Recruiting ASAP and actively reviewing candidates. This is a six month interim role with the potential to become permanent. You will need to be available immediately or within a week if appointed. If you are interested in this role and have the experience and qualifications required please submit an up to date CV. You will need more than 5 years’ experience in a similar role and at an appropriate level of seniority. Due to the volume of applications if you do not hear back within 2 days of submitting please consider it unsuccessful on this occasion.
CII Mission Statement
The overarching purpose of the Chartered Insurance Institute (‘the Institute’) is to educate and support our members to deliver services to the highest professional standards and to advocate for the public good. By doing this the Institute builds and maintain public trust in the insurance, financial planning, and mortgage advice professions.
Our Vision
Our vision is that CII and PFS professionals build a world which delivers ever greater financial resilience for individuals and societies more broadly.
No. of Direct Reports: 4
Reporting to: General Counsel
Directorate Mission:
To lead with integrity and foresight by embedding strong Corporate Governance, Risk management, Legal Counsel and Contract assurance at the heart of the CII Group. We enable the organisation to operate with confidence and strategic clarity in a compliant manner —ensuring that every decision, partnership, and process supports our public interest mandate and long-term sustainability.
Corporate Governance encompasses the systems, processes, and behaviours that ensure accountability, transparency, and integrity in decision-making across the Group. It underpins trust in our professional body, supporting our Royal Charter obligations and commitment to the public interest.
Data Governance provides the foundations for effective data management, including data protection, compliance, stewardship, and integrity—ensuring personal data is secure, usable, and well-governed. The Governance Team supports both corporate and data governance, embedding strong standards across the organisation. Their work ensures CII operates within legal and regulatory frameworks, supports effective decision-making through structured committees and delegated authority, promotes ethical conduct, and enables compliant, proportionate use of data to drive insight. They also facilitate board and committee effectiveness, maintain governance policies and records, and advise on compliance with constitutional, statutory, and data protection requirements—reinforcing trust among colleagues, stakeholders.
Job Purpose:
The purpose of this role is to lead the CII’s corporate governance strategy and provide strategic and expert-level company secretarial and data governance services across the organisation and its subsidiaries. This involves embedding and sustaining robust corporate and data governance standards, anticipating and evaluating emerging legal, regulatory, and best practice developments that could impact the CII, and ensuring the Board and Executive are fully informed and supported in their governance responsibilities.
The Governance Director builds a collaborative and agile working relationship between the Board and Executive, ensuring effective decision-making, oversight, and accountability across governance structures. This includes guiding Board members in their roles as Non-Executive Directors and facilitating their professional development in collaboration with HR.
The Governance Director is designated as the CII’s Data Protection Officer, ensuring the Institute operates a strong data governance framework in compliance with applicable legislative and regulatory obligations including but not limited to, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, Data Protection Act 2018, and the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. The role has accountability for ensuring compliant and proportionate management of personal data across the CII Group, providing authoritative advice, oversight, and assurance in all matters related to data privacy.
Additionally, the role ensures that the CII and its subsidiary Boards, AGMs, and committees are properly constituted and supported.
Managing relationships with external governance stakeholders, such as the Privy Council, Companies House, and External Auditors, is another key responsibility. The Governance Director provides strategic oversight of governance elements in the annual reporting cycle, ensures the effectiveness of internal control frameworks, and safeguards the integrity of key governance events such as AGMs and SGMs.
Furthermore, the role involves ensuring legal and regulatory compliance through the maintenance of statutory registers, providing authoritative advice on conflicts of interest, and supporting governance arrangements for CII’s affiliated international institutes. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, the Governance Director contributes to the overall strategic direction and the Institute’s integrity by exemplifying high standards of stewardship, governance leadership, and judgement.
Key Responsibilities:
• Strategic Leadership & Governance Oversight: Provide strategic leadership to the Corporate Governance Department, embedding a high-performance, compliant, and risk-aware governance culture across the CII Group. Ensure the department’s activities align with the organisation’s strategic direction, regulatory obligations, and long-term goals.
• Governance Framework & Risk Management: Establish, maintain, and continuously enhance a robust Governance Framework aligned with regulatory expectations and stakeholder needs. Systematically identify, assess, and manage corporate governance and company secretariat risks, ensuring effective escalation and control mechanisms.
• Board & Committee Governance: Maintain high standards of governance effectiveness across all CII Group Entity Boards and Committees. Develop a collaborative relationship between the Board, Committees, and Executive Leadership Team to enhance effectiveness and ensure governance systems are resilient and future-facing.
• Company Secretariat Function: Oversee the delivery of company secretariat function to the CII Group and its subsidiaries, including legal entity management, maintenance of statutory records, and the planning and delivery of AGMs and SGMs. Provide guidance and support to Board Members and Non-Executive Directors throughout their lifecycle (appointment, onboarding, continuing professional development, and offboarding).
• Stakeholder & Regulatory Engagement: Maintain productive relationships with internal and external governance stakeholders and Regulators. Ensure accurate and timely information flow and compliance with external regulatory frameworks, including company law, charity law, data protection law, statutory obligations and relevant best practice.
• Policy, Documentation & Compliance: Ensure each legal entity in the Group is run in accordance with its constitution. Ensure governance policies, procedures, standards, Terms of Reference and related documentation are fit for purpose, well understood, and regularly reviewed. Oversee governance elements of the year-end process, including annual reports and audit findings. Maintain the register of interests and advise on actual, potential or perceived conflicts.
• Leadership, Development & Resource Management: Lead, develop, and empower a high-performing team of Corporate and Data Governance specialists. Ensure team members have the appropriate skills, training, and experience to meet governance priorities. Maintain financial stewardship and budget accountability for governance functions.
• Data Governance & Protection: Act as the CII Group’s Data Protection Officer. Lead compliance with all data protection legislation, including the Data Protection Act 2018 and the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025. Evaluate and improve the data protection framework, provide subject matter expertise on data protection and data governance matters, manage risks, deliver staff training, conduct audits, maintain processing records, and investigate data breaches or data governance issues in collaboration with Legal and other stakeholders.
• Training & Continuous Improvement: Devise and implement training plans across the organisation on governance and data compliance. Champion continuous improvement and lead transformational change initiatives to ensure governance and data governance processes and systems remain effective, resilient and future-ready.
• Senior Leadership Contribution: As a member of the Senior Leadership Team, contribute to the overall strategic direction of the CII Group, promoting good governance, sound judgment, and the organisation’s reputation.
Key Requirements:
Experience:
• At least 5 years post-qualification experience in a Company Secretarial role, at least to Deputy Company Secretarial level.
• At least 5 years’ experience in advising on data protection matters
• Practical experience in the core duties of the role.
Self-Motivation and Analytical Skills:
• Entirely self-motivated with the ability to build strong stakeholder relationships.
• Excellent analytical, reasoning, and problem-solving skills.
Communication Skills:
• Confident and clear communicator, both verbally and in writing.
• Influential, authoritative, patient, and prepared to spend time “winning the argument”.
Management and Organizational Skills:
• Highly developed management and organizational skills.
• Ability to work with a team, Officers, Members, regulators, and the public across multiple business areas and levels.
Collaboration and Adaptability:
• Effective collaborator and networker who is flexible, adaptable, and welcomes change.
Professional Qualifications:
• 5+ years PQE Chartered Secretary/Chartered Governance Professional.
• Data Protection and/or Privacy certification such as CIPP, CIPT, ISEB, or relevant law degree
• Significant experience in a similar role and management experience at a senior level.
• Ability to quickly establish credibility, integrity, and authority at the most senior levels.
Knowledge:
• Knowledge of legal and regulatory principles and their application in a commercial environment.
• Knowledge of corporate governance principles and structures.
• Knowledge of UK and EU data privacy and data protection regulation and a good understanding of other major privacy frameworks and evolving legislation.
Reporting and Presentation Skills:
• Experience in reporting and presenting to senior management.
Expected Behaviours
Professionalism
• Punctuality: Arrive on time for work and meetings and adhere to deadlines.
• Communication: Communicate clearly, respectfully, and effectively with colleagues, members, and stakeholders.
Teamwork and Collaboration
• Cooperation: Work collaboratively with team members, sharing knowledge and supporting each other.
• Respect: Show respect for diverse perspectives and contributions from all team members.
• Conflict Resolution: Address conflicts constructively and seek to resolve issues amicably.
Accountability and Responsibility
• Ownership: Take responsibility for your actions and the outcomes of your work.
• Reliability: Follow through on commitments and ensure tasks are completed to the best of your ability.
• Integrity: Uphold ethical standards and act with honesty and transparency.
Adaptability and Flexibility
• Openness to Change: Be willing to adapt to new processes, technologies, and changes in the workplace.
• Resilience: Maintain a positive attitude and persevere through challenges and setbacks.
• Continuous Learning: Seek opportunities for personal and professional growth.
Customer Focus
• Service Orientation: Prioritise the needs of members and your customers, strive to exceed their expectations.
• Responsiveness: Respond promptly and effectively to customer inquiries and concerns.
• Quality: Deliver high-quality work that meets or exceeds customer standards.
Initiative and Innovation
• Proactivity: Take initiative to identify and address issues before they become problems.
• Creativity: Suggest and implement innovative solutions to improve processes and outcomes.
• Resourcefulness: Utilise available resources efficiently and seek out new tools and methods.
Safety and Compliance
• Adherence to Policies: Follow the Institute’s policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Safety Awareness: Maintain a safe working environment and adhere to safety protocols.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all actions comply with relevant laws and regulations.
Equal Opportunity Employer
The Chartered Insurance Institute is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all colleagues.
This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the position and does not encompass all responsibilities and qualifications required for the role. The Institute reserves the right to modify the job description as needed.
