Deputy Company SecretaryNHS
Job summary
Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust 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.
As part of the recruitment process, shortlisted applicants will be invited to attend a 60-90 minute face-to-face assessment before the interview stage. Candidates will be presented with 3-4 scenarios and asked to discuss their approach. Further details will be provided closer to the assessment date.
Job description
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.
About us
We are committed to recruiting the best person for the job through a fair, open and consistent process that is free from bias and discrimination.
We are working towards becoming an anti-racist organisation. This means creating a workplace where every colleague feels seen, heard and valued, and where racism in any form has no place. Our anti-racism commitment is backed by action through our Anti-Racism Statement and action plan, developed in collaboration with our REACH staff network.
We actively challenge discrimination, dismantle barriers and embed equity across all aspects of our workforce, including recruitment, progression and development. All applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, health condition or employment history.
We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and LGBTQ+ community members. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Business Disability Forum, and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.
Our staff networks, including REACH, PRIDE, ENABLED and Women's Networks, are active and executive supported. These employee-led networks play a vital role in shaping an inclusive culture at GOSH and are open to all colleagues.
Together, we are building a culture where inclusion is not optional - it is essential.