Job Description

Our Trustees are the people who lead the charity and decide how it is run. Being a Trustee at Age UK Notts means making decisions that will impact on people’s lives. As a Trustee you will make a difference to your local community and through the wider Age UK Network, to society as a whole.

What is the purpose of this role?

Age UK Notts has a Board of Trustees with between 7 and 10 Trustees. Our Trustees ensure Age UK Notts has a clear strategy, and that our work and goals are in line with our vision. The Trustees are the ‘guardians of purpose’, making sure that all decisions put the needs of our beneficiaries first. The Trustees have independent control over, and legal responsibility for, the charity’s management and administration, and the role of the Finance Trustee is to maintain an overview of the charity’s affairs, ensuring its financial viability and ensuring that proper financial records and procedures are maintained.

The specific responsibilities of the Finance Trustee include the following:

• To oversee and present budgets, accounts and financial statements, and to formally present these accounts at the annual general meeting and draw attention to important points in a coherent and easily understandable way

• To ensure the financial resources of the charity meet its present and future needs

• To ensure the charity has an appropriate reserves policy

• To present financial reports to the board

• To ensure appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place

• To liaise with the Interim Chief Executives and Finance Lead about financial matters

• To advise on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan

• To support the Board in ensuring that the charity has an appropriate investment policy

• To support the Board in ensuring that there is no conflict between any investments held and the aims and objectives of the charity

• To support the Board in monitoring the charity’s investment activity and ensuring its consistency with the charity’s policies and legal responsibilities

• To ensure that the accounts are audited and prepared in accordance with SORP and company law, any auditors’ recommendations are implemented, the accounts are included in the annual report and are submitted to the relevant statutory bodies, e.g. the Charity Commission and Registrar of Companies

• To keep the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities

• To contribute to the fundraising strategy of the charity

What are we looking for?

The Finance Trustee must have:

• Integrity

• A commitment to the charity

• An understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship

• A willingness to devote the necessary time and effort to their duties as a trustee

• Strategic vision

• Good, independent judgement

• A willingness to speak their mind

• An ability to work effectively as a member of a team

• Financial experience and business planning skills

• Some experience of charity finance and fundraising

• The skills to analyse proposals and examine their financial consequences

• A preparedness to make unpopular recommendations to the board

• A willingness to be available to give financial advice and answer enquiries from staff on an ad hoc basis

What can you gain from this opportunity?

Trusteeship can be rewarding for many reasons, from a sense of making a difference, to gaining new experiences and new relationships.