Governance Services Consultant

About Northern Trust

As a global leader in innovative wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking services, Northern Trust (Nasdaq: NTRS) is proud to guide the world’s most successful individuals, families, corporations and institutions.

Since 1889, we have aligned our efforts with our three guiding Principles That Endure: Service, Expertise, and Integrity. Together, they reflect the three cornerstones of business conduct which we strive to instill in our employees, whom we call partners, and to provide to our clients and the communities we serve worldwide.

With more than 135 years of financial experience and over 24,000 partners, we serve the world’s most sophisticated clients using leading technology and exceptional service.

The opportunity

You will take ownership of the day-to-day governance and company secretarial requirements of an allocated portfolio, applying sound judgement and acting as a reliable point of contact for clients, directors, and colleagues. The role offers direct exposure to boards and senior stakeholders across listed funds, private equity structures, fiduciary entities, and other corporate vehicles.

Alongside your own portfolio responsibilities, you will provide practical support, guidance, and knowledge-sharing to more junior colleagues. This is not a line-management role, but you will be expected to help others build technical capability, improve the quality of their work, and develop confidence in handling governance matters.

What you will do

Governance and board support

·    Coordinate the end-to-end board and committee meeting process, including annual calendars, agendas, paper collation, board-pack distribution, attendance, and follow-up.

·    Draft clear, accurate, and appropriately detailed minutes, written resolutions, shareholder resolutions, and other governance documentation.

·    Maintain action trackers and support the timely completion of decisions and actions arising from meetings.

·    Work closely with chairpersons, directors, clients, relationship managers, and internal stakeholders to support effective governance arrangements.

·    Support applicable listing and governance obligations, including relevant monitoring, approvals, announcements, share buy-backs, and tap issues.

Statutory and entity administration

·    Manage the statutory and company secretarial requirements of an allocated portfolio, ensuring records are complete, accurate, and maintained within required timescales.

·    Maintain statutory registers and corporate records, and coordinate annual and ad hoc filings, annual validations, changes to officers, share transfers, capital changes, and other corporate actions.

·    Arrange the approval and execution of entity documentation, maintaining appropriate evidence of authorisation and completion.

·    Apply relevant company law, regulatory requirements, governance codes, constitutional documents, and internal procedures, escalating complex or judgement-based matters appropriately.

Stakeholders and colleague development

·    Build credible working relationships with clients, directors, colleagues, regulators, registries, legal advisers, auditors, and other professional advisers.

·    Provide responsive, practical, and technically sound company secretarial and governance support, taking ownership of queries and deliverables.

·    Assist less experienced colleagues with technical queries, work planning, and the practical application of procedures and governance requirements.

·    Provide constructive review and feedback on work, share knowledge and good practice, and contribute to an environment in which junior colleagues can develop, without formal line-management responsibility.

·    Handle confidential and sensitive information with appropriate care, discretion, and professional judgement.

Risk, technology, and improvement

·    Complete work in accordance with applicable procedures, controls, service standards, and record-keeping requirements, identifying and escalating risks promptly.

·    Contribute to departmental projects, annual statutory programmes, service improvements, and the effective use of governance technology.

·    Use approved artificial intelligence tools responsibly to improve efficiency, support drafting and analysis, and enhance the consistency of routine work, while applying appropriate human review, confidentiality, data-protection, and information-security requirements.

·    Encourage colleagues to identify appropriate opportunities for artificial intelligence and other technology to improve departmental processes, controls, knowledge-sharing, and client service.

·    Help test, refine, document, and embed practical process improvements across Governance Services.

What you will bring

Experience and knowledge

·    Typically three to five years’ relevant experience in company secretarial, corporate governance, legal, compliance, accounting, fund administration, or a comparable financial-services environment.

·    Practical understanding of the end-to-end board and committee meeting process, including agendas, papers, minutes, resolutions, and action records.

·    Knowledge of Guernsey company law and the statutory and regulatory environment applicable to Guernsey financial-services businesses, or the ability to develop this knowledge quickly.

·    Awareness of relevant governance frameworks, including the AIC Code of Corporate Governance, the UK Corporate Governance Code, and the Guernsey Code of Corporate Governance, where applicable.

·    Experience supporting colleagues, sharing technical knowledge, or reviewing work would be advantageous. Formal people-management experience is not required.

·    Experience of listed funds, private equity structures, fiduciary entities, or other regulated corporate structures would be highly advantageous.

Skills and approach

·    Excellent written English and the ability to produce clear, concise, and accurate governance documentation.

·    Strong organisation, prioritisation, professional confidence, and sound judgement, including recognising when escalation is required.

·    A collaborative, client-focused approach and the ability to support others constructively while remaining accountable for your own portfolio and deliverables.

·    Confidence using Microsoft 365, board portals, entity-management systems, approved artificial intelligence tools, PDF tools, and other relevant technology.

·    A relevant CGI qualification, or another appropriate legal, governance, accounting, or financial-services qualification, completed or in progress, would be advantageous.

What you can expect

·    Direct interaction with boards and senior stakeholders across a varied portfolio.

·    Opportunities to deepen your technical knowledge, take greater ownership, and develop your ability to support others.

·    Support for relevant professional qualifications and continued learning.

·    The opportunity to shape process improvement, technology adoption, and the continued development of Governance Services.

The responsibilities described above indicate the role’s principal requirements. They are not exhaustive and may evolve to reflect client, regulatory, operational, or organisational needs.

Working with Us

As a Northern Trust partner, you will be part of a flexible and collaborative work culture, which has a strong history of financial strength and stability. Movement within the organization is encouraged, senior leaders are accessible, and you can take pride in working for a company committed to an inclusive workplace and assisting the communities we serve.

Philanthropy is deeply rooted in Northern Trust’s history and is an essential element of our culture. Employees around the world give their time and talent to work for the greater good of their communities.

Reasonable Accommodation

Northern Trust is committed to working with and providing adjustments to individuals with health conditions and disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please email our HR Service Center at [email protected], or alternatively you can discuss your individual requirements with the recruiter you are working with.