Chartered Secretary

Also known as:

Administrator, Chartered
Company Secretary
Secretary, Chartered

Introduction

Chartered secretaries hold a senior and responsible position within a company or other organisation. They have an important role in running the organisation. They give legal advice, keep records, manage the finances and are the link between the management and shareholders.

Back to Top

Work Activities

Chartered secretaries work in a broad range of organisations. Some institutions call them chartered administrators or company secretaries. Whatever their job title, they have very similar functions.

Chartered secretaries (or their equivalent) make sure that organisations run smoothly, in a professional and efficient way. Their work includes signing legal documents and making agreements on behalf of their organisation. They make sure that any records they are required to keep are up-to-date, and that the company meets its legal obligations, seeking legal advice where required. They advise on how the business is run including strategy development and planning.

They also have other administrative duties. These include organising employee insurance and pension schemes. They may also have responsibility for buying, renting and selling property, as well as dealing with personnel and communications issues. A chartered secretary needs to have sound knowledge of company taxation, corporate finance and accounting, and their organisation's relationship with its shareholders.

Chartered secretaries provide support for meetings and committees, including the board of directors and management teams. They arrange annual general meetings (AGMs), draw up the agenda and may take the minutes. They may advise on points of law at the meeting. Some chartered secretaries have to produce the company's annual report.

Back to Top

Personal Qualities and Skills

As a chartered secretary, you need to be able to work to deadlines and prioritise your work. You need to be efficient, have good oral and written communication skills and good organisational skills.

Chartered secretaries need to have a good general understanding of law, tax and accounts. You must be able to handle complex legal and financial topics.

You need to be able to pay attention to detail while also seeing the wider picture.

You should have a good knowledge of your company or organisation and be interested in business and the economy.

Good judgement, tact, adaptability, common sense and discretion are also required.

Back to Top

Pay and Opportunities

The pay rates given below are approximate.

Chartered secretaries earn in the range of £28,000 - £40,500 a year, rising to £59,000 - £84,000. Higher earners can make around £115,000 a year.

In PLC organisations, chartered secretaries' earnings average around £92.000 a year; in FTSE 250 firms they average around £126,500; in FTSE 100 firms they average around £180,000 a year.

Chartered secretaries normally work 37-40 hours a week, with occasionally longer hours and weekend working occasionally.

Employers in the public sector are local authorities, the Civil Service, the health service and charities. They use the titles 'chartered secretary' and 'chartered administrator'.

Employers in the private sector are larger industrial and commercial businesses. They normally use the title 'company secretary'. About half of the members of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) work in the private sector.

Some chartered secretaries work as sole traders or in a partnership.

Back to Top

Adult Opportunities

It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Many chartered secretaries have a background in senior administrative, management or accounting positions, either in a registered company or local government.

The ICSA Qualifying Scheme has four programmes: Certificate to Professional. There is open entry to the Certificate Programme and students can work their way through the Diploma and Professional Programme. Graduates and those with a relevant professional qualification enter at either part one or part two of the Professional Programme. There are also exemptions for those with certain other relevant qualifications.

Graduates are recruited as trainee company secretaries directly by employers, but only in small numbers.

If you don't have the usual qualifications needed to enter your chosen degree or HND course, a college or university Access course could be the way in. These courses are designed for people who have not followed the usual routes into higher education. No formal qualifications are usually needed, but you should check this with individual colleges.

Distance learning for all stages of the ICSA examinations is available from ICSA, with study texts and website support for students. Candidates can also undertake study through a number of academic institutions and providers (the ICSA has a full list of distance learning providers).

• 10% of company secretaries are self-employed.
• 14% work part-time.
• 10% have flexible hours.
• 2% of employees work on a temporary basis.

Back to Top