Regardless of how much anyone enjoys their work, eventually they will move on to another position, or, stage in their life. When key members go on to new opportunities, it can leave their organisation in a tight spot. Before you settle for the next warm body, the following tips can help you recruit the best candidate to fill the role of volunteer treasurer in your NFP.

Improve the Quality of Applications by Increasing the Size of the Your Pool

Recruiting your next treasurer is typically a difficult task for most nonprofits. That’s why you need to take steps to increase the number of applications that you receive, right from the start. Post the position on your website, as well as all your NFP’s social media channels. Post the listing on professional job sites, such as LinkedIn, as well as sites that specialise in recruiting skilled volunteers for specific roles.

Encourage your board members, existing treasurer, and other stakeholders to get in on the act and help you in your search. Have them reach out to their family members and friends, as well as their professional connections to help you find someone with the right background and experience. Post the position with your professional associations, and similar groups.

Set the Right Expectations – Be Clear about the Challenges, and Joys, that Come with the Role

Be upfront with your prospects about the duties and responsibilities associated with serving as treasurer in your nonprofit. Present candidates with a written description of the role, and the qualifications, tasks and other requirements necessary to perform it well.

Our most valuable resource is our time, and many would be treasurers are rightfully concerned about the time commitment that will be involved if they serve. It’s essential that NFPs be honest about how much time and effort is required to fulfil this role in the organisation. By setting an accurate expectation from the start, you improve the odds that you will select someone who will be proficient in doing the job, but that will also enjoy their work as well.

Develop Your Treasurer – Onboarding, Training and Continued Support

Whether your new treasurer has a background in accounting or finance, there will still be aspects of the role that they will need additional education and other support to be able to do it well. Just as you should for any other board member, staff member or volunteer, host an orientation to help your new treasurer become acquainted with your organisation’s culture as well as the tasks that they will be charged with performing.

Give your treasurer the resources that they need to become proficient in their duties. For example, updated, automated bookkeeping and recording software, like Admin Bandit, simplifies most of the tracking and reporting requirements. This frees up time to be spent on other critical work, such as partnering with other board members to develop and refine strategy, evaluating and acting to mitigate risks of loss, and otherwise keeping the board current on your nonprofit’s financial status.

If possible, arrange for your current treasurer to work with your new one, at least for a few days or weeks, to help ease the transition and to ensure that your new volunteer treasurer has all the information and tools that they need to be able to perform their essential functions.

Connect your new treasurer with free and low-cost training that is available online to quickly bring them up to speed if they lack knowledge or skill in specific areas. Conferences and seminars are also helpful in this regard.

Keep in mind that training and development isn’t a one-time event. Ideally, your treasurer will attend courses that will help them learn and grow both personally and professionally so that they benefit from serving in this role just as much as you and your organisation do!