Company Secretary

SUMMARY:
Provide independent statutory governance advice; support lawful and ethical Board and committee oversight

POSITION INFO:

PURPOSE:

Provide independent statutory governance advice; support lawful and ethical Board and committee oversight; manage meetings, filings and decision records; coordinate Board development and evaluation; and lead the Secretariat. Advise the Executive Management Team (EMT), preserving direct accountability and unrestricted access to the Board.

KEY PERFORMANCE AREAS ARE BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:

• Board and committee governance: Plan annual calendars and work programmes; quality-assure agendas and packs; administer meetings and advise on governance procedures.
• Statutory compliance: Perform section 88 duties under the Companies Act; maintain statutory records, the MOI and compliance calendars; ensure timely CIPC filings and escalate non-compliance.
• Independent advice and ethics: Guide directors; advise on charters, delegations and reserved matters; manage declarations, conflicts and recusals; support Board ethics oversight.
• Decisions and records: Ensure approved minutes; maintain resolution registers, communicate and track decisions, escalate overdue actions and safeguard confidential Board information.
• Board effectiveness: Coordinate induction, development, skills matrices and Board, committee and director evaluations; monitor improvement actions and support lawful succession processes.
• Shareholder interface: Liaise with City of Johannesburg shareholder structures and oversight bodies; coordinate AGMs, shareholder meetings and authorised governance reporting.
• EMT governance: Advise on decision authority, approval routes and governance risks; guide submissions while preserving independent advice and direct Board access.
• Department leadership: Lead strategy, staff, performance, budgets and service providers; strengthen controls, address audit findings, maintain continuity and improve digital governance systems.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• SAQA-recognised NQF Level 8 qualification in Law, Corporate Governance, Company Secretarial Practice, Commerce, Business Administration or an equivalent governance-related field.
• At least eight years'' progressively responsible experience in company or Board secretariat or corporate governance.
• At least five years at management or senior management level, including direct Board and committee support and advice.
• Experience in statutory records and filings, Board and committee cycles, governance instruments, minutes, resolutions, director induction and Board evaluation.
• Experience leading staff, managing budgets and service providers, handling confidential matters and engaging executive and non-executive stakeholders.
• Strongly advantageous: Chartered Secretary / Chartered Governance Professional qualification, or active membership of the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa (CGISA) or another recognised governance professional body.
• Strongly preferred: municipal-entity, state-owned company, public-entity or comparably regulated experience. Local-government governance exposure is highly advantageous.

Skills & Core Competencies

• Knowledge of the Companies Act, King V, MFMA, Municipal Systems Act and municipal-entity governance; MOI, Board charters, delegations, shareholder compact / service delivery agreement and City governance instruments.
• Knowledge of POPIA, PAIA, records management, information classification, Board portals and cyber-security; governance risk, ethics, conflicts of interest, annual and integrated reporting, audit and evidence management.
• Independent governance advice, sound judgement and constructive challenge.
• Legislative interpretation, analytical thinking, precise minutes and clear communication.
• Stakeholder engagement, political sensitivity, integrity, ethics and confidentiality.
• Planning, attention to detail, team leadership and proficiency in secure Board portals.