Corporate Secretary job description.
A Corporate Secretary supports the board of directors and senior leadership with governance, compliance, and administrative functions. They organize board and shareholder meetings, prepare minutes and resolutions, maintain statutory records, and ensure the organization meets its regulatory filing obligations. The role requires strong knowledge of corporate governance practices, meticulous record-keeping, and the ability to work closely with executives, legal counsel, and regulatory bodies.
The Corporate Secretary job description · $29
The full editable .docx — role summary, 9 worked responsibilities, qualifications, and skills, formatted for your letterhead. Delivered to your inbox within 24 hours — usually instantly.
Role: Corporate Secretary Reports to: Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Board
A Corporate Secretary supports the board of directors and senior leadership with governance, compliance, and administrative functions. They organize board and shareholder meetings, prepare minutes and resolutions, maintain statutory records, and ensure the organization meets its regulatory filing obligations. The role requires strong knowledge of corporate governance practices, meticulous record-keeping, and the ability to work closely with executives, legal counsel, and regulatory bodies.
- Organize and coordinate board and shareholder meetings, including agendas and materials
- Prepare and maintain accurate minutes, resolutions, and meeting records
- Maintain statutory registers and corporate records in compliance with regulations
What's inside the document.
One-paragraph plain-English explanation of the role's outcome and scope.
9 responsibilities phrased the way the work is actually done.
5 qualifications a candidate must have to perform on day 30.
3 qualifications that would make a candidate excellent in year two.
6 skill chips you can copy directly into your ATS.
Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Board
A complete document set.
- Word document (.docx) — fully editable
- PDF — signature-ready
- Google Docs — one-click copy to your Drive
- 12 months of updates to this document
- Commercial-use licence for internal and client work
The work, not the title.
- Organize and coordinate board and shareholder meetings, including agendas and materials
- Prepare and maintain accurate minutes, resolutions, and meeting records
- Maintain statutory registers and corporate records in compliance with regulations
- Ensure timely filing of required corporate documents with regulatory authorities
- Advise directors and executives on governance policies and procedures
- Manage correspondence between the board, shareholders, and regulatory bodies
- Support due diligence processes for mergers, acquisitions, or corporate changes
- Coordinate with legal counsel on compliance and governance matters
- Maintain confidentiality of sensitive corporate and board information
Required — and what would make a candidate excellent.
- Bachelor's degree in law, business administration, or related field
- Professional qualification in corporate governance or company secretarial practice, where applicable
- Experience supporting boards of directors or senior executives
- Strong knowledge of corporate governance and regulatory filing requirements
- Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
- Chartered Secretary or equivalent professional certification
- Experience in a publicly listed or highly regulated organization
- Familiarity with board management software
Eight steps from download to publish.
- 01Open the Corporate Secretary job description in Word or your one-click Google Docs copy.
- 02Replace placeholders for company name, reporting line, and location with your specifics.
- 03Tighten the summary to one paragraph that names the team's outcome, not just the role.
- 04Edit the responsibilities to match the actual scope of the seat — aim for 6 to 8 items, not 12.
- 05Separate required qualifications from preferred. Required is what a candidate must have to do the work on day 30; preferred is what would make them excellent in year two.
- 06Add salary range guidance using BLS, Payscale, or your own band data — do not copy generic figures.
- 07Have the hiring manager and one peer read it. Cut anything that wouldn't survive a candidate question.
- 08Publish to your ATS, intranet, and external careers page.
The right document at the right moment.
Use this Corporate Secretary job description any time you are opening or reopening a seat at this level. The senior band sets the calibration — copy the document, tighten it to your specific scope, and circulate to the hiring panel before the first interview.
The reporting line (Chief Executive Officer or Chairman of the Board) and skills list are starting points. Override either if your org structure or stack differs from the norm — the template is a draft, not a contract.
Honest answers before you download.
- Is a Corporate Secretary the same as an administrative assistant?
- No; a Corporate Secretary handles governance and statutory compliance responsibilities that require specialized legal and regulatory knowledge, not general administrative support.
- What qualifications should employers look for?
- A background in law, corporate governance, or company secretarial practice is typical, often supported by a professional governance certification.
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This Corporate Secretary job description is a professionally drafted starting point for your hiring process and is not legal advice. Hiring practice varies by jurisdiction (e.g. pay-transparency laws differ across US states and AU jurisdictions). Adapt this document for your specific location and have employment counsel review any clauses you add before publishing. Salary varies by region, employer type, and experience. Reference BLS or current industry surveys for ranges. Full disclaimer.