General secretary jobs in manchester

We’re looking for a dynamic Head of Governance & Business Administration to play a pivotal role in ensuring our organisation runs with integrity, transparency, and impact. This is an exciting opportunity to influence how one of the UK’s most ambitious cultural organisations operates as we grow and evolve.

In this role, you’ll lead on governance, risk management, and compliance, acting as Company Secretary and Data Protection Officer. You’ll oversee business planning and reporting, legal and insurance matters, procurement, and organisational policies – ensuring everything we do meets the highest standards.

You’ll work closely with our Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership team, building strong relationships and driving change that supports our vision for equality, inclusion, and sustainability.

JOB SUMMARY

To ensure that efficient governance, operational systems and controls are in place to manage Factory International’s Governance and Business Administration function.

This includes governance and acting as Company secretariat, data protection and acting as Data Protection Officer, accountable for Business Plan Reporting, internal communication, oversight of Legal & Compliance, Risk Management, Insurance, Policies & Procedures and Procurement

The key responsibilities for the Head of Governance & Business Administration include;

Governance & Risk

• Ensure robust governance frameworks and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements
• Coordinate Board and Committee meetings, including scheduling, agenda preparation, and distribution of papers
• Maintain statutory registers and ensure timely filing of returns and documents with regulatory bodies
• Support FI Executive and Board in proactively managing risk, and accurately reflecting via the Company Risk register, working closely with Directors to ensure quarterly updates are shared with the Executive Leadership and Board of Trustees (including relevant sub-committees)
• Maintain consistency and compliance for all internal communication channels

Business Planning & Reporting

• Act as the organisational lead for Business Plan Reporting, ensuring alignment across all key grant funding agreements and business plan KPIs
• Oversee the annual cycle of statutory reporting to both public sector funders and trustees including all ad-hoc reporting requests across the business
• Attend key external stakeholder meetings with the Executive Director (e.g. MCC, ACE, GMCA) relating to reporting against grant agreements etc
• Work closely with key Directors, Commercial Leads (including the Trusts & Foundations Manager) on funding bids ensuring that commitments are consistent with our agreed internal Business Plan targets and objectives

Legal, Insurance, Data Protection & Compliance

• Ensure legislative and regulatory compliance in all systems and procedures around business administration
• Acting as lead organisational contact and budget holder for external legal support ensuring consistent processes are followed and value for money is achieved to meet the strategic needs of the business
• Ensure adequate data protection in place, devise and implement any additional process and/or training, and act as DPO, accessing external advice as appropriate
• Where required, support the achievement of essential consents such as Planning, Licence variations, Building Control, etc
• Manage the relationship with FI’s insurance broker, working with the Executive Director and Finance Director to ensure appropriate cover and regularly review policies. Overseeing the appropriate claiming of all losses

Procurement

• Acting as lead organisational contact for all Procurement Activity – working closely with the Executive Director to ensure consistent processes are followed and value for money is achieved to meet the strategic needs of the business
• Maintain oversight of the register of planned Procurement as well as responding to un-planned procurement requirements – working closely with relevant Directors and Executives

Policies & Procedures

• Overall responsibility for control and oversight of the organisation’s suite of policies and procedures, including requests for new procedures
• Ensure that key policies are updated by business owners and renewed as per the agreed schedule – ensuring a consistency of tone, content and that relevant checks/approvals have been managed at the appropriate level (Exec, Trustees etc)