What is a Chartered Secretary?

Chartered Secretaries are high-ranking professionals with a diverse set of skills unique amongst many professions. Trained in corporate law, finance, governance and corporate secretarial practice, Chartered Secretaries are the focal point for independent advice about the conduct of business, governance and compliance. They can also offer legal and accounting advice and manage the development of strategy and corporate planning.

As well as broadening your skill-set by becoming a Chartered Secretary, other benefits include:

• 􀂃 access to a wide variety of different job roles;
• 􀂃 diversity of responsibilities;
• 􀂃 a fast-track to top-level roles working with the board;
• 􀂃 the option to move across different sectors;
• 􀂃 stand out to potential employers;
• 􀂃 the status of having a Chartered profession;
• 􀂃 top earning potential;
• 􀂃 an internationally recognised qualification; and
• 􀂃 the opportunity to work overseas.

As a Chartered Secretary, you can work in a number of different sectors including corporate, not-for-profit, charity

and the NHS. Many work as company secretaries but there are a wide variety of other roles Chartered Secretaries can perform. Here are just a few:

• 􀂃 assistant company secretary
• 􀂃 audit officer
• 􀂃 chief executive
• 􀂃 corporate administrator
• 􀂃 director of finance
• 􀂃 director of legal services
• 􀂃 financial controller
• 􀂃 financial services contracts manager
• 􀂃 head of compliance
• 􀂃 head of corporate  governance
• 􀂃 head of resourcing
• 􀂃 head of secretariat
• 􀂃 in-house counsel
• 􀂃 managing director
• 􀂃 managing partner
• 􀂃 risk controller
• 􀂃 trust and companies manager
• 􀂃 trust secretary

You may also have the opportunity to work in practice, offering business and legal services to a range of clients.

What does a Chartered Secretary do?

The specific responsibilities of a Chartered Secretary vary depending upon the job title, the level of the job role, the size of the organisation and the sector in which it operates. However, responsibilities may include:

• advising the board on effective decision-making, legal and regulatory matters and risk management;
• developing and managing strategies to ensure compliance with legal and statutory requirements;
• identifying areas for improved corporate governance;
• implementing changes in relevant legislation;
• managing board, shareholder and trustee communications, reports and meetings;
• liaising with auditors, lawyers and tax advisors;
• leading on issues essential to business performance, such as negotiation of contracts, finance,  accounting, insurance and property; and
• interpreting and advising on financial reporting.

What salary can a Chartered Secretary expect?

Salaries vary greatly depending on job role and organisation type. As a guide, a fully qualified Chartered

Secretary working in the private sector earns anything between £55,000 and £180,000 on average with top company secretaries for a FTSE 100 company earning up to £305,600 basic.* A company secretarial assistant earns on average between £28,000 and £42,000 with top roles offering £45,000 working in the private sector.* Some of our students start their career in a secretarial assistant role and study for the ICSA qualification at the same time, so they gain valuable professional experience as well as earning an income and gaining a professional qualification.