Board Secretary

Job description:

Board Secretary

• $163,604.00 per annum + 11.5% superannuation
• Full time, ongoing opportunity
• Wadawurrung Country / Geelong based role (hybrid – 3 days a week in office)About the opportunity

The Board Secretary provides high quality subject matter expertise, leadership, advice and guidance on matters of corporate governance directly to the Chair of the Board, non-Executive Directors and the Executive Leadership Team, enabling the Board, Board Committees and WorkSafe’s legislated advisory committees to discharge their legal obligations and duties and to operate and perform efficiently and optimally.

Key accountabilities

• Support the enablement of the Board to fulfill its governance functions and facilitate the optimum performance by the Board, its committees and individual Board members.
• Advise and guide the Board and its Committees on their legal responsibilities, duties and obligations in the area of good corporate governance.
• Ensure the Board’s compliance with the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) and Public Administration Act 2004 (Vic), including the proper maintenance of required registers, notification of required information and lodgement of reports as required.
• Accountable for creating and overseeing the efficient record-keeping and maintenance of all Board and Board Committee’s documents and registers as required by law.
• Drive and oversee the review, update, monitor and compliance of the Board’s corporate governance framework, standards and policies (including WorkSafe’s Board’s Governance Manual, Board Committee Charters and Stakeholder Committee Terms of Reference), ensuring they support effective decision making and comply with legislative and regulatory requirements.
• Co-ordinate and facilitate the timely preparation, completion and dispatch of Board and Committee papers, agendas, minutes and forward plans.
• Proactively drive and assist the Chair and its Directors in the conduct of meetings and their directorial and governance obligations and responsibilities, including matters related to identifying, documenting, addressing and managing conflicts of interest and private interests.
• Oversee and maintain the accuracy of the matters arising schedule from the Board and all committee meetings, and liaise with the Executive Leadership Team and their offices on the timely completion of those action items arising from Board, Board Committee meetings and legislated committee meetings.
• Manage the annual board calendar process and associated meetings, taking into account legislative changes, regulatory reporting and approvals, committee meetings and the annual budgeting and business performance review process.

Please review the Position Description here for additional information on accountabilities for this role.

About you

You are an experienced Company / Board Secretary, with a history of leading, mentoring and developing staff on governance administration. You are a highly organised professional who has the ability to work within deadlines and budgets. Your strong communication and interpersonal skills allow you to develop and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders.

Additionally you will possess the following skills and experience:

• Experience as a Company/Board Secretary, or similar position within a major statutory or non-statutory public or private entity.
• Detailed knowledge of Director and Board Secretary accountabilities, including governance, risk mitigation, integrity, compliance and privacy.
• Experience and a thorough understanding of the Corporations Act 2001 (Cth) as it relates to the function of Boards; and experience in or a detailed understanding of OH&S Legislation and workers compensation.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, including the ability to liaise and consult with Directors, Chief Executive, Executives and management at all levels of the organisation, government agencies, ministers and their staff, key stakeholders and external advisors.
• Highly developed writing skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to prepare concise summary documentation, including advising executive management on best practices for Board paper drafting.
• Highly developed analytical and conceptual skills including the ability to recognise, anticipate and address emerging issues of importance to the Board.
• Significant ability to foresee and mitigate challenges, with an ability to navigate complex and fast paced environments.
• Full competency in Board paper electronic platforms, in particular Diligent for Boards.
• Membership of the Australian Institute of Company Directors or similar.

Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in business, law or governance.
• Australian Institute of Company Directors’ (GAICD) Graduate Certificate or Diploma of Applied Corporate Governance and Risk Management or equivalent.
• Qualifications in Corporate Governance is highly desirable.
• A qualification in the area of WorkSafe’s health and safety and/or insurance functions is highly desirable.

Working with us

At WorkSafe, our goal is for every employee to feel connected, safe, and valued within their team, for teams to feel appreciated in the workplace, and for WorkSafe to be respected in the community.

We believe that a diverse workforce is essential for delivering the best outcomes for the Victorian community. We strongly encourage applications from all individuals, including First Nations people, people with disabilities, those from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds, and individuals of all sexualities and genders.  

What’s next?

Applications close 11:00pm Wednesday 7 May 2025. Click the link to apply, and join us in making a difference to Victorian lives. 

Only applications submitted via the WorkSafe Careers website will be considered.

Preferred candidates will be required to satisfactorily complete a Nationally Coordinated Criminal History Check and/or other checks as required for the position as part of the recruitment process.

Eligibility for ongoing employment with WorkSafe Victoria requires Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency.

Due to the volume of applications received, individualised feedback will only be provided to candidates who progress to interview stage.

For further enquiries please contact Bianca Stojanovski via email bianca_stojanovski@worksafe.vic.gov.au