In the modern world, a company secretary is an indispensable assistant to a manager in all areas of the company’s life. We will tell in the article what qualities a business assistant should have and what are the responsibilities of this profession.
The role and place of the secretary in the company management
Nowadays, the work of a secretary has ceased to be perceived as technical and routine, and the word “referent” is increasingly heard, accompanying the traditional “secretary.” However, the functionality of this profession is much broader since a leader of any rank works much more efficiently and successfully if a qualified specialist can perform some of the small tasks for him. Ability to work with databases, knowledge of office work, coordination and organization of relations between departments, preparation of materials and documents for the management board, board of directors, special events, etc. – this is a far from a complete list of duties of the assistant secretary, according to which the applicant for this position already requires special education.
The secretary is the face of the company. Politeness, goodwill, diplomacy, attentiveness, responsibility, and the ability to resolve conflicts are qualities that people of this profession possess and develop in themselves.
What are the responsibilities of the company secretary?
The job responsibilities of the company secretary are largely determined by the specifics of the company, and its organizational features. The main responsibilities of the company or board secretary are:
- analysis of information and preparation of data and analytical materials;
- organization of business transactions;
- implementation of administrative activities of the director;
- record-keeping, preparation of letters and requests, the performance of various operations using computer technology designed to collect, process, and provide information;
- documenting the decisions of the head, bringing to the staff’s attention his oral orders;
- organization of telephone conversations of the director.
The secretary guarantees that the company complies with relevant laws and regulations and informs board members of their legal obligations. Company secretaries are the company’s designated representatives in legal documents, and it is their job to ensure that the company and its directors act within the law. So, the role of the secretary in creating a benevolent and attractive company image is difficult to overestimate.
Company secretary in a board management
Often established collegiate bodies, which include shareholders and top managers of the company, note that the meaningful work of such bodies is valued more highly than the regulatory impact on a particular managerial situation. In part, this situation arises from the fact that the minutes of the work of collegiate bodies are kept by people who do not have sufficient training and particular qualities. It may be a personal assistant to one of the leaders, a secretary-clerk, or a corporate lawyer.
The corporate secretary often doubles as the strategic controller, who initiates the annual strategic cycle of correction and renewal. The corporate secretary is a managerial role and position on the board of directors or the management board, whose responsibilities include:
- preparation of the work plan of the collegial body;
- formation and observance of the work schedule of the body;
- construction of the agenda of the meeting;
- preparation of materials for consideration of planned issues;
- formation and approval of minutes of meetings;
- monitoring the execution of the strategic plan’s decisions and controlling the strategy’s implementation.
The secretary is usually responsible for communication and timely provision of information to shareholders, state registration authorities, and other interested parties. Thus, the secretary will sign the notice of general meetings on behalf of the board of directors.