Southwark Scouts Treasurer

Can you manage a Spreadsheet and pay some bills? Then you would be a great Treasurer for Southwark Scouts! 

As a charity, we depend on money we raise to fund the work of our amazing leaders and need to report each year to the Charity Commission on our financial status. The treasurer plays a key role in the district, monitoring and managing the finances of the Scout District, making sure that the District’s financial information is maintained accurately and meets all of the relevant laws, and submitting the district’s annual accounts to the Charity Commission. 

Alongside this, the treasurer works with the senior and key volunteers and the Trustee Board to decide how to use the money we raise to provide the best quality scouting that we can to our members, aged 4 to 24, across Southwark. 

Previous experience of financial management is useful but not essential, but ideally you are organised, confident with financial information, and able to communicate well. 

No previous experience of scouting is necessary. What’s more important is your own skills and experience as well as empathy with our mission and values. We provide a warm welcome, a sociable network and some short online learning to support you and help you get started as well as lots of ongoing support. 

This is not a full-time volunteer role. This is a very flexible role which you can fit around your family, work and social commitments, you will be required to attend around six Trustee Board meetings every year, plus our Annual General Meeting. 

This role could also be easily shared with one or two others to spread the tasks and is ideal for someone (or a team), who would like to support local scouting in a really flexible way and by not working directly with young people. 

Being a part of scouting is great fun and it goes without saying that supporting young people can be one of the most rewarding things you can do, plus it all looks good on your CV.

Responsibilities of the Treasurer: 

• Manage and monitor the financial activities of the Scout District and Trustee Board 
• Prepare and present financial reports and accounts to the Trustee Board
• Lead the Trustee Board in the creation of budgets, financial planning, and monitoring of these. 
• Ensuring that all financial reports, annual statements of account and supporting documents (including receipts, cheque books and bank statements) are maintained accurately and in accordance with legal regulations. 
• Ensuring that the Scout District is financially able to function, has appropriate reserves and accounting procedures and controls in place. 
• Prepare the Annual Statement of Accounts for independent examination and approval by the Trustee Board and presenting these at the Annual General Meeting.
• Administer the process of Independent Examination of the Annual Statement of Accounts in accordance with the Policy, Organisation and Rules of The Scouts.
• Membership and attendance of any finance working groups or sub-Committees set by the Trustee Board 

General Trustee Board responsibilities: 

• Be a full and active participant in the Board’s meetings and activities. 
• Willingness and eligibility to act as a Charity Trustee for the District. 
• Contribute to the strategic aims and future development of the District. 
• A commitment to understanding and forming opinions on the key discussion points and responsibilities of the Trustee Board.

Skills for a Treasurer: 

• Strong organisational skills 
• Strong communication skills 
• Ability to work as part of a team 
• Able to think creatively and solve problems 
• Able to analyse financial information effectively
• Good IT skills 
• Ability to summarise financial information for different audiences 
• Willing to speak one’s mind and listen to the views of others
• Able to maintain independent and objective judgement 

If you have any questions regarding this role, please do get in touch at office@southlondonscouts.org.uk