Chair of the finance and commercial committee (treasurer) elect

2024 will be monumental in NCVO’s history. To help ensure sustainability for the charity sector – we must innovate, diversify, and challenge ourselves like never before.

We must be bold, courageous, and ambitious to make the biggest possible difference. And for success, we need the most visionary minds on our board.

This is where you come in.

We need a treasurer that is not only highly skilled and experienced in financial and commercial leadership but can also think strategically. As the largest membership body for voluntary organisations in England, we make decisions that will positively impact communities at a time when they need us most.

NCVO exists to support, empower, and advocate for charities, and has over 17,000 national and local charities as its members. Government decision makers, charity leaders, campaigners, funders and policy developers look to NCVO for our in-depth knowledge and wide-reaching connections.

This is why the role of treasurer on our board is held in such high regard.

About NCVO

We are the charities charity. For over 100 years, NCVO has stood shoulder to shoulder with communities, championing and celebrating voluntary action.

As the largest membership body for voluntary organisations in England, we’re committed to empowering charities and volunteers through practical support. We firmly believe that communities are strengthened by voluntary action, so we advocate for and with our members, giving voice to those not often heard, and harnessing the collective power of partners to ensure that charities are valued. 

As the voluntary sector and volunteering adapts to new challenges and a changing context, so must NCVO. We have around 80 staff and an income of more than £7 million per year.

NCVO’s trustee board

Good governance is a crucial ingredient to effective, impactful organisations. This includes a strong commitment to equity, diversity and belonging.

We believe that boards whose trustees have different backgrounds and experience make better decisions. With your help, we want NCVO to make a bigger difference.

NCVO is governed by a board of trustees, which comprises:

• the chair the treasurer up to seven elected trustees four appointed trustees.

The trustee board appoints a vice chair from among the trustees.

The Charities Act 2011 defines charity trustees as those responsible under the charity's governing document for controlling the administration and management of the charity. The role of the trustee board is to receive assets from donors, safeguard them and apply them to the charitable purposes of NCVO. The trustee board must always act in the best interests of NCVO, exercising the same standard of duty of care that a prudent person would apply if looking after the affairs of someone for whom they have responsibility. The trustee board must act as a group and not as individuals.

In addition to being a registered charity, NCVO is a company limited by guarantee, and NCVO’s trustees are registered as directors at Companies House.

Duties of theChair ofthe finance and commercial committee (the treasurer)

This role will be the Chair ofthe finance and commercial committee / treasurer elect for the first twelve months.

In addition to the general duties of a trustee, the Chair ofthe finance and commercial committee has particular responsibilities to maintain an overview of our activities, ensuring they remain sustainable and that we use our resources effectively to achieve the organisation’s aims. They will need to ensure we maintain best practice in financial governance and reporting and sit on the audit and risk committee which is chaired by an independent person.

It will be crucial the treasurer can help us manage the tension between needing to generate sustainable commercial income as well as delivering services for the sector. This is a critical time for charities as the cost of living crisis, compounded by the pandemic and over a decade of austerity, has placed many organisations in a vulnerable position.

Duties as a trustee

• Ensure that NCVO complies with its governing document, charity law, company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations; Ensure that NCVO pursues its objects as defined in its governing document; Ensure NCVO applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects and does not spend money on activities which are not included in the objects, however worthwhile they may be; Contribute actively to the board of trustees by giving firm strategic direction to NCVO, setting overall policy, defining goals, setting targets, and evaluating performance against agreed targets; Safeguard the reputation and values of NCVO; Ensure the financial stability of NCVO.

Specific responsibilities of theChair ofthe finance and commercial committee (the treasurer)

• Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities;
• Working closely with the chief operating officer, providing a sounding board and expert advice and challenge to ensure NCVO operates as effectively as possible;
• Ensuring the committee maintains adequate oversight of all income generating activities of NCVO as a registered charity and NCVO Trading Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NCVO;
• On the basis of discussions with the committee, recommending business plans and budgets and, the annual report and accounts, to the board;
• Being assured that the financial resources of the organisation meet its present and future needs as well as ensuring that the charity has an appropriate reserves and cash reserves policy;
• Being assured that appropriate financial procedures and internal controls are in place;
• Ensuring that NCVO has an appropriate investment policy, holds investments on this basis and that there is no conflict between any investment held and the aims, objects and values of NCVO;
• Ensuring the annual report and accounts are prepared in accordance with financial best practice and meet the requirements of the regulators and the relevant statutory bodies;
• Ensuring an appropriate audit plan is agreed with the audit and risk committee and implemented and that any recommendations of the auditors are implemented appropriately;
• Making a formal presentation of the annual report and accounts at the annual general meeting (AGM), drawing attention to important points in a coherent and easily understandable way;
• Sitting on recruitment, supplier selection, grievance and disciplinary panels as required;
• Approval of trustee and chief executive expenses in the absence of the board chair;
• Approving expenditure in accordance with bank and investment mandates and NCVO’s financial procedures.

This is a voluntary role and trustees receive no remuneration. Reasonable expenses can be claimed including for childcare, in line with NCVO’s expenses policy, for attendance at board and other meetings and events necessary for the fulfilment of the duties of theChair ofthe finance and commercial committee (the treasurer).

Minimum time commitment

The Chair ofthe finance and commercial committee (the treasurer) is expected to attend four board meetings each year. Three meetings are normally around three hours long with one session is for a day and a half (normally in the autumn).  Board meetings are generally held at NCVO’s offices in London during office hours with a hybrid option always being available. In addition, the Chair ofthe finance and commercial committee (the treasurer) is expected to attend and present at NCVO’s annual general meeting in October each year.  This is likely to be a hybrid event in the future.

The individual will also be a member of the audit and risk committee which meets quarterly. Committee meetings are generally for two hours, held virtually or on a hybrid basis and occur during normal office hours.

Additional time will be required for reading papers and meetings as required with the chief operating officer and any other member(s) of the leadership team. The individual will receive a full induction.  Half a day will be with the board chair, chief executive and chief operating officer, ideally be in person in London though a hybrid option will always be available and there will also be the opportunity to meet the directors in a two hour virtual induction.

We estimate that the average minimum time commitment required will be two days each month.

Person specification

The Chair ofthe finance and commercial committee (the treasurer) is likely to have:

• a commitment to the mission and values of NCVO as well as the wider voluntary sector, including a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion;
• a strong commercial mindset and understanding;
• a recognised financial qualification or substantial relevant financial experience;
• understanding of charity finance or a willingness to understand how wider financial skills translate to charities;
• integrity;
• strategic vision;
• objective and independent judgement;
• an ability to think creatively;
• a willingness to speak their mind as well as listening to others; an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship;
• an ability to work effectively as a member of a team and to take decisions in the best interests of NCVO.