Overview
For over 30 years, Womankind Worldwide has worked in partnership to strengthen and support women’s rights organisations and movements with the resources they need to challenge oppression and change the lives of women, in the home, the workplace and the communities they live in.
Our new strategy for 2030 will see us working in partnership with our partners to be more innovative and decolonise our practice, whilst learning and growing as a feminist and anti-racist organisation. Our current focus countries are Afghanistan and Nepal in South Asia and Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe in Africa and our small team is based in the UK and Kenya.
The Honorary Treasurer supports Womankind’s governance, in line with the Governance Code, especially in relation to Finance, Human Resources Policy and Facilities, across jurisdictions. In so doing, they enable trustees to attract resources, maintain our current financial health, ensure openness, accountability, and compliance with legislation and regulation, and promote feminist ‘attitudes and a culture where everything works towards fulfilling the charity’s vision’.
A world where all women, girls and people of all genders enjoy equal rights and freedoms and live with joy, choice and dignity.
You will be responsible for leadership of the Finance & Resources Committee, facilitating scrutiny of Womankind’s financial management and reporting, human resources policies and facilities, risk management and operational efficiency. In addition, working with the Co-Chairs and Vice-Chair, ensuring that the Board of Trustees receives relevant and robust information and analysis across this scope to support decision making and strategic development. The Honorary Treasurer plays an active role in representing the organisation to auditors and regulatory actors and in supporting positive relationships between trustees and Finance & Resources staff.
Responsibilities
- To support the Board of Trustees to fulfil its governance responsibilities.
- To assure the Board of Trustees that the organisation is meeting its obligations and that financial management is line with good practice, including in relation to oversight of financial controls, identification and management of risk, reserves and investment policies, and the financial implications of its strategy and policy objectives.
- To provide oversight that Human Resources Policies are developed and delivered in line with organisational values, good practice and legislation.
- To provide oversight on behalf of the Board of Trustees that the organisation’s facilities and operational infrastructure are fit for purpose.
- To optimise the relationship between the Board of Trustees and the Finance & Resources Team.
Experience and Knowledge
- Recognised full qualification in accounting and / or qualification by experience.
- Experience of board committees, ideally in the UK international NGO sector.
- Solid experience of leadership in relation to finance, human resources and risk management strategies across jurisdictions.
- Solid knowledge of facilities and operational infrastructure.
- Excellent understanding of charity finance and relevant financial legislation.
- Good understanding of international issues and the current challenges facing UK NGOs working internationally, including in relation to coloniality.
- Understanding of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship in the UK charity sector.
Skills and Personal Attributes
- Understanding of and commitment to working in line with Womankind’s feminist, anti-racist values.
- Leadership qualities with high integrity and ability to foster inclusive and collective decision making.
- Rigour, impartiality, fairness and the ability to respect confidences.
- A willingness to speak one’s mind and to exercise independent judgement.
Time commitment:
The Board and Finance & Resources Committee (FRC) each meet 4-6 times per year. All Trustees are expected to attend Board Meetings. FRC members attend FRC meetings in addition. Time will also need to be built in for coordination with the Co-Chairs and other Committee members and support to activities such as strategic planning and audit, between meetings. The estimated time commitment is up to 20 days per year.