Volunteer Finance Trustee / Treasurer

What will you be doing?

As well as fulfilling the duties of a Trustee, the Treasurer maintains an overview of Respond’s financial affairs and chairs the Finance committee, which the Finance Director also attends. The Treasurer ensures that effective and appropriate financial measures, controls and procedures are in place and reports to the Board at regular intervals about the financial health of the organisation.  Respond is a national charity that seeks to transform the lives of people with learning disabilities and autistic people who have experienced trauma. We are committed to bringing about positive change for our clients and their families, enabling them to lead richer and more resilient lives.    Our income base is diverse with trust funds and grants continuing to be a vital part of maintaining core services Respond offers, alongside donations from trusts and foundations. We also continue to have larger ongoing or spot contracts for our work for NHS commissioners and local authorities.      It is a good opportunity to join Respond's Board at this time, following our restructure and as we move towards the last year of our current strategy for 2022-25. Following a challenging period due to changing funding landscape and closure of some services, we will be focused on consolidation and improving impact measurement to secure long-term financial sustainability.  

What are we looking for?

What we are looking for 

A finance professional ideally with an accountancy qualification. A knowledge of charity finance is an advantage. Otherwise, an enthusiasm to learn, drawing from sound commercial experience and an understanding of SMEs.  A strategic thinker with an ability to balance risk and opportunity.  Clear communicator with the ability to bring the financial information alive to non-finance specialists.   Willing to play an active role in areas such as forecasting, setting budgets, liaising with auditors.  Someone with a passion and commitment to support the improvement in the lives of autistic people and people with learning disabilities.  Please refer to the attached document for more information about Respond and our trauma informed approach. 

What difference will you make?

It is a good opportunity to join Respond's Board at this time, as we move towards the last year of our current strategy for 2022-25. Following a challenging period due to changing funding landscape, the closure of some services and a restructure, we will be focused on consolidation and improving impact measurement to secure long-term financial sustainability.  Working closely with the Finance Director, the Treasurer will lead from a governance perspective, supporting the transition and development of the finance function within Respond.