Title: Co-Company Secretary
Reports to: WELA Board Chair
Location: Flexible, with a preference for east coast time zones. The WELA team and board works remotely, within AEST hours
Job Type: Voluntary. On average, approx 10hrs per month
WELA acknowledges First Nations peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the unceded lands on which we live, learn and work. We value their ongoing connections to Country and we pay our respects to Elders past and present. WELA honours the leadership of women of First Nations and we commit to building relationships that support self-determination and the healing of Country.
Do you want to contribute to protecting and restoring our environment, solving climate change and taking on the patriarchy?
This is an exciting opportunity to join a small, growing and passionate team taking on some big challenges – and doing it with a good sense of fun and personal sustainability.
We’re looking for a person who would have the ability and/or experience for the detailed role of Joint Company Secretary, to support the continued growth and success of this new organisation. We currently have one person in the co-positon, and are recruiting for a second person to join them in the role.
The Company Secretary plays an integral role in ensuring that the organisation complies with all the relevant regulatory requirements in respect of operating a company under Australian corporate law. The Company Secretary, therefore, has certain legal responsibilities (see list below) in addition to their work in support of the Board to provide advice and implement good governance practices.
Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA) is empowering, supporting, funding and diversifying women’s and gender diverse leadership for our environment and climate action, in order to transform Australia’s response to our environmental and climate crises.
Overwhelmingly, our existing political, business and societal leadership has failed to adequately address the climate and environmental crises at hand. It’s time for a leadership change. Put simply, we will not get out of this by relying on the same leadership that got us into it. The evidence is clear – more women in decision making roles equals better environmental outcomes. We need more of it.
We’re a small and empowering team, with a big vision for change. We work hard, but have a healthy commitment to work/life balance, and enable the flexibility to support this. We support one another to grow, develop, and bring joy and creativity to our work each day.
WELA is a rapidly growing organisation with a mix of Board members in pro-bono work, paid staff, other key volunteers and a growing group of alumni and women connected to our activities.
In 2021 WELA became a Company Limited by Guarantee (ABN 72652617537) and registered as a charity with the ACNC.
WELA partners with Green Skills Inc. Green Skills Inc. has DGR 1 status.
For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact the Chair of the Board, Julie Lyford at boardchair@wela.org.au.
‘Together we can empower and support women with the confidence, skills and networks to step fully into their leadership for a better future. We’ll foster a growing community of women leaders nationwide to take on the barriers that stand in their way, and create change across business, government and our communities for a safe climate and thriving environment’
Stepping up for our environment. WELA Funding Prospectus, 2022/23
Company secretaries fall under the definition of ‘officer’ of a corporation (s 9 of Corporations Act 2001 ‘the Act’), so they have many of the same duties and obligations as directors.
These duties include:
In accordance with WELA’s Constitution, the Company Secretary is appointed by the Board. The Board may appoint more than one person as joint secretaries. The Company Secretary does not need to be a Director of the Board.
The Company Secretary works closely with the Chair, the Strategic Director, the Administration Officer and the Chair of the Governance Sub-committee to fulfil the requirements of the Board. The role of the Administration Officer in achieving company compliance is very important. Clear delineation of roles and responsibility for particular tasks must be maintained, acknowledging that in this transitional time of growth the delineation of responsibilities may change, possibly quickly.
Directors are able to communicate directly with the Company Secretary and vice versa, and the Company Secretary is accountable to the Board through the Chair on all governance matters. As a member of WELA Ltd, the Company Secretary exemplifies WELA’s Code of Conduct and Cultural Statement.
DUTIES
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Facilitated by: |
** Co-Sec Oversight |
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Ensuring Board processes – Board and committee papers and circulation of agendas, minutes, discussion papers, proposals for the Board and its committees |
WELA Admin Staff |
Y |
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Ensuring members’ and directors’ meetings are properly called and held (on instruction by the Board) |
WELA Admin Staff |
Y |
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Ensuring the necessary registers are established and properly maintained |
WELA Admin Staff |
Y |
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Ensuring records of members’ and directors’ meetings are kept in compliance with the Act and the organisation’s constitution (with authority of the Board) |
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Understanding and ensuring the company complies with its statutory obligations, and ensuring requirements of ASIC and other regulators are met, including continuous disclosure |
WELA Admin Staff through Compliance Report & Governance Committee |
Y |
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Providing or procuring advice for directors regarding application of the Act, WELA’s constitution, ACNC registration and other legal and regulatory requirements |
WELA governance Sub-Committee |
Y |
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Developing, implementing, communicating and maintaining compliance policies, processes and procedures |
WELA governance Sub-Committee |
Y |
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Organising and/or facilitating director induction and maintaining of Board Welcome Kit |
WELA Admin Staff and Chair to deliver induction |
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Keeping a register of decisions from WELA Board meetings (this is an additional duty added Aug 2022) |
NB ** Co-Sec oversight includes: forwarding items to the correct committee/person for action and following up that these actions return to the Board.