About Us:
Home-Start Guildford is a local charity dedicated to supporting families with young children through challenging times. Our volunteers provide practical and emotional support to help parents give their children the best possible start in life. We believe that every child deserves a happy and secure childhood, and we work tirelessly to make this a reality for families in our community.
Role: Treasurer (voluntary position)
Location: Guildford, Surrey
Organisation: Home-Start Guildford
Role Overview
We are seeking a Treasurer to join our Board of Trustees and play a vital role in overseeing the charity’s financial health and sustainability.
Our Board of Trustees currently comprises seven members with a broad mix of skills and experience, including HR, fundraising, marketing, governance, safeguarding and volunteer management. We are fortunate to have this strong foundation, alongside a recently appointed Chair who is actively leading the Board through a review of our strategic priorities.
Like many charities, we are operating in a challenging financial climate. Demand for our services continues to grow, while securing regular and sustainable income remains increasingly difficult. Strengthening our financial planning, oversight and long-term sustainability is therefore a key priority for the Board.
This is a particularly important time to join us. The Treasurer’s contribution will directly influence the financial future of the charity, helping to ensure we can continue providing vital support to families with young children across Guildford.
Key Responsibilities:
Financial Oversight
- Maintain an overview of the charity’s financial position, ensuring its long‑term sustainability.
- Monitor cashflow, reserves, and financial risks, alerting the Board to any emerging issues.
- Advise on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan, including overseeing the charity’s financial risk-management process.
- Ensure appropriate financial controls, policies, and procedures are in place and followed.
Financial Reporting and Planning
- Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting to the Board of Trustees and regulators.
- Prepare and present cashflow forecasts, budgets, and annual financial statements to the Trustees.
- Present clear, accessible financial information to the Board to support strategic decision‑making.
- Keep the Board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities and liaising with the Director to develop the financial understanding of the Board of Trustees.
- Lead on the appointment of, and liaison with, the independent examiner.
Governance and Compliance
- Ensure that proper accounting records are kept, and that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place.
- Ensure that the Financial Control Policy is followed, and where necessary is amended to reflect best practice, and what is practicable for the management of the charity.
- Ensure the charity complies with financial and reporting obligations set by the Charity Commission, HMRC, and other relevant bodies.
- Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and filed in the form required by the Charity Commission.
- Support the Board of Trustees in understanding its financial responsibilities and provide guidance where needed.
Operational Support
- Act as Primary User for the bank accounts held with HSBC, and to ensure that the appropriate staff members have access as needed to manage the day to day running of the charity.
- Oversee financial administration, including bookkeeping, payments, and banking.
- Approving expenditure over certain limits, as set out in the Financial Control Policy.
- Support staff with financial processes, offering training or guidance where helpful.
- Prepare financial information, as required, to assist with funding applications and reports.
Person Specification:
Essential
- Empathy with, and understanding of, the needs of our beneficiaries
- Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
- Financial experience (e.g. bookkeeping, financial management or similar)
- Ability to communicate financial information clearly to non-specialists
- Strategic thinking, sound judgement and a pragmatic approach
- Ability to analyse proposals, assess financial implications and make clear recommendations
- Collaborative team player with objectivity and impartiality
- Willingness to listen, challenge constructively and make difficult recommendations when necessary
- Digital literacy and access to online communication tools
- Commitment to the organisation, including time and effort for a minimum three-year term
- Willingness to undertake relevant training
Desirable
- Knowledge of charity, voluntary sector or SME finance
- Familiarity with Charities SORP (FRS 102)
- Financial/accounting qualification
- Experience with online accounting software
- Experience of committee or board work and an understanding of governance
- Availability to support staff and volunteers on financial matters
Time Commitment:
The Management Committee meet approximately every 6 weeks; although online attendance is possible, face to face is preferred. The key report currently produced is a cashflow forecast for the following 12 months. This takes around 3-4 hours to complete.
Other responsibilities, including those outlined above, will depend on the level of involvement that the Treasurer has with the day-to-day running of the charity.
It is anticipated that the Treasurer will need to commit a minimum of 8-10 hours a month to the role.
What does becoming a trustee involve?
As part of the trustee role, you will be expected to:
- Attend, and prepare for, a minimum of six Management Committee meetings per year.
- Undergo a DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check.
- Undergo a selection process as outlined by Home-Start Guildford.
- Commit to the legal and financial responsibilities of the role, as outlined in the charity’s Constitution (‘Foundation’ model constitution).
- Visit and engage with the office and staff to enhance your understanding of how Home-Start Guildford works.
Training and Support:
Trustees are fully inducted into Home-Start at the start of their new role; they will receive:
- An online welcome event and e-learning, introducing Home-Start’s service and your responsibilities.
- Training in key areas including safeguarding.
- Reimbursement of paid expenses.
- Access to Home-Start’s online community via HSUK intranet – full of information and guidance on running a local Home-Start.
- Tailored support by other trustees and staff.
What do you get as a volunteer trustee with our organisation?
- An opportunity to exercise your strategic planning skills, probably in a different environment or context.
- An opportunity to influence and collectively lead an organisation supporting families of young children.
- A chance to expand and implement your understanding of our work.
- A chance to augment your experience of charities.
- A boost to your career and CV, if needed.
- Satisfaction of helping an organisation that supports families, thus giving something back to your community.
- Induction training from us; training, support, and assistance from local charity-support & advice agencies; reimbursement of reasonable expenses, if needed.
What do we get?
- Your strategic skills, knowledge, understanding, or experience.
- Your abilities to influence plans for our charity’s future, especially in this cost-of-living crisis.
- Enhancement to our overall governance and the Board of trustees; improvement in our operational growth.
- Your participation in our collective decision-making, contributing to all areas of our charity work.
- Your enthusiasm.
Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship to international candidates and all prospective volunteers must have the legal right to stay in the United Kingdom, as well as live within local distance of Guildford Borough to attend Board meetings. This is a voluntary role and therefore unpaid.
Home-Start Guildford is committed to safer recruitment practise as an important part of safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults. Any offer of a voluntary role is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check and two satisfactory references.
How to Apply:
Please send your CV and a covering letter outlining your suitability for the role to [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from candidates who share our vision and are eager to contribute to our mission.
Office: Home-Start Guildford, Astolat, Coniers Way, Guildford, GU4 7HL
Contact: 01483 511181 / [email protected]
Home-Start is committed to equality of opportunity and diversity.
Home-Start Guildford is committed to safer recruitment practice as an important part of safeguarding and protecting children and vulnerable adults.
Registered Charity No. 1154609
** Please note this is a voluntary role, therefore is unpaid**
Job Types: Part-time, Volunteer
Benefits:
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Guildford GU4 7HL
