Part-time, short term volunteer assignments designed to give charities with limited resources access to qualified accounting expertise. An excellent way for accountants to give back and pick up rewarding experience in the not-for-profit sector.
Our partner is a leading UK charity working globally to overcome poverty by fighting the injustices and inequalities that fuel it, with programmes covering humanitarian relief, development work and advocacy and campaigning.
They are seeking the support of a volunteer to help them address an identified issue with their procurement process. Currently, users struggle to understand, navigate and complete the established process in order to achieve compliance with policies for different types of purchases.
The volunteer will review their processes and documentation developed by the existing procurement team, and make recommendations for improvements. This will involve a number of more specific activities, including creating a flowchart to enable users to identify steps to be completed and when, reviewing existing documents and splitting core processes into bite sized chunks, and reducing/removing the use of jargon within existing documentation.
This project would benefit largely from the involvement of someone external to the organisation, with a fresh pair of eyes, with experience in procurement processes across other UK charities or businesses.
Our partner is a 270-year old UK based social change organisation with a mission to enable people, places and the planet to flourish. They provide platforms, opportunities and networks for all those who share their vision.
They are seeking the support of a volunteer to work with individual members of the finance team to update their Finance Manual. The manual is in reasonable shape, but could be more comprehensive in a number of areas. The objective is to have a document that any new member of the team can use to easily pick up processes and procedures.
The volunteer will have good experience of creating clear, detailed documentation, including workflows, manuals, and standard operating procedures (SOPs), as well as the ability to accurately capture and describe processes, ensuring clarity and completeness.
They are looking for a volunteer able to provide up to 15 hours of support, over the next 1-2 months.
Our partner operates a drop-in centre five days a week, providing hot nutritious meals, food packages and wider support to homeless, lonely, vulnerable or financially struggling adults in the local community.
With their current Treasurer stepping down after five years due to family commitments, they are seeking a replacement to oversee the charity’s finances, including its budgets, accounts and investments, as well as to monitor it's financial health.
The role involves preparing monthly financial reports and the annual accounts (currently on Excel) and managing the online bank accounts in accordance with the organisations financial processes. As a Trustee, the postholder will also be involved in setting the charity’s strategic direction.
The Board meets monthly, for no more than 2 hours, in-person in Newbury.
Our partner is a small, dynamic charity, amplifying lived experience stories and expertise to address social inequalities by providing training, support and mentoring, and media opportunities to influence public conversation.
They are looking to strengthen their board by appointing a new trustee with finance experience to take them into the next stage of their development, with their current Treasurer having reached the end of their term.
The postholder will maintain an overview of the organisation’s affairs, with specific focus on its financial affairs, ensure its financial viability and ensure that proper financial records, controls and procedures are maintained.
The Board meets at least five times a year, usually online for around 90 minutes. There is also an annual trustee/staff away day, and the total estimated time commitment required to fulfil the role is 12 hours per month.
Our partner is a small family-centred charity, working tirelessly to help fulfil the cherished dreams and aspirations of children and young people with the muscle wasting disease, Muscular Dystrophy.
They are seeking a Treasurer who has financial management experience, as well as an understanding and passion for their work, great communication skills and a real desire to make a difference to the lives of their beneficiaries.
The Treasurer, who will also be a Trustee of the organisation, will lead in maintaining an overview of the charity’s financial affairs, ensuring its continued financial viability and that proper financial records and procedures are duly kept and reported on in a timely manner.
The time commitment required will be, on average, somewhere between 2-4 hours per week, with peaks and troughs of activity. The Board meets virtually for approximately 2 hours every other month.
Our partner is a UK based charity supporting traumatised communities globally, by providing training to qualified mental health workers in the countries affected and on-going support through supervision and professional development.
They are seeking a dedicated and detail-oriented individual to serve as Treasurer. The post-holder will be responsible for overseeing the financial management of the charity, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and advising the Board of Trustees on financial matters in a crucial role that supports the financial stability and integrity of the organisation.
The role involves both day-to-day financial management, such as the processing of invoices and completing the annual online return to the Charity Commission, and advisory work, providing financial advice to the Board of Trustees on the implications of decisions and initiatives.
The estimated time commitment required for this relatively hands on Treasurer role is 2-4 hours per week, with the board meeting around 9 times annually (online).
Our partner works globally to drive the consumption of healthier diets for all, especially the most vulnerable, by improving the availability, affordability, desirability, and sustainability of nutritious and safe foods.
The have been progressively and methodically reviewing their financial procedures over the last 2+ years, but there are several areas that remain outstanding. They are seeking the support of a volunteer to help them complete the review and establish new or updated procedures.
The work would involve reviewing each procedure/policy, drawing together the relevant pre-existing materials, researching best practice, consulting key members of staff and producing draft procedures for review.
The specific areas that need to be looked at are as follows:
Procedures
Policies (if time allows)
They are seeking a volunteer, with experience of developing and implementing financial procedures, able to make a time commitment of 2-3 hours a week over a 2 month period.
Our partner helps individuals and communities rebuild their own lives after the trauma of war. Currently working in Ukraine, Rwanda and Lebanon, they provide tools, training, education and other support.
They require an Independent Examination of their accounts for the financial year 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023, in preparation for submission to the Charity Commission.
They are seeking a suitably qualified volunteer to undertake the examination in line with Charity Commission guidelines, and they are ideally looking for someone who has undertaken an Independent Examination previously.
The accounts have been produced on Xero, where all transactions have been recorded. There are some supporting documents contained within Google sheets, which are ready for review.
It is estimated that the work can be undertaken within 1 week and the examination needs to be completed before the end of October.
Our partner is an African network of HIV community leaders and advocates working to accelerate access to optimal HIV and co-morbidity treatments and prevention products.
Their current primary focus is a project funded by a consortium, who are also supporting the organisation through the establishment of financial, operational, and administrative systems.
As part of this work, they are seeking the support of an AfID volunteer to undertake the following tasks:
They are looking for a volunteer with good experience of setting up financial systems, able to provide support and guidance to the organisations Financial Director for 2 to 4 hours a week over a 2 to 3 month period.
Our partner is an initiative to support collaborative action in advancing gender equality in global garment, footwear and home textiles industries, to empower women workers and embed gender equality in business practice.
Financial management is currently managed by their fiscal sponsor, a US 501c3 non-profit, who have a dedicated finance and accounting team and strong processes. The organisation is now looking to develop their own internal organisational approach to internal budget management and allocation, and a stronger understanding of their own finances.
They are therefore seeking the support of a volunteer to assist with the following tasks:
They are seeking a volunteer able to provide support for 4 hours a week over a 2 month period, primarily working with a team member in the UK.
Our partner is facilitating long-term change in the sugarcane sector through its internationally recognised sustainability standards and training, to improve environmental impact and create safer, fairer working conditions on farms and mills.
With the growth of the organisation over the years, the finance function has also grown organically, but solutions have often been implemented reactively rather than strategically.
With the continued growth of the organisation, it has become clear that they need to strengthen their finance processes further to ensure that they can fully leverage the capabilities of their Xero based system and keep pace with the demands of their expansion.
They are therefore seeking the support of an AfID volunteer to work with the finance team to identify gaps in its current operational processes (including accounting, reporting and analysis), before developing and implementing improvement strategies, with a particular focus on streamlining and optimising their reporting processes, and refining their payments process.
They are looking for a volunteer, familiar with Xero and with good process improvement experience, able to commit to providing 2-4 hours of support a week over a 3-4 month period.
Our partner promotes and supports people across Buckinghamshire to be more involved in how health and social care services are planned and delivered in their communities, with a view to improving local people’s experiences.
They are seeking a new Treasurer to lead the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to protect the financial integrity of the organisation, and to provide support and guidance on financial matters to the Chief Executive and their team.
The role requires proven experience in financial planning, management and reporting and the ability to plan, prepare and chair effective meetings of the Finance Committee. Successful candidates should have some experience of the voluntary and/or charity sector, and have a passion for promoting better outcomes in health and social care for all.
Board members are asked to commit between eight and twelve hours each month to Board matters, including travelling to different locations within Buckinghamshire for quarterly Board meetings.
Our partner is an international peacebuilding organisation, inspired by the Christian faith, working in societies affected by violent conflict to promote the power of peaceful relationships and creating space for them to thrive.
They are seeking a Trustee to chair their finance sub-committee, with experience in a senior finance role who is able to help them develop their approach to finance and support them in the move towards cloud-based accounting.
Having a background as a qualified accountant would be beneficial, as would charity sector experience, preferably in international development, as well as sharing the Christian values of the organisation.
Trustees are asked to attend 4 full day Board meetings annually, alternating between online and in-person, with the finance sub-committee meeting an additional 4-5 times per year, usually online for around an hour.
Our partner is a women’s organisation, delivering systems change and trauma and gender-informed community-based support for women and girls affected by domestic abuse, including those in contact with the criminal justice system.
The Treasurer will oversee the financial matters of the charity in line with good practice and legal requirements, and report to the Board of Trustees at regular intervals about the financial health of the organisation. They will ensure that effective financial management systems, controls and procedures are in place, and are appropriate for the charity's needs.
The successful candidate will have experience of operating within a board in a charitable, public sector or commercial organisation, as well as a commitment to feminist principles and a passion for ending violence against women.
The board meets 5 times per year, and the finance sub-committee has an additional 4 meetings annually.
Our partner supports individuals and research institutions in the Global South to produce, share and use research and knowledge to transform lives, and provide support to researchers globally through their online community platform.
They are seeking a new Treasurer to join their existing board in leading the organisation through their next exciting period of change. While they are seeking someone with knowledge of UK charity finance and legal requirements, they are particularly interested to hear from candidates from the Global South, wherever their current location.
The Treasurer will monitor the financial administration of the charity and report to the board of trustees at regular intervals on its state of financial health, in line with best practice, and in compliance with legal requirements.
The Treasurer role will require approximately 10-12 days per annum, including three Board meetings, two of which are usually virtual, and occasional virtual meetings with the Executive Director, Finance Manager, and Auditor. In addition, the Treasurer will chair the Finance and Audit sub-committee.
Our partner protects in perpetuity a collection of ceramics, archives and manufacturing artefacts, covering nearly 250 years of world-renowned Spode pottery production and a global manufacturing site with world class assets.
They run a small visitor centre, shop and café on the former Spode Works site. Given its size, comprehensiveness and location on the original site, this collection is unique in the UK as the sole surviving enterprise in industrial ceramics and very likely in the world.
They are looking to bring on board someone, either as a Trustee or Advisor, with the experience and ability to inform business planning, strategic development and financial management.
The post holder will also oversee monthly cash flow and forecasts based on bank statements, sales and expenditure as well as supervising the preparation of annual charity commission return accounts and tax return.
The organisation are very flexible in terms of what the role may look like, dependent on who they appoint, with a minimum time commitment of 6 meetings annually.