Treasurer

At Makani, we work with refugee women through the arts to overcome trauma, fight for their rights, and to transform their lives and the world around them. Our vision is a world of freedom, dignity and equality for all displaced women and girls.

We work in Lebanon with Syrian and Palestinian refugee women, and in the UK with refugee women from all over the world. In both countries we run therapeutic arts projects including theatre and craft therapy, filmmaking and feminist embroidery. In addition, in Lebanon we also help women through economic empowerment and income generation, access to training and education, and we are responding to the humanitarian crisis with emergency support for displaced families.

Makani was founded in 2022, building upon years of work supporting Syrian and Palestinian refugee women in Lebanon by our co-founders, one of whom is a displaced woman herself. We were officially registered as a charity in June 2024.

We are a small but ambitious organisation that is already transforming the lives of over 100 refugee women and their families in Lebanon, and dozens in the UK. We have rapidly grown over the past two years, with the accompanying rapid increase in income. We are driven by our passion for a better world for marginalised refugee women.

POSITION: Treasurer 

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Treasurer to join our Board of Trustees. The Treasurer will play a crucial role in ensuring the financial management, health and sustainability of the organisation, contributing to the strategic direction and decision-making process.

DETAILS

Location: Home-based, with occasional meetings in London.

Remuneration: This is a voluntary position, expenses covered.

Hours: Variable but generally up to two days a month.

• Board meetings: Quarterly 

• Additional time commitment for strategic planning and financial support to the Senior Leadership team

Deadline: Friday 15 November, midnight

ROLE OUTLINE

• Financial Oversight:

  • Provide financial leadership and guidance to the Board.

  • Oversee the development and implementation of financial policies and procedures.

  • Ensure accurate and timely financial reporting.

• Budgeting and Forecasting:

  • Collaborate with the Senior Leadership Team  to develop and monitor the annual budget.

  • Provide financial projections and recommendations for strategic planning.

• Financial Compliance:

  • Ensure compliance with relevant financial regulations and reporting requirements.

  • Oversee the preparation of financial statements and reports for annual accounting, and any potential future audit.

• Risk Management:

  • Identify and assess financial risks and propose strategies to mitigate them.

  • Work with the Board to develop and implement risk management policies.

• Fundraising Support:

  • Collaborate with the Chair of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to develop and implement fundraising strategies.

  • Provide financial insights to support grant applications and donor relations.

• Financial Training:

  • Educate and guide board members on financial matters, ensuring a collective understanding of financial responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• Professional qualification in finance, accounting, or a related field.

• Proven experience in financial management, preferably in the non-profit sector.

• Familiarity with charity governance and compliance requirements.

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

• Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

• Passion for the organisation's vision, mission and values.

• An understanding of the challenges faced by small start-up organisations, and a supportive and solutions-focused approach to meeting these.

Desirable but not essential:

• Arabic language skills

• An understanding of the issues faced by refugee women in the UK and/or Lebanon.

TO APPLY

Please send your CV and a cover letter outlining your experience and suitability for the role via CharityJob.

Makani is an equal opportunity employer. We encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply.