How To Become A Company Secretary in Ireland

A career as a company secretary in Ireland is an exciting and diverse one, as you will play a key role in supporting the day to day running of a company. Utilising your many skills in customer service, administration and communication, you will be at the forefront of business operations to ensure that everything runs smoothly every day. 

Discover how you can become a company secretary in Ireland and how you can upskill your CV in just the right areas.

What does a Company Secretary do?

A company secretary takes on a number of duties which support the daily operation of the company. Some of these secretary duties include:

• Answering in-house and external emails and phone calls
• Scheduling company meetings
• Liaising with different company departments
• General administrative duties
• Organising interviews
• Attending general meetings and board meetings
• Taking minutes
• Managing financial statements
• Responding to customer queries
• Organising company events
• Arranging travel for training days and external company events
• Maintaining company and employee data
• Managing stationary and office supplies and ordering new stock
• Arranging training for employees
• Managing the company website

Depending on the company and the sector it is in, the role of the company secretary can vary. For example, the purpose of a company secretary in legal settings may be to create and process legal documents, and, therefore, a company secretary will need an understanding of company law. These roles veer more into corporate governance, whereby company secretarial services will mean the incorporation of higher-level responsibilities such as:

• Attending and providing administrative support for the AGM
• Advising the board of directors on corporate governance matters
• Staying up to date on legal, ethical and regulatory responsibilities of the company
• Using knowledge of Irish law to advise company directors on policies and procedures
• Implementing processes to ensure good management and compliance with legal requirements

What qualifications are needed to become a Company Secretary?

Most company secretaries will hold some qualifications or experience which is relevant to the role, and the more knowledge and skills you have the better your chances of securing a job as a company secretary. 

Employers look favourably on candidates who have a bachelor’s degree and even more so a master’s degree, so make sure to highlight these qualifications in your resume if you have them. Having qualifications in relevant subject areas is even more desired by employers looking to fill company secretary roles. 

Relevant areas for this career include business, administration, customer services, law and IT. You can expand your skills in these areas through employment or work experience, but having a qualification under your belt is the best way to demonstrate your expertise in these key areas. 

There are a range of online business courses which allow you to learn at your own pace and develop your business expertise, and through a series of webinars you can learn the skills needed to progress along a company secretary career path. 

You can even specialise further through business administration courses, such as a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) which will be especially useful if you are planning to apply for company secretary roles in large businesses and global companies. 

In some companies, you may be required to get additional qualifications, such as one in law or healthcare, to ensure that you can understand legal or medical terminology and are familiar with processes within these industries.

What skills are needed to become a Company Secretary?

The company secretary role is so diverse that there are several soft and hard skills needed to succeed in this career. Some of the skills you will need to become a successful company secretary include:

• Communication skills
• Customer service skills
• IT skills
• Decision-making skills
• Excellent organisational skills
• An understanding of confidentiality and data protection
• Time management
• For some roles, knowledge of the legal or medical industries wll be required
• Problem-solving skills
• Events management skills
• Ability to prioritise and keep calm under pressure
• Knowledge of the Companies Act 2014 as it applies to Irish companies

Does becoming a Company Secretary need any work experience?

The amount of experience you might need will depend on the specific job role, so it is always important to have a read of job descriptions in the industry you want to work in. 

However, in other areas, as a company secretary you might not be required to have work experience or job training. In this case though, having a relevant professional qualification and gaining some work experience to develop the skills needed to become a company secretary are key. 

For example, gaining work in customer service or as a receptionist to develop communication, admin and customer service skills. You can also explore apprenticeships and internships in your area to gain direct on the job training. 

Career prospects for a Company Secretary in Ireland

Company secretaries develop such a variety of skills that are of high importance that there is ample opportunity for career progression in this area. Company secretaries can go on to work as personal assistants, office managers or department managers. 

There are also opportunities to step into similar roles in areas such as HR, marketing, business, reception work or IT. If you work in HR, legal or medical settings, then there are even more opportunities to secure other administrative roles in these industries.

The work of a company secretary is interesting, often fast-paced, and essential to the vast majority of businesses and organisations. You can develop your career as a company secretary today through online qualifications and work experience and enjoy a role at the heart of a company using your skills to support staff and customers.