Trustee role vacancy: Honorary Treasurer to join our trustee board

The Centre for Innovation in Voluntary Action (CIVA) is looking for an Honorary Treasurer to join our trustee board

About CIVA

CIVA aims to find and support new solutions to social problems. The charity has several strands of work, including incubating social entrepreneurs, acting as fiscal host/support for individuals and emerging organisations, running a small number of donor-advised funds and CIVA:Invests, an early stage social investment fund. CIVA is an initiator and networker and we don’t run large projects ourselves.

In terms of areas of interest, we’re open to ideas, and in practice our main (often interconnected) themes have become young people, social mobility, mental health, food and farming, climate change and nature and wellbeing.

CIVA was founded in 1995 by Michael Norton CBE (who also set up the Directory of Social Change) as a vehicle for his passion for social innovation and entrepreneurship, and latterly his own philanthropy. There are currently 12 trustees from a variety of backgrounds and experience.

Michael is a trustee and volunteer Director. CIVA employs one member of staff, the Finance Manager, who works 4 days pw from home. In relation to its cash or near cash deposits, CIVA benefits from advice from a pro bono investment adviser Johannes Schulzberg, a former trustee with experience of the financial services sector.

In recent years CIVA has required an audit, and this is likely to continue.

The role

All Trustees have ultimate responsibility for the charity, and are jointly responsible for ensuring that CIVA operates within the legal and regulatory framework of the charitable and voluntary sector and in line with the charity’s governing document.

Following an analysis of the manager’s role, the trustees have identified a need for accountancy skills on the board, to advise trustees in carrying out their financial responsibilities and support the Finance Manager to ensure CIVA’s financial systems and procedures are fit for purpose.

We are looking for someone to work closely with the Finance Manager (FM) with the following responsibilities:

  • Keep financial policies and procedures under review and suggest adjustments/ improvements as needed
  • Be available for accounting and related queries from the Finance Manager
  • Review manual journal adjustments posted to the accounting system
  • Review quarterly management accounts and bank reconciliations
  • Act as sounding board for the preparation and scrutiny of the annual accounts, participate in the audit planning and follow up processes to ensure a proportionate approach
  • Advice trustees on accounting and related matters
  • Review and advise on risk register
  • Participate in discussions about succession planning, particularly the financial implications
  • Contribute to the monitoring of the finance manager’s performance

Time commitment

There are four board meetings a year (at least two are online) and an away day. The Investment Committee (IC – which oversees social investments through CIVA:Invests) also meets quarterly, and all trustees are invited to attend. The IC  may be of interest to the Treasurer, and also forms a significant part of the Finance Manager’s workload.

The Treasurer should also be available between meetings for accounting and related queries from the Finance Manager.

Person Specification

General

  • Interest in charities, social enterprise and the causes supported by CIVA
  • Enthusiastic about being part of a trustee board
  • The time and availability to attend meetings and other input as required

Specific to this position

  • Financial expertise, with a recognised accounting qualification and ability to scrutinise and probe financial statements, reports and balance sheet information
  • Ideally an understanding of charity accounts
  • Appreciation of the needs of small organisations

Expressions of interest

  • If you are interested in this role and would like to know more, or have an initial chat, please contact Michael Norton on norton@civa.org.uk ideally by 30 April 2025.
  • If you would like to apply, a copy of your CV and short statement explaining your interest (no more than 2 sides of A4) will also be helpful.
  • We will review expressions of interest on a rolling basis.