Trustee Treasurer

Job Description – Swan Trust SCIO Trustee Treasurer

The Swan Trust SCIO board is seeking to appoint a new Trustee with specific skills and experience in accounting and budget management to act as Treasurer for the Trust.

This is a highly responsible position, overseeing an average turnover of £131,167 annually (based on the past 5 years)

A handover period will be managed for the role with the current Treasurer who will remain in position as a Trustee. Additional support is provided from paid administrative staff and the Operations Manager. The Treasurer is not responsible for processing daily financial transactions.

This is not a paid role, though any expenses incurred may be claimed through the formal claims procedure.

Anyone interested in applying should note the responsibilities expected of a Trustee below, and specifically the details of the Treasurer role.

Application forms (to be requested from info@swantrust.com) must be completed in full and returned to 16 Alexandra Building, Lerwick or by email by Friday 28th February 2025.

Applicants who have additional questions about the role should contact George Anderson at geordie.anderson@btinternet.com.

General Responsibilities and Duties of a Trustee

Trustees are there to lead, control and supervise the organisation’s activities. They are the part of the organisation with formal power and responsibility as outlined in the governing documents and backed up by law. If things go wrong, it is the Trustees who are held to account. They should be aware of this and act at all times in the best interests of the Trust and its beneficiaries, following all requirements of law and regulation.

Trustees are supported in the delivery of the practical implementation of these duties by the paid staff.

Trustee responsibilities are as follows:

• Set and maintain the mission, vision and values of the Swan Trust SCIO;
• Develop long and short term strategic policy and direction for the Trust with support from paid staff;
• Establish and monitor policies and procedures to govern the organisation;
• Ensure compliance with the constitution and any other governing documents;
• Ensure accountability and compliance with all regulatory and legislative requirements placed on the charity, and in regard to funders, stakeholders, staff, volunteers and the public;
• Ensure compliance with the laws of Scotland in the operation of the trust and delivery of activities;
• Maintain proper fiscal oversight to manage the trusts resources and funding so it can meet its charitable objectives;
• Respect and safeguard the role of staff and volunteers;
• Maintain effective Trustee board performance, including the productivity of sub groups and overseeing trustee board recruitment where necessary;
• Promote the organisation and its charitable aims through trustees own behaviour and actions; enhancing and protecting the reputation of the charity;
• Oversee though appropriate sub groups the development, implementation and monitoring of appropriate employment procedures and policies;
• Select and support senior staff working for the trust, whether as employees or contractors.

Treasurer Role

It’s important that all Trustees play their collective part in financial monitoring and decision making. The Treasurer’s primary role is to assist and advise the board of Trustees in overseeing finances, even where paid staff deal with the day to day administration of finance matters.

In addition to the general responsibilities of being a Trustee, the Treasurer is also responsible for the following:

• Preparing annual budgets and overseeing regular monitoring of expenditure in relation to approved budgets, with support from paid staff;
• Approving all invoice payments and budget coding on a weekly basis, with input from the Finance Assistant;
• Acting as authorised signatory for the bank account and as a secondary signature in regard to any grant applications or claims along with the Chair;
• Checking and presenting financial management reports to Trustees quarterly, and preparing and presenting the Treasurer report to the AGM;
• Liaising with paid staff and external accountant and/or independent auditor to prepare and check the annual accounts;
• Ensuring statutory returns are made to relevant regulators.

For further information about the Swan Trust SCIO, please refer to the website at www.swantrust.com.

Swan Trust SCIO charity number: SC051822