Deputy Company Secretary

About Plan International

Plan International is a global humanitarian and development organization committed to advancing children’s rights and promoting equality for girls worldwide. With over 85 years of experience, the organization operates in more than 80 countries, working to eradicate poverty, violence, exclusion, and discrimination, with a special focus on supporting vulnerable children and girls. Plan International collaborates with children, youth, partners, and supporters to create a just world where children can thrive from birth to adulthood and effectively respond to crises.

Role Overview

As one of three Deputy Company Secretaries within Plan International's Governance team, you will play a crucial role in providing excellent governance support to senior management and governing bodies. Reporting to the Company Secretary, your primary focus will be governance assistance for the Executive Leadership Team and related management groups. Additionally, you will collaborate with colleague Deputy Company Secretaries to support the International Board, Members' Assembly, their standing committees, and any ad hoc committees. You will also ensure effective company administration and secretariat services, deliver expert advice on corporate governance, and coordinate governance meetings internationally, including periodic face-to-face sessions such as the upcoming December 2026 meeting in Nairobi, Kenya.

Key Responsibilities

• Offer expert governance guidance to the Board, Committees, and senior leadership, facilitating sound decision-making and fiduciary duty compliance.
• Lead governance services for the Members' Assembly, International Board, and Committees by managing planning, coordination of workplans, and follow-up of actions.
• Collaborate closely with the CEO, Chief of Staff, COO, and Executive Office to streamline governance and management decision-making processes across the organization.
• Develop and sustain governance frameworks, policies, systems, and procedures promoting best practices, compliance, and effective decisions.
• Organize and manage Board and Committee meetings including preparation of agendas, documentation, minutes, action tracking, and communications.
• Maintain comprehensive corporate governance records ensuring adherence to legal, regulatory, and organizational standards.
• Oversee Powers of Attorney, written resolutions, and corporate authorizations aligning with delegation frameworks and legal mandates.
• Manage governance policy compliance including conflicts of interest, confidentiality, related-party disclosures, and regulatory requirements.
• Provide expert consultation on governance best practices, legal obligations, and risk management throughout the entity.
• Enhance Board and Committee effectiveness via inductions, training, guidance, and ongoing governance development initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience

• Possession of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Law and/or Corporate Governance, or recognized membership (Associate, Fellow, or Member) in professional bodies such as the Institute of Certified Secretaries (ICS) Kenya, Chartered Governance Institute (CGI) UK, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of corporate governance principles and experienced in supporting decision-making bodies across multiple jurisdictions, including agenda planning, documentation preparation, minute-taking, action follow-up, and coordination of multi-day face-to-face meetings.
• Proven expertise in corporate administration and project management with excellent relationship-building, diplomacy, and discretion skills to effectively engage Board members, staff, and senior leadership.
• Sound judgement with comprehensive awareness of compliance and governance issues.

Location and Employment Type

Preferred location is Nairobi, Kenya, however candidates based in other countries where Plan International operates and who have the legal right to work and reside there will also be considered. This is a permanent, full-time position reporting to the Company Secretary / Head of Secretariat.

Diversity and Safeguarding Commitment

Plan International embraces equality, diversity, and inclusion, ensuring equal opportunity irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. The organization is committed to fostering a workplace rich in diverse perspectives and firmly supports racial justice, gender equality, and children’s rights. Safeguarding policies are strictly enforced with pre-employment checks including adherence to the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme to ensure child safety.