Recruitment of Treasurer & Trustee

(Volunteer Role)

Treasurer Role Description

The Treasurer, who is a Member of the Board of Trustees, has responsibility for leading, on behalf of the Trustees, in the following areas:

• Oversight of all aspects of the charity’s financial management to safeguard the charity’s finances and ensure long-term sustainability 

• Financial planning and budgeting including budgets and forecasts for new or ongoing work and advising on financial implications of strategic and operational plans.

• Financial Reporting including regular reports to Trustees and preparing accounts for audit (and liaising with the auditor).  Advising on the organisation’s reserves and liaison with the charity’s investment managers. Filing Trustees’ Report and Accounts as required. 

• Liaison over funding and sales, as well as fundraising which is led by another Trustee. 

• Banking, book-keeping, record keeping and VAT / tax compliance

• Control of assets including insurances

The Treasurer must work closely with other Trustees as well as with staff and volunteers handling financial matters, ensuring segregation of duties.

It is essential that the Treasurer works to the highest industry standards and ensures compliance with Charity Commission and other legal requirements and guidance.

Treasurer Person Specification
The treasurer must have: 

• a recognised financial qualification and relevant financial experience (Charity Finance experience would be useful, but is not essential)

• a commitment to the mission of St Francis Dogs Home 

• a willingness to meet the time requirement 

• integrity 

• strategic vision 

• good, independent judgement and a willingness to contribute constructively to discussions 

• an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship 

• an ability to work effectively as a member of the Trustee team and to take decisions for the good of the charity

Information for candidates

About St Francis Dogs Home
St Francis Dogs Home is a dog rescue and rehoming service that thrives on matching the needs of the individual dog to its potential new owner, thus ensuring a happy and successful rehoming for all involved. The dogs we take in come from any number of sources but commonly they are either dogs relinquished by their previous owners or sometimes unclaimed strays.

The charity has a proud history since its foundation in 1955. Today we own our site above the seaside town of Newquay, Cornwall. The Charity made the decision to temporarily close the site and operations just before the pandemic to allow for a new strategy and rebuild of the kennelling etc on site. Because of the complexities of this, Trustees recently decided to re-start operations with dogs being cared for at foster-homes, with a high level of behaviourist input to try to ensure the wellbeing of the dogs as well as the safety of all involved. Revised decisions on the use of the site will be made over the coming period but our priority at present is to re-start the help we can give to dogs in need.

We have a dedicated team of (currently) 8 Trustees, all committed to doing the best we can for the dogs who are at the heart of our charity. Some have been Trustees and / or involved in the Charity for some years while others have joined more recently. Some live in or around Newquay while others live further afield but have an interest and commitment to the Charity, its Cornwall base and the dogs we exist to help. Since operations were temporarily paused we currently have no staff, but will need to recruit in the future.

For more information see www.stfrancisnewquay.org.uk/about-us/

About Governance, the Trustees and the Role of Treasurer

This is an exciting and very responsible role for a suitably qualified person wishing to contribute their skills and time to the community in a voluntary capacity. 

The charity has updated its legal status, from an unincorporated charity to re-register as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO). The Charity is registered with the Charity Commission in England and Wales Number 1185816.

Our Board of Trustees currently consists of 8 people and we are recruiting a Treasurer. Earlier in 2022 some members of the Board of Trustees decided to resign, two retiring after many years of service. They are still very willing to help as needed. The Board of Trustees elected the existing Treasurer to be Chair and, since it is not appropriate to hold both offices, the Board is now looking to recruit a new Treasurer. This will ensure that we have the necessary skills at the charity’s disposal and that tasks can be shared amongst more people. 

As a member of our Board of Trustees you would provide high-level oversight of our finances as well as being responsible for day-to-day finances.  The Trustee Board is committed to bringing excellence to all parts of our charity.

We developed plans for major demolition and rebuilding works at the Home but a combination of inflation, the Ukraine war and the pandemic have meant that we needed to rethink those plans. We have funds to cover, in part or whole, the work depending on future decisions. The Treasurer will have a key role to play in this project. 

Trustees currently hold regular meetings every 4 to 6 weeks, either online or in person. The Treasurer might also need to meet other stakeholders from time to time.

We have recently engaged a dog behaviourist and a dog trainer, both on flexible freelance arrangements, to support the dogs and the charity as we build up gradually the fosterer-based model of operating. Trustees have been working with Peter Hepburn Consultancy Ltd for strategic advice as the work of the Board of Trustees develops.

Application process

If this might interest you we would like to hear from you.

We would be happy to have an informal conversation by phone either with Anthony Kinder, outgoing Treasurer who has recently been appointed Chair, or Peter Hepburn, strategic consultant, or both. Please email anthony.kinder1@gmail.com to arrange a suitable time.

You are invited to apply for this vacancy with your CV with a brief covering message setting out your motivation for applying also to anthony.kinder1@gmail.com

Suitably qualified candidates will be invited to meet Trustees online or in person by arrangement.