Life Chance Trust is a specialist youth charity based in South Devon working to transform the life chances of 16–25-year-olds who have experienced with childhood trauma or have complex life histories.
- Our Vision: A world where young people overcome the effects of traumatic childhood experiences to become happy, healthy, safe and independent adults.
- Our Mission: To transform the life chances of 16–25-year-olds, by building their confidence, resilience, motivation, skills and networks to find employment and realise their potential.
- Our Values: Care – Nurture – Inspire
We are a small charity in Devon, established nearly 2 years ago. We are looking for an exceptional person to join the Board as a Trustee, and to also fulfil the role of Treasurer. The successful candidate will have a background in finance or accountancy and risk management. As well as fulfilling the duties of a Trustee, the Treasurer will chair the finance sub-committee and maintain an overview of Life Chance Trust’s financial affairs. The Treasurer will ensure that effective and appropriate financial measures, controls and procedures are put in place and work with the Head of Trust to report to the Board of Trustees at regular intervals about the financial health of the organisation.
Main Duties of a Trustee (as listed by the Charity Commission):
- Ensure the charity is carrying out its purposes to the public benefit
- Comply with the charity governing document and the law
- Act is the charity’s best interests
- Manage the charity’s resources responsibly
- Act with reasonable care and skill
- Ensure the charity is accountable
- Dedication to the charity’s cause and objectives and willing to act as the charity’s ambassador to external bodies, individuals, charities and companies.
Treasurer role:
- Overseeing the presentation of budgets, internal management accounts and annual financial statements to the Board of Trustees.
- Ensuring that proper accounting records are kept, and that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place.
- Ensuring that robust and comprehensive financial policies are in place and being implemented, and supporting the development of policies covering financial reserves, and cost management.
- Monitoring and advising on the financial viability of the charity.
- Overseeing financial controls and adherence to systems, regularly liaising with Head of Trust.
- Advising on the financial implications of the charity’s strategic plan, including overseeing the charity’s financial risk-management process
- Chairing the finance sub-committee
- Ensuring that the accounts are prepared and disclosed in the form required by relevant statutory bodies, for example, the Charity Commission
- Keeping the board informed about its financial duties and responsibilities and liaising with the Head of Trust and finance committee to develop the financial understanding of the Board of Trustees.
What we are looking for:
- Qualified accountant or finance professional ideally with an awareness of not for profit/charity finance.
- 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.
As a small charity, Life Chance Trust will require trustees to be actively involved beyond Board meetings. This may involve scrutinising board papers, leading discussions, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives, presenting externally, or other issues in which the trustee has special expertise.
Personal skills and qualities:
- Willingness and ability to understand and accept their responsibilities and liabilities as trustees and to act in the best interests of the organisation.
- Ability to think creatively and strategically, exercise good, independent judgement and work effectively as a board member.
- Effective communication skills and willingness to participate actively in discussion.
- A strong personal commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
- Enthusiasm for our vision and mission.
- Willingness to lead according to our values [charity values]
- Commitment to Nolan’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership
Terms of office:
- Trustees are appointed for a 3-year term of office, renewal for 2 further terms to a maximum of 9 years.
- This is a voluntary position, but reasonable expenses will be reimbursed.
Time Commitment: (Estimated at 5 hrs per month)
- Attending 4 Board meetings annually plus AGM. Currently meetings are held either online or in person at our offices in Newton Abbot.
- Monthly scheduled meeting with accountants & finance sub-committee with flexibility to respond swiftly to the occasional ad hoc issue.
- Attending additional meetings as appropriate