Assistant Company Secretary-London-Full Time

Synthomer is an innovative global leader in sustainable specialist polymer solutions. The Group is one of the world’s foremost suppliers of water-based polymers and has leadership positions in many markets. Our polymers help customers create innovative new products and enhance the performance of existing products in key industries such as coatings, construction, adhesives, and personal protection products.

Synthomer serves over 6000 customers around the world. Synthomer has its operational headquarters in London, UK, and provides customer-focused services from regional centres in Harlow, UK; Marl, Germany; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Beachwood, Ohio, USA. It employs more than 4000 employees across over 30 sites and is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Purpose Of Role

To support the Company Secretary and the General Counsel, Corporate in all facets of Company Secretarial duties, including adherence to the regulations governing UK publicly listed companies. This role involves aiding in the management of the Group’s entities globally and collaborating with the company’s Compliance and Finance teams to promote effective entity management and governance.

Main Accountabilities

• Ensuring adherence to the ongoing obligations of UK listed companies, including compliance with the Listing Rules, DTRs, UK Corporate Governance Code, and MAR.
• Managing the Group’s Confidentiality Lists, Insider List, and the process for approving share dealings.
• Supporting the Annual Report process, which includes the compilation and distribution of the report (e.g., gathering information, coordinating with share registrars and printers, etc.).
• Overseeing RNS announcements, which encompass transactions involving directors.
• Aiding in the composition of specific sections of the Annual Report, such as the directors’ report, corporate governance statement, Directors’ Remuneration report, and the preparation of Directors’ emoluments.
• Collaborating with the Compensation and Benefits team to manage annual awards and supervise the vesting process.
• Administering the employee benefit trust (EBT).
• Keeping a record of Directors’ Interests and assisting with the preparation of relevant tax documents and returns.
• Coordinating the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Extraordinary General Meetings (EGMs).
• Monitoring proxy voting activities.
• Collaborating with the Legal team and external Company Secretarial resources to effectively facilitate the governance of the Group’s subsidiaries. This includes the submission of confirmation statements, coordinating the filing of financial statements, and supervising filings for overseas subsidiaries.
• Ensuring the precise upkeep of statutory registers for both UK and international entities within the Group, which encompasses the responsibility for filings with Companies House as necessary and maintaining current Company records.
• Aiding in the scheduling and procedural aspects of the PLC Board, which includes the development of annual calendars for the Board and its Committees.
• Uploading Board documents and disseminating them to the Board and Committees through a third-party platform.
• Overseeing the relationship with the registrar, which includes managing dividend payments and addressing shareholder inquiries.
• Providing assistance with corporate actions as needed, including acquisitions, disposals, and internal restructuring initiatives.

Person Specification

• Prior experience in a main market UK listed company as an Assistant Company Secretary.
• A strong understanding of the Companies Act 2006, the UK Corporate Governance Code, UK Listing Rules, Disclosure and Transparency Guidance, MAR, and associated best practice guidelines is required.
• The selected candidate must demonstrate the ability to maintain focus under pressure, recognise when to act swiftly, seek additional guidance as necessary, and possess strategic thinking skills to plan and execute effectively.
• While a formal Company Secretarial qualification is preferred, it is not mandatory if the candidate has relevant experience.

In Addition, We Offer a Highly Desirable Benefits Package

• Private health insurance
• Company bonus scheme
• Contributory pension
• Cycle to work scheme
• Life insurance
• Support counselling
• Company social events throughout the year

At Synthomer we value the difference everyone brings to work, and we are committed to create a diverse and inclusive workplace, where people are supported to make their best contribution in creating a vibrant and successful business.

Why Synthomer?

We are ambitious!

We have grown significantly – both organically and inorganically. We are a FTSE 250 listed company, 22% of our revenue comes from newly commercialized products, and we’re recognized in the top-quartile for chemicals manufacturing safety.

We believe in high challenge, high support!

We are keen to let you contribute in real roles from day 1. We expect a lot, but offer a lot, too. This includes onboarding, induction and learning events, networking opportunities, mentoring and personal development planning. So, be up for an inspiring long-term career adventure.

We personalize our approach to development!

At Synthomer, you won’t find generic career tracks or development programs but rather a one-size-fits-one approach to employee development. We’ll partner with you to ensure you have the right experiences that build your capabilities and accelerate your career growth.