Company Secretarial Associate Graduate Programme 2021

At Buzzacott, over 450 people work together under one roof at our office in St Paul's, London, making us the largest single office accountancy firm in the UK. We are also part of PrimeGlobal, an award-winning association of independent accounting firms.

Trust underpins the culture of Buzzacott, together with specialist expertise, approachability and exceptional client service. Trust is more than providing the best expertise. It’s about character and integrity. The people you trust have values that match your own. Because of this, cultural fit is an important consideration when choosing people to join our team.

What we do

At Buzzacott, we describe ourselves as friendly and professional, with values ingrained in our culture of trust, client focus, exceptional service, specialist knowledge and approachability, giving you the opportunity to collaborate, build relationships and shine from day one.

We’re big enough to display deep knowledge over a range of specialisms, but small enough to understand the power of personal connections. We long ago moved from being accountants to being advisers and are now partners to our clients. In fact, we believe that what we do is as much about relationships as expertise, so we’re looking for individuals who are prepared to look beyond the numbers, to see the people and stories behind them.

The importance of relationships is equally important between colleagues. We expect our teams to collaborate with each other to successfully operate across departments. It means externally we support the whole of the client rather than a fragment and internally we all benefit from shared experience and knowledge.

The Role

We are looking for a values-driven, bright graduate to join us in our Company Secretarial team, which is part of the wider Business Services team. A company secretary is an expert in corporate governance. This means that they understand the rules and processes that exist to mitigate risk and balance the interests of directors, shareholders and other stakeholders. A typical assignment will require the team to advise on the correct procedure, prepare papers to effect the matter and make the necessary filings at Companies House. At Buzzacott, the Company Secretarial team provide consultancy on a wide range of governance matters including:

• The appointment and resignation of directors
• The issue of new shares and the transfer of existing shares
• The payment of dividends and other returns of value

We go above and beyond for our clients, but also for you. We have a genuine commitment to your development, offering you a closely supported and structured programme of tuition, provided by a top external tutor. Internally, you’ll be supported by a manager who will act as your mentor, partners and senior staff and a dedicated Training and Development Coordinator.

You will study towards the GradCG qualification over two years, building not only on your technical skills, but also on your personal and professional development. Training consists of a combination of courses at the tutors’ offices, private study and regular exams, as well as on-the-job training. You will have paid study leave to support you in the run up to exams and all course and exam fees are paid for.

Responsibilities

• Preparing forms and documents under the guidance of an experienced member of the team
• Communicating with clients in a precise, articulate manner in order to coordinate the execution of documents
• Demonstrating competence with our company secretarial system (full training provided) to ensure that records are updated efficiently and that the information submitted to Companies House is always accurate
• Your own professional development – there is a wealth of knowledge and experience for you to draw from within the company secretarial team and the accounting and tax teams we work closely with

What we're looking for

• You are a graduate with an inquiring mind and a sociable disposition, a problem solver with high standards, who thrives in a meritocracy    
• You are able to build meaningful, collaborative relationships with both clients and team members
• You are keen to take ownership from an early stage and are committed to providing excellent client service at all times
• You are a strong multi-tasker with the ability to prioritise your time to studying and working simultaneously

Requirements

• Or expect to obtain a 2.1 degree in any discipline, or equivalent (LLB preferred)
• A minimum of 120 UCAS Tariff points from your top 3 A-levels, or equivalent (300 using the old tariff)
• A minimum of Level 5 (B grade using the old system) in GSCE Maths and English Language, or equivalent
• The right to work in the UK without restrictions for the duration of the training contract

Benefits

• Supported training
• Loyalty gifts
• Pension scheme
• Wellbeing
• Cycle scheme
• Medical insurance