1. About the Role
The Anne Sullivan Foundation (ASF) helps children and adults who are deafblind throughout Ireland by funding care, advocacy, and outreach programmes. The Foundation operates alongside its sister organisation, the Anne Sullivan Centre CLG (ASC), which provides direct services and residential care.
The Honorary Treasurer serves as a key officer on the ASF Board of Directors, providing financial oversight and ensuring robust financial governance. The incoming Treasurer will benefit from the support of a dedicated accountant who manages the day-to-day bookkeeping. This allows the Treasurer to focus on oversight, governance, and managing the financial relationship with the ASC.
2. Key Responsibilities
The Treasurer’s primary duties focus on financial oversight, statutory compliance, and managing the Foundation’s funding relationship with the ASC.
Financial Oversight & Governance
• Reviewing and presenting annual budgets, financial forecasts, and management accounts to the Board and the Audit and Risk Committee.
• Managing bank accounts, authorising payments, and acting as a counter-signatory on bank transactions and cheques.
• Ensuring adherence to internal financial controls in line with the Charities Regulator’s guidelines.
• Monitoring the financial viability of the Foundation and reporting on the free reserves position.
Relationship with the Anne Sullivan Centre (ASC)
• Overseeing the ASC’s costs to be recharged to the ASF, ensuring they are properly supported and documented.
• Reconciling funding, donations, and grants to their intended expenditure purposes.
• Investigating and verifying the nature and source of cash lodgements, incoming bequests, and donations.
• Constructively challenging ASC funding requests, including marketing spend, to ensure value for money and alignment with the Foundation’s charitable objectives.
Statutory Reporting, Audit & CLG Conversion
• Overseeing the annual financial audit process and acting as the primary Board liaison with external auditors.
• Guiding the Board in the formal approval of the annual financial statements and Directors’ Report.
• Ensuring compliance with annual reporting obligations to the Charities Regulator and, following the transition to a Company Limited by Guarantee (CLG), the Companies Registration Office (CRO).
• Advising on the financial aspects of the CLG conversion, including the transfer and valuation of assets (such as the residential units in Silverpines).
3. Minimum Legal Obligations
While all Board members share collective responsibility for the financial health of the charity, the Treasurer takes the lead in ensuring compliance with the following minimum legal requirements:
• Duty to keep proper books of account and preserve financial records for at least six years (Charities Act 2009 / Companies Act 2014).
• Preparation and filing of annual financial statements and the Directors’ Report.
• Compliance with the Charities Governance Code, particularly Principle 5 (Exercising Control) regarding financial controls and risk management.
• Maintenance of charitable tax-exempt status (CHY 9900) with the Revenue Commissioners.
4. Person Specification
• A recognised professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CPA Ireland) or equivalent senior financial management experience.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to constructively challenge financial proposals and budgets.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information clearly to non-financial Board members.
• Familiarity with the Irish charity sector, the Charities Governance Code, and the obligations of a CLG is desirable.
• Empathy with the needs of people who are deafblind and a dedication to the Foundation’s charitable objectives.
5. Time Commitment & Application
The role requires attending regular Board meetings (typically 6–8 per year), chairing or attending Audit and Risk Committee meetings, and dedicating time to review financial papers and liaise with the accountant. The estimated time commitment is approximately 5–10 hours per month.
Interested candidates should submit a CV and a brief cover letter outlining their suitability to recruitment@annesullivancentre.ie
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