustain, working with SLT, SMT, the Line Managers Forum and external advisers where appropriate.

•Develop and oversee implementation of key processes such as annual appraisals, annual planning and objective-setting, and a suitable performance management process.
•Help ensure objective-setting, personal development and progression conversations are undertaken routinely, and that these and performance management are handled consistently, fairly and in line with Sustain’s values and legal responsibilities.
•Support line managers to run effective 1-to-1s, probation reviews, appraisals, workload conversations, development conversations, and difficult conversations where needed.
•Ensure suitable and sufficient ongoing learning opportunities and training for the staff team and the Line Managers group, driving the charity’s approach to consistent standards, personal development and career progression.
•Maintain and improve the Line Managers Handbook and related tools, templates and guidance.
Culture, EDI, staff voice and union liaison
•Manage and develop Sustain as a great place to work, with a working culture and practices that support effective delivery, as well as health, wellbeing and personal development.
•Serve as an active member of the Diversity Group, to implement and innovate on equity, diversity, inclusion and anti-racism, and to gather data to measure and report on impact and progress.
•Working with the CEO, provide a route for requests and suggestions from the Health and Wellbeing Group to be properly considered and actioned as appropriate.
•Develop and support ways for staff voices to be heard and influence policies, practices and organisational culture, and for staff to be able to raise ideas and concerns confidently and see actions taken as a result.
•Support structured staff consultation and union liaison processes, helping ensure they are well-organised, transparent, well-documented and conducted in line with Sustain's policies and recognition arrangements.

Governance, compliance and risk management
•Develop and update key resources, contributing to useful reference sets such as the Staff Handbook, Recruitment Handbook and Line Managers Handbook, including overseeing production, maintenance and updating of all policies, procedures and guidance relevant to operations and people.
•Ensure Sustain complies with all employment, health and safety, data protection, charity legislation and statutory guidance including filing at Companies House and maintaining organisational records with the Charity Commission, and managing the risk register and internal policies tracker.

•Ensure adherence to health, safety, diversity and safeguarding procedures in the office, in hybrid working and for events and activities; undertaking comprehensive risk assessments for events and activities; and ensuring appropriate risk mitigation, staff communication and updates to guidance.
Other
•Potential for this role to line-manage one or more member of staff, volunteer, paid intern and/or external consultant, offering 1-to-1 support for objective-setting, work delivery, coaching and pastoral matters.
•Any other reasonable tasks and duties, agreed with the Chief Executive, consistent with the nature and level of the role.

Person specification / What we’re looking for:

Qualifications and requirements
•Significant experience operating at a senior level in a people, HR, operations or an organisation development role, including responsibility for organisational systems and staff management. [E]
•Experience of working in a charity, not-for-profit, campaigning, membership, alliance or other values-led organisation. [D]
•Demonstrable commitment to the operations and people role through a relevant qualification, training or other continuing professional development (CPD). [D]
 

Experience
•Significant experience leading organisational, people or operational improvement and advising senior decision-makers. [E]
•Developing skills and learning plans, and commissioning and/or delivering learning opportunities including training, workshops, facilitation and/or coaching. [E]
•Managing employment contracts to improve employee information and job security, especially where funding is short-term and project-based, with insights into good practice. [D]
•Delivering training and/or guidance to improve people-related functions to be delivered by line managers. [D]
•Working in a unionised organisation. [D]
Skills, abilities and attitudes
•Confidence and experience to take a leadership role on operational and people matters, working with the Chief Executive, Trustees and senior managers. [E]
•Strong problem-solving skills, and negotiation skills and the ability and confidence to provide insightful and constructive proposals and advice. [E]
•Excellent project management skills. [E]
•Aptitude for managing financial information and budgets. [D]
•Ability to communicate clearly and sensitively in writing and verbally, including on complex, confidential or contentious matters. [E]
•Proficiency with computer software and records management. [E]

Knowledge
•Knowledge and experience of end-to-end management of staff team members and their development: recruitment, induction and probation; learning experiences, skills and training; personal and career development; performance management; support for health and wellbeing; and HR processes. [E]
•Sound knowledge of UK HR and employment rules and statutory guidance, and their implementation in good practice. [E]
•Knowledge of IT, online and practical systems for improving processes and efficiency. [D]
 

Attitudes and personal qualities
•Highly organised and self-motivated, with the ability to work flexibly, independently and meet deadlines; whilst having the judgment to know when and who to consult before proceeding. [E]
•High integrity, with a professional, diplomatic, values-led, solutions-focused and collaborative approach to working with individuals and a wider team. [E]
•Commitment and ability to work at our office in East London regularly. [E]
•Demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity, inclusion and racial justice. [E]
•Commitment to the mission and values of Sustain, and an interest in healthy and sustainable food and farming. [D]

Application closing date: Monday 14 September at 5pm (BST)

First stage interviews will take place (via Zoom) on: Wednesday 23 September 2026

Second stage interviews to take place in-person (London office) on: Wednesday 30 September 2026

Early applications are encouraged.

For any queries, please contact our recruitment team.