Treasurer

Voluntary Action Surrey East (VASE) is the local infrastructure charity supporting community groups, charities and volunteers across East Surrey. We work at the intersection of community action, public services and place-based systems.

The voluntary and community sector is undergoing significant change. Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), public sector reform, and increasing pressure on statutory funding are reshaping how local infrastructure bodies operate and how communities are supported. VASE plays a critical role in helping the sector adapt, remain resilient, and continue delivering impact locally.

We are seeking a Treasurer to join the Board at a strategically important time for the organisation and the wider VCSE landscape.

This is a governance-focused role with an initial systems-strengthening phase. The Treasurer will work closely with the Chair and Chief Executive to ensure VASE has robust financial oversight, clear financial planning, and strong assurance as the organisation navigates sector change and increasing complexity.

We particularly welcome interest from people with substantial financial experience, including those bringing expertise from a range of career stages and working patterns.

• Senior experience in finance, accounting, audit or financial management.
• Confidence operating at the board or executive level.
• A strong understanding of financial governance and risk.
• The ability to explain financial information clearly to non-financial colleagues.
• An interest in the voluntary and community sector and place-based working.

Previous trustee or charity experience is welcome but not essential.

• A strategically significant role in a respected local infrastructure charity.
• Exposure to system-level change, including LGR and evolving public-VCSE relationships.
• A defined, time-limited systems‑strengthening phase rather than open‑ended operational demands.
• A professional, collegiate board culture with a clear Chair/CEO relationship.
• The opportunity to apply senior financial expertise to support communities across East Surrey.

Working as part of the Board, the Treasurer will:

• Provide strategic oversight of VASE’s financial position, sustainability, reserves and risk
• Support the development and embedding of proportionate financial policies, controls and reporting
• Review management accounts and annual accounts, providing a clear interpretation and challenge to trustees
• Act as a sounding board to the CEO on financial planning, contracts, and funding mix
• Support informed decision‑making during a period of sector and system change
• Liaise with professional advisers (e.g. accountants, auditors) as required
• Ensure the organisation meets its financial and regulatory obligations.
• Contribute to board‑level strategy, risk management and organisational development.