Help shape the governance of a new investment management company

Northern LGPS is entering a significant new phase of its development, establishing a new FCA authorised investment management company to manage around £70bn of assets on behalf of three Local Government Pension Scheme funds. As Company Secretary (CoSec), you'll play a pivotal role in ensuring the organisation is built on strong governance, regulatory compliance and effective decision-making.

Reporting to the Chief Risk Officer, you'll lead the company secretariat function, providing trusted governance advice to the Board and its Committees while ensuring statutory obligations, regulatory requirements and corporate governance frameworks are embedded from the outset. This is an opportunity to help establish the governance standards that will support Northern LGPS for years to come.

About Northern LGPS

Northern LGPS is a c£70bn pooled investment partnership for the Local Government Pension Scheme, bringing together the investments of Greater Manchester Pension Fund, Merseyside Pension Fund and West Yorkshire Pension Fund.

Building on the foundations of its collaboration over several years, Northern LGPS is now entering the next phase of its development. This phase focuses on establishing an FCA authorised investment management company with a dedicated senior leadership team, strengthening governance and creating a clear operating model to support long-term investment outcomes.

For those joining at this stage, the opportunity is exceptional. These roles offer the chance to shape strategy, set standards and build leadership capability for the long term, working closely with the partner funds, who are both shareholders and clients, Boards and regulators to ensure Northern LGPS continues to evolve as a well-governed, resilient investment organisation.

Our culture

As Northern LGPS continues to evolve, we are building a collaborative, open and trusting organisation where people can do their best work.

We believe strong outcomes come from working together, sharing knowledge and supporting one another. Our flexible and hybrid working arrangements give colleagues greater flexibility in how they manage their time, while supporting collaboration and colleague wellbeing.

We are developing a supportive learning culture where people are encouraged to grow, contribute ideas and help shape how the organisation works. Our ambition is to build a resilient and sustainable organisation that delivers for its Partner Funds over the long term.

Main responsibilities

You'll:

• Lead the planning and administration of Board and Committee meetings, including agendas, meeting papers, minutes, action logs and annual governance calendars.
• Provide high-quality governance advice and company secretariat support to the Board and its Committees.
• Maintain statutory books, registers and corporate filings, ensuring compliance with Companies Act requirements, Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) expectations and other statutory obligations.
• Coordinate director induction, onboarding, ongoing training and Board evaluation activities.
• Maintain governance policies, Board and Committee terms of reference and controlled governance documentation.
• Oversee company secretariat services delivered by external providers, ensuring effective governance and compliance with delegation arrangements.
• Act as the Data Protection Officer for Northern LGPS.
• Maintain the governance risk register, supporting the identification, assessment and mitigation of governance risks.
• Work closely with Risk and Compliance colleagues to ensure governance arrangements remain aligned with regulatory and internal policy requirements.
• Represent Northern LGPS on corporate governance matters with partner funds, regulators, auditors, external advisers and other key stakeholders.
• Lead transparent communication on governance matters and help foster a strong governance culture across the organisation.

What we're looking for

You'll bring significant experience of corporate governance together with the confidence to provide trusted advice at Board level within a regulated environment.

We're particularly interested in professionals who can demonstrate experience of:

• Company secretariat and corporate governance responsibilities.
• Supporting Boards and Committees with high-quality governance advice.
• Statutory registers, corporate filings and governance record management.
• Governance frameworks, policies and regulatory compliance.
• Working with senior executives, Non-Executive Directors and external stakeholders.
• Governance risk management and regulatory reporting.
• Managing confidential information and governance documentation.
• Building effective relationships with regulators, auditors, advisers and partner organisations.

Qualifications

Must have:

• Corporate Governance Institute qualified (or equivalent) or significant relevant experience.
• Certified Data Protection Office or significant relevant experience.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a sufficient volume of suitable applications.

Equal opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, pregnancy or maternity, race (including colour, nationality, and ethnic or national origin), religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and able to thrive. If you require any adjustments to the recruitment process to support your application, please let us know, and we will work with you to meet your needs.