No one likes to feel as though they are going into a situation blind. A well-written job description helps organisations set the right expectations for would be volunteer treasurers. It lets applicants know about the specific duties and responsibilities associated with the role and makes them aware of how the treasurer contributes to the nonprofit’s mission and goals.

How it Helps Your NFP

In addition to clarifying expectations, creating a job description can help you visualise and identify the exact traits and qualities that you want your treasurer to have before they begin. This helps you to frame interview questions to find the right person for the position. Once you’ve recruited the treasurer, the job description helps you identify areas where your volunteer may need more training and guidance to perform their duties well.

The following guidelines will help you create a more complete, effective description of what your NFP expects from its volunteer treasurer.

Getting Started

Begin your description with the position’s title. You should next provide an overview of the purpose of the treasurer and how the role impacts your nonprofit’s mission and goals.

Location

Plainly state where you see the treasurer performing most of their duties. Make sure to include essential details. For example, this is the section to let your volunteer know if they can perform some of their responsibilities remotely, or if they will need to commute to more than one location to fulfil their role.

Hours

Include details about your expectations regarding a time commitment. Include an estimate of the hours each week it will likely take the treasurer to perform their duties. Don’t forget to explain whether the role is a temporary assignment, or, if you wish the treasurer to serve indefinitely. State the date that you want the position to begin. State any special requirements you will expect the volunteer to meet during their service. For example, if you plan your treasurer to be present in your NFP’s central office, or a branch location, on specific days and hours, make sure that you’ve spelled out these requirements in the details.

Qualifications

Spell out exactly what your organisation is looking for in a volunteer treasurer. List the preferred background, education and level of experience that the ideal volunteer treasurer should have. If you prefer your treasurer to have any specific certifications or licenses, remember to include this information in this section.

Duties and Responsibilities

Clearly state what is expected of the treasurer. Include a list of their key responsibilities and the primary duties that you expect them to perform as they fulfil the role. Examples of items that you will likely want to put in this section include information about the treasurer’s fiduciary role, such as establishing controls and procedures to increase transparency and accountability, as well as duties your treasurer will perform to reduce various risks to your NFP’s finances. Other things that you might include here would be an explanation of whether you expect your treasurer to handle cash and related items directly. It’s also important for you to note whether the treasurer has a team that helps them manage the nonprofit’s finances and that assists them with preparing the budget and performing similar tasks.

Clarify the board’s expectations of how often you expect the treasurer to formally report to them on the NFP’s finances, and mention information about the frequency of board meetings. It’s important to keep in mind that if the role of treasurer is a volunteer one within your organisation, you should state plainly that it is not a paid position. Stress that these guidelines are your board’s expectations for the person in this role, and emphasise that the volunteer is not under any contract or agreement to perform specific tasks except those that are required to fulfil their fiduciary, legal duty as both treasurer and member of the board.

How to Apply

If it is your intention to add this to the description when you post the position, include the steps candidates should take if they wish to be considered. Also mention contact information for your organisation and the cut-off date to apply.