Assistant Company Secretary

About the role 

We have a fabulous opportunity for an experienced and proactive governance professional to join our team as an Assistant Company Secretary. In this key role, you will support the day-to-day operations of the Secretarial function, acting as a vital resource for corporate governance, committee administration, and statutory compliance across our global business.

The successful candidate will be an advocate for governance excellence—collaborating closely with corporate functions, senior leadership, and external advisors to ensure absolute compliance with UK and international regulatory standards. You will provide the essential coordination and expertise required to manage our subsidiary portfolio, committee meetings, regulatory disclosures, and corporate reorganisations.

DS Smith is currently part of the International Paper Group and is transitioning towards a listing on the London Stock Exchange with a secondary listing on the New York Stock Exchange. This role will play a key part in supporting this dynamic corporate landscape, ensuring seamless compliance across UK and US listing regimes while deputising for the Deputy Company Secretary when required.

Key responsibilities include:

• Subsidiary Governance: Manage EMEA-wide subsidiary portfolios, maintain GEMS statutory registers, prepare board minutes, and submit Companies House filings
• Committee Management: Coordinate key management committees (Finance, Ethics & Compliance, Financial Reporting), managing agendas, paper packs, and minute taking
• AGM & Annual Report: Support the planning and execution of the Annual General Meeting and draft governance sections of the Annual Report
• Stock Exchange Announcements: Draft and release non-trading RNS announcements on the London and New York Stock Exchanges, ensuring FCA and SEC compliance
• MAR & Insider Lists: Maintain insider and project lists, issue closed period notifications, and oversee employee dealing requests
• Share Plans Support: Assist the Share Plans Manager with share capital reconciliations, SH01 filings, and routine equity administration

So, if you are a detail-oriented corporate governance professional looking for a high-impact role in a business which prioritises excellence and encourages you to make a difference — then we might be looking for you!

About you  

• CGI (ICSA) qualified or equivalent professional standing
• Proven company secretarial background within a UK-listed company; US listing experience is not essential but advantageous
• Strong command of UK corporate governance, listing rules, Companies Act requirements, MAR, and entity management tools (GEMS)
• Excellent minute-taking abilities and interpersonal skills to engage and influence senior executives
• Highly organised, proactive self-starter with sharp attention to detail and the ability to manage strict regulatory deadlines

Benefits 

• Competitive salary & Benefits
• 25 days annual holiday plus bank holidays 
• Pension scheme, life assurance and income protection
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee Discounts
• Cycle to work scheme

Location: This is a hybrid role, split between the London Paddington office (3 days) and home (2 days).

About us

We are DS Smith, together with International Paper, we are a global leader in sustainable packaging solutions and other fibre-based products. We believe a better, more sustainable tomorrow is possible with the right people, who challenge and support one another to enact positive change. We employ more than 65,000 colleagues in North America and Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), who are experts in innovation, manufacturing, design, sales, sustainability, supply chain, and much more. Together with our customers, we make the world safer and more productive, one sustainable packaging solution at a time. Become part of a world-leading organisation and do your best work with us!

Fair recruitment at DS Smith

To fulfil our purpose of redefining packaging for a changing world, we aim to build a diverse, motivated, and engaged workforce. Our goal is to create a culture of inclusion where everyone is treated fairly, differences are valued, and everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Our people come from diverse backgrounds, bring different perspectives, ideas, and experiences to generate unique solutions focused on present and future sustainability challenges. We welcome all candidates to apply, even those not meeting all criteria.

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