[<<] [>>] by Samir Patel
29th November (CqE Official News)

Croquet England, the National Governing Body for the Sport of Croquet in England, is Seeking a Treasurer

Location: Remote, with occasional travel to meetings and the Croquet England office in Cheltenham

It is estimated that the work will take approximately 60 hours per month.

A fee of £10,000 plus reasonable expenses will be paid for the year.

About Croquet England

Croquet England is a Charitable Incorporated Organisation (CIO) registered in England & Wales (Charity No. 1202444), with the following charitable purposes:

• To promote community participation in healthy recreation through the provision of facilities for playing croquet.
• To advance the amateur sport of croquet for public benefit.

We are proud of our heritage and excited for our future. Approximately 10,000 players belong to over 200 affiliated clubs, with many thousands more enjoying croquet informally at home. The competitive scene is thriving, from local leagues to national championships and international tournaments.

Our Strategy focuses on seven key areas: play, safeguarding, coaching, inclusion, wellbeing, funding, and sustainability.

The Board of Trustees has responsibility for the management of the affairs of Croquet England and may, for that purpose, exercise all the powers of the CIO. The Treasurer is responsible to the CIO through the Board for providing independent leadership and guidance in matters relating to administration and finance respectively, encouraging the highest standards of integrity, effectiveness, and openness, and have a duty to ensure the CIO's regulatory compliance

The Executive and Chief Executive Officer have delegated authority for the day-to-day running of the organisation and for ensuring the strategy and policies are delivered. They are appointed by the Board of Trustees. The Treasurer is a member of the Executive.

Our Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion

Croquet England is committed to building a sport and community that welcomes everyone. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds.

We support flexible working and welcome applications from candidates seeking alternative arrangements.

Application Process

If you require any further information or an informal chat about the role, please contact:

• Robert Fulford, Current Treasurer
• Andy Dalby Welsh, CEO
• Samir Patel, Chair of the Board of Trustees

To apply, please send a one-page cover letter outlining your suitability for the role as well as a brief CV to Gabrielle Higgins, Secretary.

The Role

On the basis outlined below it is estimated that the work will take approximately 60 hours per month. A fee of £10,000 plus reasonable expenses will be paid for the year.

There is some potential flexibility to exactly how the role is defined and to a degree it can be tailored to suit an applicant.

Duties Include

• Weekly - prepare payment run. Answer occasional queries from office staff.
• Monthly - process payroll (HMRC Basic PAYE tools and NEST pension), reconcile bank accounts, on-line shop transactions, subscriptions and tournament entry system payments.
• Quarterly - process VAT return. Prepare internal management accounts.
• Annually - prepare annual accounts and liaise with Independent Examiner, prepare annual budget, stock take, renew insurance policies (including dealing with occasional insurance matters).
• When required - manage investments, deal with financial matters that arise through the year.

We are in the process of reviewing operational processes, and the successful candidate will be involved in identifying improvements. This could result in some regular tasks being streamlined or reallocated. This could suit someone who has experience in updating treasurer practices and introducing time-saving efficiencies.

Skills and Qualifications

• A knowledge of bookkeeping/accountancy is essential.
• Formal qualifications are desirable, but not essential.
• Experience of working within the charitable sector would be an advantage.
• Knowledge of the Sage accountancy platform would be an advantage.

Location and Meetings

The Treasurer is a member of a number of committees. Nearly all meetings are held electronically, often in the evenings or at weekends to accommodate volunteers, with only occasional face to face meetings each year when required:

• Board of Trustees - approx. seven per year online and one in person
• The Executive - approx. monthly, generally online other than by exception.
• Funding Committee, which oversees grants, loans and bursaries - approx. six times per year
• Administration Committee, which deals with staff matters, online, once or twice each year

We are currently reviewing organisational strategic priorities and how we will deliver them. This is intended to increase efficiency and is likely to reduce the number of meetings that the successful candidate will be required to attend.

Practical Matters

• You'll use your own IT equipment, supported by a Croquet England Microsoft 365 account.
• The Treasurer plays an important role liaising between the Executive and the Office, attending the Croquet England Office in Cheltenham at least once a quarter.
• A managed handover will take place in order that the new Treasurer is fully aware of current practices.

Role Description

Formally the role of Treasurer is set out in the Croquet England Standing Orders and Practice Book.

Standing Order 2.1

The "Secretary" and "Treasurer" in this document are the Secretary of the CIO and Treasurer of the CIO appointed annually by the Board. They are responsible to the CIO through the Board for providing independent leadership and guidance in matters relating to administration and finance respectively, encouraging the highest standards of integrity, effectiveness, and openness, and have a duty to ensure the CIO's regulatory compliance. Specific duties for them may be determined by the Board from time to time and recorded in the Croquet England Practice Book.

Practice Book Extract

The "Treasurer" in this document is the Treasurer of Croquet England, appointed annually by the Board of Trustees, with the overall responsibility described in Standing Order (SO) 2.1. The Trustees have resolved that the Chair of the Board of Trustees, the CEO and the Secretary may not be appointed as the Treasurer.

The Treasurer shall be invited to all meetings of the Board of Trustees in accordance with SO 4.2 and is an ex-officio voting member of the Executive.

The specific duties of the Treasurer relating to the Executive are as follows:

• Attend as a member all the meetings of the Executive.
• Keep the Executive aware of and informed about its financial duties and responsibilities.
• Compile and present regular management accounts to the Executive, including the implications of financial plans and budgets of the Executive's operational committees, and three-year financial forecasts for Croquet England.
• Prepare the annual budget for submission to the Executive in November and approval by the Trustees in December.
• Prepare the annual accounts for submission to the Executive in February and approval by the Trustees in March, advise on whether an audit or independent examination is required, and liaise with the auditor or examiner.
• In conjunction with the Chair of the Board of Trustees and the Secretary, prepare the annual report and accounts and the annual return and submit them to the Charity Commission, and prepare and submit any other reports or documents it may require, including Serious Incident Reports.
• Serve on the Administration Committee and in particular advise it on salaries.
• Provide the Office Manager and staff with guidance and training on the Croquet England's financial practices as required.
• Monitor the financial activities of the Office, report to the Executive on them and advise on improvements.
• Audit the financial records produced by the Office and ensure that it keeps proper records of all financial transactions for inspection e.g. by the Independent Examiner, the Charity Commission and HM Revenue and Customs.
• Compile and submit returns and any payments owed to HM Revenue and Customs in due time.
• Make salary payments and honoraria and provide statements in due time.
• Operate the workplace pension scheme for Croquet England staff, make the necessary returns, and ensure payment of liabilities.
• Manage Croquet England's financial assets and systems, including investments, bank accounts and the accountancy database. This with the assistance of the Office Manager.
• Report to the Executive the advice of the Investments Consultative Group on investments and execute investment decisions.
• Advise the Executive on subscriptions and tournament levy rates.
• Assist the Office Manager in ensuring that Croquet England is properly and adequately insured as directed by Executive.