About Us
Citizens Advice are the people’s champion. For 85 years, we’ve been working on issues that affect the whole of society to help to shape a society that’s fairer for everyone. No other advice service sees so many people with so many different kinds of problems, and that gives us a unique insight into the challenges people are facing today. By helping people with the underlying cause of their problems and helping to prevent them getting worse, we save the government and public services hundreds of millions of pounds every year.
Citizens Advice West Sussex (CAWS) works as part of the national network as an independent, local charity, and company limited by guarantee. The charity has annual income of circa £2.6 million and employs around 70 staff supported by 250 volunteers, working from six locations across the County.
Background to the roles
Our board currently comprises eight trustees who have served between two and eight years. The previous chair had been in-post for two years but has had to step back for personal reasons while remaining a trustee. Meanwhile, another trustee, Mike Jones, has taken on the interim Chair role.
Our Treasurer will have served six years in 2025 and would like to retire once a successor is in place and there has been time for handover.
Main Responsibilities
Chair
The role of the Chair is to hold the Board of Trustees for Citizens Advice West Sussex to account for the charity’s mission, providing leadership to the Board, ensuring that each Trustee fulfils their duties and supports the effective governance of the charities.
Treasurer
The role of the Treasurer is to oversee, approve and present budgets, accounts and financial statements as well as the preparation and presentation of financial reports to the board. in addition, ensure that appropriate accounting procedures and controls are in place and liaise with the CEO and her senior team about financial matters.
Person Specification
Chair
- Demonstrable leadership and management experience in the voluntary, public or corporate sector
- Experience of working as part of a board. Previous experience as a chair would be useful but is not essential
- Ability to build an effective relationship with the CEO and provide direction, support and mentoring as required
Treasurer
- A recognised financial qualification or equivalent knowledge gained by experience
- The ability to take a strategic approach to financial planning and oversight and to help non-financial colleagues understand these
- Previous experience of charity finances and fundraising or a willingness and ability to gain this through training
Diversity and inclusion
Our commitment is to promote equality through our services and workplace, aligned with National Citizens Advice’s aims. We aim to challenge discrimination through advice, champion equality through research and campaigns, and value diversity as an employer and volunteer agency.
If you would like a call to discuss the role in more detail, please email Lucinda Shaw, [email protected], to arrange a convenient time. Having a call of this kind will not influence the success or otherwise of your application.
We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.
