Serving as a volunteer treasurer can be quite the challenge, which is one reason why it can be so difficult to find and recruit the ideal replacement!

The following is a list of tips to help you locate a select a suitable candidate.

Does it Matter Whether Your Next Volunteer Treasurer has a lot of Prior Experience?

Before you begin your search for a new volunteer treasurer, it’s important to take time to think a moment about what specific qualities and skills are needed to be able to perform this role well. While it would be great if you could find potential volunteers with prior experience as a volunteer treasurer, or, at least recruit someone who has experience keeping the books for an organisation, neither is an absolute must for someone to be well-suited for the position.

Computer programs, such as Admin Bandit’s software suite for volunteer treasurers, automate much of the recordkeeping and reports processes, greatly simplifying the demands on the volunteer treasurer! More than anything, the ideal volunteer to serve as treasurer of an organisation needs to have a high level of personal integrity. They should be honest, and trustworthy.

Having an eye for detail, excellent organisational skills and the ability to set clear goals and the determination to see a project or other task through to completion are also beneficial traits for volunteer treasurers to possess.

Once you have a well-rounded picture of the qualities that your organisation needs in a treasurer, it’s time to begin your search!

Promote from Within – Groom Your Replacement!

One of the most overlooked sources for volunteer treasurer is your own non-profit! By recruiting someone internally for the post, you have the benefit of entrusting the position to someone who is already familiar with your non-profit’s culture, organisational structure and that already has a deep connection to its people.

Post the position within your organisation, and encourage other staff, members of your volunteer corps and other supporters to apply. Make sure to include a complete description of requirements and responsibilities when you list the post and be honest about the commitment of time that will be necessary to serve well in the position.

Once you have found likely candidates, the current volunteer treasurer should spend some time working with their replacement before they leave the position if at all possible to smooth over any bumps with the transition and to set the new treasurer up for success!

Recruiting Talent

If you are not able to convince an internal candidate to fill the role, you will need to look outside of the organisation for a replacement. If your non-profit finds itself in the position of needing to recruit an external candidate, you should try to cast as broad of a “net” as possible to increase the likelihood that you will find a suitable candidate.

Create a formal listing with a well-written description of the duties and responsibilities that go along with the job. Use your NFP’s website to post the position, and share on your social media. Encourage your supporters to share the story as well and ask them to encourage any qualified applicants that they may know to apply for the position.

Third party sites such as LinkedIn are a great way to connect with others in the not-for-profit space. Post the job within any NFP groups you have joined and ask your colleagues and other connections to share the position as well. Don’t forget to tap your friends and family members for suggestions as well. If your NFP has the funds to do so, consider contracting with a professional headhunter or corporate recruiter to help your non-profit find good candidates for the role.

Once you have a list of potential recruits, set up formal interviews between candidates and the director as well as members of the board. If possible, try to conduct more than one interview with each candidate as you narrow your search. Ask for references from personal and professional sources and consider carrying out a legal background check before making an offer since the treasurer’s duties involve so much your organisation’s finances and security measures.

Once you and the board have finalised the decision and made an offer that was accepted, ask your current treasurer to work closely with your new recruit to help ease the transition. Work closely with your volunteer treasurer, especially at the beginning of their term, to ensure that they have all of the time and resources that they need to perform their duties well.