Honorary Treasurer

Honorary Treasurer for Religions for Peace United Kingdom

A key role in shaping our active programmes for peae work in a multi-faith environment

RfPUK is a charitable organisation, we are the independent UK Chapter of Religions for Peace International, an entity accredited to the United Nations and a global multi-religious coalition which has been guided by the vision of a world in which religious communities cooperate effectively for peace since 1970.

We are participating in the global mission to go beyond dialogue and bear fruit in common action with communities of faith and the civil society at large. At the moment our work involves peace education, climate change awareness, inner peace exploration, addressing gender-based violence and fighting hate speech.

We share this work with our UK Women of Faith Network and UK Interfaith Youth Network. Together we take forward the strategy to build and strengthen representative, sustainable interreligious mechanisms, to link local, national, regional and global multi-religious structures and forge partnerships with other sectors of society.

PLEASE NOTE: WE ARE LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED TREASURER TO HELP US SET UP OUR SYSTEM

JOB DESCRIPTION FOR A CHARITY TREASURER

The Treasurer to our charity is a volunteer, with the possibility of joining the Board of Trustee.

Our Treasurer will help to ensure that the board of trustees fulfils its duties and responsibilities for the proper financial governance of the organisation, including overseeing its strategic financial planning, financial viability, including ensuring that proper process and procedures exist for assuring all financial records, decisions and delegations are maintained.

Role of the Treasurer to the RfPUK Board of Trustees:

• To assist the Chair, honorary officers and the Finance Officer in ensuring that the board of trustees fulfils its duties and responsibilities for the proper financial governance of the organisation.
• To maintain effective governance of RfPUK’s financial affairs, ensuring its strategic financial planning, financial viability and ensuring proper process and procedures exist for assuring all financial records, decisions and delegations are maintained.

RfPUK has a paid part time Finance Officer who deals with the daily operation of bookkeeping and setting up payments. We engage an accounting firm to prepare accounts for the year end, and we appoint an Independant Examiner to prepare our Annual Returns to file with the Charity Commission. The Treasurer will be the chief overseer to these activities.

RfPUK also employs a financial management company to handle our investment portfolio. The Treasurer will take on an advisory role to the Board in explaining and recommending if RfPUK’s funds are wisely and adequately invested. 

Key Responsibilities

Strategic

• To work closely with the Chair and Finance Officer on all aspects of the organisation’s financial planning, reporting and monitoring.
• To advise the Chair and Finance Officer on the development and formulation of the organisation’s strategic planning, ensuring that the Society has the resources to deliver the strategy.

Financial

In partnership with the Chair and Finance Officer, ensure that the board of trustees receives regular and appropriate budgetary and financial information on the work of the organisation, including annual accounts.

• To identify and bring to the board of trustees attention any financial risks facing the organisation.
• To scrutinise the proposed annual budget, financial forecasts and financial reports and advise and guide the board of trustees accordingly.
• To ensure the organisation’s financial resources are sufficient to meet current and future needs, advise the board of trustees on the reserves policy and to ensure this policy is reviewed and monitored regularly.
• To oversee the appointment of external auditors and contribute to the annual audit process, including relevant meetings with the external auditors.
• To mentor and support the Finance Officer in executing his/her responsibilities and achieving their goals.

Governance

• To assist the Chair, other trustees, the Chair and Finance Officer in ensuring that the board of trustees fulfils its duties and responsibilities for the proper financial governance of the organisation, in line with current legislation by the Charity Commission as well as in RfPUK’s charity constitution.
• To advise the board of trustees on financial implications and operational risks arising from board decisions.
• To keep the board informed of its financial duties and responsibilities.

Person Specification

Ideally an experienced Accountant with a recognised professional qualification, or qualified by experience.

• Knowledge of financial regulations governing charities and companies.
• Able to commit sufficient time to the role and work of the organisation.
• Team player.
• Ability to think strategically and forward plan.
• Commitment to the cause of peace and the work of RfPUK.
• Ability to digest, present and critically evaluate a range of information, including written reports, statistics and verbal communications.
• Ability to act as an ambassador for the RfPUK.
• Good interpersonal skills.

Successful applicant will be appointed for a three-year term from the date of commencement.

General role of a trustee (for reference)

• To set and maintain vision, mission and values of RfPUK.
• To support the operational management of the RfPUK through its Chair and his/her leadership team.
• To enable the overall direction of the RfPUK by developing strategic priorities, setting overall policy and evaluating performance against objectives.
• To ensure the RfPUK always complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
• To review and monitor the RfPUK risk register.
• To safeguard the good reputation and values of the RfPUK.
• To promote the RfPUK and always act in the best interest of the charity, never in the interest of yourself or another organisation.
• To act reasonably and prudently in all matters relating to the RfPUK.