Deputy Company Secretary

At Keywords Studios we are using our passion for games, technology and media to create a global services platform for the video games and entertainment industries. Our aim is to become the “go to” provider of technical and creative services across a variety of service lines.

We enable leading content creators and publishers to leverage our expertise and capacity across the lifecycle of interactive content. In doing so, we empower our clients to remain lean and agile and to focus on creating the most engaging experiences.

Keywords Studios is trusted and relied upon by many of the world’s leading video games and entertainment companies to work alongside them during concept, development and live operations by leveraging the breadth and depth of our industry leading service lines every step of the way.

The ultimate parent company in the Keywords Studios’ group (the Group), Keywords Studios plc (the Company), is admitted to trading on AIM, the London Stock Exchange market (KWS.L). See www.keywordsstudios.com for further information.

Job Summary

Keywords Studios continues to build world leading capabilities in services that video game and other interactive content creators need. We stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients working as their external partner, providing access to our teams of experts where and when needed.

People that work at Keywords Studios are passionate, talented, committed and resourceful. Human talent is our most valuable resource and, as a business, we thrive on diversity, celebrate uniqueness and work together across 70+ facilities in 26 countries.

Keywords Studios now has an exciting opportunity for a Deputy Company Secretary to be a part of its growing team. This position will support and report to the Group’s General Counsel & Company Secretary on company secretarial, governance, compliance and other legal matters globally. In addition, the Deputy Company Secretary will manage the Group’s Company Secretarial Assistant.

As part of this role, you are going to be a key member of the team focusing on a wide variety of duties, including supporting and advising the board of directors of the Company (the Board) and the Group’s legal and corporate functions more generally. This exciting role will give the successful individual the opportunity to influence a critical element of our business, helping to take us to the next level of our strategic growth plans.

Joining our team as Deputy Company Secretary offers an exciting opportunity to be part of a globally recognised video games and entertainment company at the forefront of innovation. If you have a passion for governance and company secretarial matters, and the gaming or technology industries, and you thrive in a dynamic and creative environment, we would love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities and Activities

• Supporting the Company Secretary: Assisting with Board and subsidiary matters, corporate governance and the Group’s compliance with its legal and other obligations (including the AIM Rules, the Market Abuse Regulations, DTR5 and the Companies Act 2006), monitoring legislative developments and best practice, managing the Company Secretarial Assistant and responding to shareholder enquiries.
• Board and Committee Meetings: Assisting with the operation of the Board and committee meetings, including by:

- planning the meetings and related logistics,

-preparing agendas;

-writing and collating reports and papers for distribution to the Board prior to meetings;

-liaising with the Chair, the other directors and other stakeholders;

-attending and taking minutes at the meetings;

-following up on arising matters; and

-co-ordinating foreign Board trips.

• Announcements: Assisting with the preparation, authorisation and issuance of RNS announcements in conjunction with the Company Secretary, Board, investor relations team and external advisers.
• Registers: Maintaining statutory books and records of the Board and its committees, and those of the Company’s subsidiaries, and liaising with the Company’s registrar.
• Filings and Annual Returns: Assisting with the preparation of Group company minutes and resolutions and co-ordinating the filing of forms and annual returns.
• Market Abuse Regulations: Maintaining confidential and insider lists, PDMR and PCA details and issuing briefings and communications to persons on those lists and to PDMRs as part of induction.
• Share Dealings: Refining policies and procedures and preparing and maintaining all requisite registers, consents to deal, communications and announcements.
• Policies and Procedures: Maintaining and developing appropriate legal and governance policies, procedures, associated training and monitoring.
• Share Schemes Management: Assisting with the management of the Group’s employee share schemes, taking a lead role in the annual grants and maturity of offerings and managing the Group’s external scheme administrator, employee benefit trust and block listing.
• Corporate Governance: Monitoring developments in corporate governance and best practice, recommending the implementation of or changes to policies, processes and reporting requirements to align with developments, and preparing governance updates for the Board.
• Induction of Directors: Assisting the Company Secretary with the induction of new directors and drafting induction documents.
• Dividends: In conjunction with the Company’s registrar, paying dividends and managing the dividend reinvestment programme.
• General Meetings: Taking the lead on the project management, and compliance requirements, of the Company’s AGMs and EGMs, including drafting the materials, responding to proxy agency correspondence, preparing Q&As for the Board, drafting of the Chair’s script, managing the delivery of directors’ proxy votes and liaising with the Company’s registrar.
• Annual Report: Leading the production and delivery of the Annual Report, including by producing first drafts of the corporate governance report, committee reports, directors’ report and other statutory information taking into account related guidance and institutional body best practice guidance working, in particular, with the investor relations team.
• Modern Slavery Act Statement: Drafting the annual Modern Slavery Act statement for the Group and ensuring that it is published in compliance with legislation.
• Board and Committee Evaluation: In conjunction with the Company Secretary, assisting with the annual evaluation of the Board, the committees and the directors, with an external evaluation every three years.
• Corporate Website: Regularly reviewing the corporate website to ensure regulatory and governance aspects are kept up to date and to working with others on any re-development projects.

Qualifications and Core Competencies

• Experienced company secretary or deputy company secretary who has worked at a FTSE100 or FTSE250 main market listed company.
• Qualified lawyer or company secretary and a member of The Chartered Governance Institute.
• Experience in dealing with internal management teams and comfortable with interfacing with an experienced and knowledgeable board of directors.
• In-depth knowledge of the AIM Rules, the Market Abuse Regulations, DTR5 and the Companies Act 2006.
• Computer literate, proficient in Word, Outlook, and Excel and experience of tools such as Diligent Boards and Diligent Entities.
• Committed to personal learning and self-improvement, including continuous professional development.
• Strong interpersonal and presentation skills along with the ability to communicate effectively with others at all levels of the organisation.
• Capable of multi-tasking and managing multiple projects by being flexible, organised and able to prioritise and manage own workload.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high activity environment, on a wide variety of matters and able to handle the requirement to quickly shift from one situation or task to another.
• Solution focused problem solver who is commercially astute and pragmatic.
• Strong research, analytical and critical thinking skills.
• Good at networking and relationship building.
• Organised, accountable and dependable with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Demonstrated ability to understand business requirements quickly and then implement actions to meet business objectives.
• Excellent project management and communication skills and strong attention to detail.
• Fluency in English (additional languages are an advantage but not required).

Keywords Studios is dedicated to following a well-established Equal Opportunities Policy. We endeavor to create a workplace which provides for equal opportunities for all employees and potential employees.

PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY

Keywords Studios is strongly committed to protecting your personal information. By sending your CV/Resume, you are agreeing to our terms and conditions and consent to your data being managed and retained in accordance with our data privacy and retention policy ( https://www.keywordsstudios.com/privacy-policy ).

Benefits

Role Information: EN

Studio: Keywords Studios

Location: Europe, United Kingdom, London

Area of Work: Legal

Service: Support Services

Employment Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Hybrid