Skillnet Ireland is a business support agency of the Government of Ireland. Our mandate is to advance the competitiveness of Irish businesses through enterprise-led talent development. Skillnet Ireland partners with more than 57 enterprise bodies, providing talent development, upskilling and innovative business supports to 24,035 businesses and 90,136 workers throughout the country every year. The agency has been recognised as an international best-practice model by the European Commission, the OECD and the ILO, among others.

Our mission is “Empowering Ireland’s enterprises and workforce with the skills and capabilities to drive national competitiveness.” We partner directly with companies and industry groups to ensure we understand their needs and talent priorities. We also help companies to understand and embrace innovation, to build business competitiveness through skills development. Skillnet Ireland is funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.

Skillnet Ireland is a member of the European Pact for Skills. The organisation actively participates in several skills development projects with European partners. These projects are co-funded by the European Union and support the development of digital and sustainability skills in Irish businesses and organisations. 

Skillnet Ireland is inviting applications for the position of Company Secretary. Reporting to the Chairperson, this is a senior position within Skillnet Ireland’s Executive Team, supporting a Board of 13 Non-Executive Directors and three Board Committees, whilst also acting as one of the key liaisons with our parent Department on governance matters. As a Company Limited by Guarantee, Skillnet Ireland’s obligations are to the Companies Act 2014 and obligations under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies and other legislation as determined.

Responsibilities

The role has varying responsibilities relating to the Board of Directors, Compliance and Corporate Administration, outlined as follows:

Support for the Board of Directors

Responsible for ensuring good governance and supporting the Chairperson (and Committee Chairs) in the smooth running and operation of the Board.

Convene, attend and minute the meetings of the Board and its three Committees. Coordinate the preparation of the meeting agenda and papers with internal stakeholders to ensure the Board receives the same in a timely manner.

Manage internal and external meeting attendees and ensure presenters are scheduled and properly briefed.

Ensure that Board decisions and resolutions are documented as a correct record through accurate and transparent minute-taking and are properly communicated.

Provide the Board with legal and administrative support, including engaging with external legal and professional firms as and when required.

Implement and deliver a formal induction process for new directors, a timely offboarding for retiring directors, and organise mentoring/training for Board members as and when required.

Communicate with the Company’s members, to include notifying the members of meetings of the Company, details of proposed resolutions to be considered at meetings, circulating them with copies of the annual financial statements, etc.

Compliance

Responsible for ensuring compliance with relevant statutory and regulatory requirements as they relate to the Company, specifically the Companies Act 2014 and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies (2016).

Ensure that the provisions of the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies (2016) are complied with, including, but not limited to:

Organising annual evaluations of the Board’s own performance, including the effectiveness of individual members, the Chairperson, and the Board as a whole.

Organising external reviews of the Board’s performance periodically to ensure the Board's governance practices are up to standard.

Sharing of information in a timely manner with the parent Department colleagues.

Ethics in Public Office Acts 1995 and 2001: manage the annual returns for directors and designated employees.

Maintain and update the Register of Beneficial Ownership (RBO).

Ensure that filings are made to the Companies Registration Office (CRO) in a timely fashion, such as the Company’s annual returns, director appointments and resignations.

Publish statutory notices, e.g. in national newspapers as required.

Annual Report and Financial Statements: in collaboration with the Financial Controller, draft and oversee the publication of the Corporate Governance and Financial Statements sections in the Company’s Annual Report.

Custodian of the Company seal.

Ensure that the Company’s obligations with regard to its name are complied with.

Ensure that the Company’s letterhead bears the appropriate details.

Corporate Administration

Maintain and update the Company’s registers and minute books of Board, Committee and general meetings.

Manage the Company’s online Board portal (iBabs), including user access, timely publication of Board and Committee meeting agendas and papers and other corporate governance documentation.

Ensure that corporate governance policies, Terms of Reference, and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are kept up to date and reviewed annually.

Act as signatory on funding and grant agreements for Skillnet Business Networks, National Initiatives and EU Projects Schemes; EU Project returns, supplier contracts, etc.

The Individual

Minimum 10 years’ industry experience, with at least 5 of those years relevant and recent company secretarial experience (practice or in-house), preferably from within a similar environment.

Chartered Governance Institute or Corporate Governance Institute qualified or actively working towards qualification.

Strong working knowledge of the Companies Act 2014 and the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies 2016.

Excellent understanding and experience of corporate governance compliance as it applies to the public sector.

Experienced with iBabs (or similar Board management portal/software).

Excellent ICT skills, particularly in Microsoft Office 365, notably Word, Excel and Teams, and Adobe Acrobat.

Strong experience in minute-taking, with excellent attention to detail.

Demonstrates excellent organisational abilities.

Can work both independently and collaboratively as part of a team when required.

Adopts a flexible approach to both work and interacting with people.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with an emphasis on discretion and maintaining confidentiality.

Application Details

Interested candidates should send a comprehensive CV, which outlines why they should be considered for this position. Applications can only be made using the Skillnet Ireland Careers page. The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 1 pm, Tuesday, 31st March 2026.  

An attractive and competitive package will be offered to the successful candidate. 

Skillnet Ireland is currently operating a hybrid working model for individuals and roles that meet the business needs and the criteria of suitability.   

Skillnet Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer that values equity, diversity and inclusion as we recognise the benefits it can bring to our workforce, our partners and external stakeholders.   

If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Company Secretary

Job Description