Finance Trustee

Time commitment: 8 -12 hours a month

Finance Trustee opportunity at Citizens Advice West Sussex

Do you have financial skills that could help us as we support people of all ages and backgrounds across Sussex? Then you could be the Finance Trustee that we’re looking for, here at Citizens Advice West Sussex!

This is a great opportunity to give back to local people by playing a vital part in the work we do to support our community. You’ll make an impact by working collaboratively with the Chair and your fellow Trustees, as well as the Head of Finance, CEO and senior team to oversee budgets, accounts and financial procedures for our charity.

Our current Finance Trustee will have served seven years in 2026 and would like to retire once a successor is in place – could that be you?

Who are Citizens Advice West Sussex?

Citizens Advice is 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 kinds of problems. It is this that gives us a unique insight into the challenges people are facing today.

We help people with the underlying cause of their problems by helping to prevent them getting worse. We save the government and public services hundreds of millions of pounds every year through our approach.

What matters to Citizen’s Advice West Sussex?

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.

Our vision: to be a leading provider of information and social change, where our communities thrive and inequalities are reduced by helping people take control of their lives through accessible, responsive advice and improving our community through expert social policy.

Our mission: we will provide high-quality information and advice for our community by our community, so people know their rights and responsibilities, and we influence system change through sharing our insight and giving our community a voice.

If you join us at Citizens Advice West Sussex…

You’ll be warmly welcomed as our new Finance Trustee and as someone able to advise us as we develop the strategic direction of the organisation.

We’ll rely on your financial expertise to guide us on the complexities of our current and future funding streams, as well as navigate the challenges we face in spending our reserves. You’ll also be confident in supporting the need to balance risk and innovation.

We look forward to you working closely with our Chair, Carol Burns, along with the rest of our Board, keeping us informed on all financial matters of the charity.

As Trustee, you’ll have the benefit of being able to do something rewarding with your professional skills, while still balancing your other commitments, thanks to the flexibility this role offers. It’s a wonderful chance to learn from the other 10 Trustees, while you also share your knowledge with the rest of the Board.

What do Citizens Advice West Sussex look for in a Finance Trustee?

Our Finance Trustee will have the ability to take a strategic approach to financial planning and oversight. You’ll also be willing and able to help non-financial colleagues understand these too.

We’re particularly looking for someone with:

• A recognised financial qualification
• Previous experience of charity finances and fundraising or a willingness and ability to gain this through training

Please make sure you read our Candidate Information Pack before applying. It contains important details about the role and our organisation.

Don’t think you quite meet all of the specifications? Please don’t count yourself out. We’d still love to learn more about your interest in joining Citizens Advice West Sussex!

If you would like a call to discuss the role or any of the content of this pack in more detail, please email Lucinda Shaw to arrange a convenient time at [email protected]. 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. If you have a disability or require reasonable adjustments during the application or interview process, please contact us so we can support you appropriately.