Wanted: honorary Treasurer for our Council of Management

Are you an experienced treasurer or qualified accountant with experience of working with charities? Would you be able to volunteer a day per month to help the Finance Manager oversee the charity’s financial health and controls, to advise and help it carry out its duties and objectives?

The role would largely oversee the finance function in the charity by reviewing our annual financial statements and statutory requirements, and monitoring management accounts with our Council of Management. As a member of the Council of Management, the Treasurer would play a key part in identifying and monitoring opportunities and risks to the charity in using its resources to effectively achieve its nission and outcomes. The Treasurer would sit on the Officers Group, which meets regularly between full Council meetings.

Objective

Church Action on Poverty is a medium-sized national registered charity and company limited by guarantee with an annual turnover of £747,009 (2023-24 annual accounts). Poverty robs people of dignity, freedom, and hope, of power over their own lives. We believe that our vision – an end to poverty in the UK – can become a reality. 

As a member of the board of trustees (Council of Management), the overall role of the Treasurer is to maintain an overview of the organisation’s affairs, ensure its financial viability and ensure that proper financial records and procedures are maintained.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee all financial aspects of the charity, on behalf of the Council of Management, to ensure its short- and long-term viability.
• Advise the Council of Management on strategic financial oversight.
• Assist the Chair, other honorary officers, Chief Executive and Finance Manager in ensuring that the Council of Management fulfils its duties and responsibilities in the financial governance of the charity.
• Ensure the charity effectively uses its financial, human and other resources to deliver its mission and outcomes.

Duties and tasks to fulfil the key responsibilities

In partnership with the Chief Executive and Finance Manager:

• Ensure that the charity operates within the financial guidelines set out in current legislation, by the Charity Commission, in the charity’s constitution, company law, by professional bodies and by the Council of Management.
• Review the financial controls and ensure that these are monitored and reviewed regularly by the Officers Group.
• Provide oversight to the Finance Manager with the compilation of year-end financial statements and accounts.
• Support the CEO and Finance Manager in the ongoing financial management of the charity and attend Officers Group meetings, which are at least bi-monthly.
• Report to the Council of Management quarterly on the financial results and position of the charity, and identify and bring to the attention of the board any financial risks facing the charity.
• Ensure that the charity’s financial resources are sufficient to meet the charity’s current and future needs, advise the board on the reserves policy, and ensure that this policy is reviewed and monitored regularly and that surplus funds are invested carefully with a market return.
• Oversee the accounting for restricted funds and ensure that funding received for specific purposes is separately accounted for and spent for the purposes for which it was given.

In partnership with the Chair, Chief Executive and Finance Manager:

• Ensure that the Council of Management fulfils its duties and responsibilities for the proper financial governance of the charity.
• Ensure that the income and property of the charity is applied for the purposes set out in its governing document and for no other purpose, and with complete fairness between persons who are properly qualified to benefit.
• Advise the Council of Management on the financial implications and operational risk arising from board decisions, especially the board’s strategic and policy decisions.
• Work with the Chief Executive and Finance Manager to ensure that financial information is both accurate and presented in a way that facilitates good financial governance.

Terms 

Appointment: The Treasurer will be appointed by the Council of Management, and also elected as a trustee/director by the Annual General Meeting for a three-year term, and is eligible for reappointment for one additional term. 

Remuneration: The role of Treasurer is not accompanied by any financial remuneration, although travel and other reasonable expenses may be claimed.

Location: Church Action on Poverty’s office is located in Salford, Greater Manchester, but the Treasurer can live anywhere within the UK. 

Time commitment: Four board meetings per year: two Saturday mornings online, and two in-person day meetings in Manchester (one Saturday and one weekday).  In addition there are at least five online meetings of the Officers Group. The Treasurer is also expected to have regular meetings with the Finance Manager. Overall time commitment in the region of one day per month.

If you would like to apply for this role or request an informal conversation, please contact one of our team:

• Chair, Helen Goodman
  goodmanhelen180gmail.com
• Current Treasurer, Charles Elliott CPFA
  c_elliott3@sky.com 
• Finance Manager, Karen Wilson
  karen@church-poverty.org.uk