• LOCATION: Anywhere in Australia
• YOUR COMMITMENT: 12-15 hours per month. This is a rough estimate based on the time expected to prepare for and complete necessary meetings and duties. Precise timings may fluctuate depending on organisational need and opportunity.
• Directors are eligible for appointment for terms of no more than three years.
• Directors are expected to maintain their position for a minimum of 12 months,
• REPORTS TO: Board Chair

This is a volunteer role and not remunerated.

Democracy in Colour is building the power of people of colour to organise around the issues that affect us most. For migration with dignity, for great public and community services, and for diverse and accurate journalism. We are led by and for people of colour (multicultural or non-white people).

We’re looking for an experienced Treasurer to help lead the organisation and drive racial justice campaigning in Australia.

This is an unparalleled opportunity to grow an innovative non-profit from founder-led start-up to the next stage of maturity, shaping its overall strategic direction and growth as a major new presence in Australian progressive politics.

Key Responsibilities

The Board is responsible for Democracy in Colour’s overall performance and compliance. As a Board Director, you’ll play an important role overseeing our strategy, governance, finances, legal compliance and risk.

The Board currently conducts 7 ordinary meetings a calendar year, as well as an Annual General Meeting. Board members have the ability to join committees whose meeting cadence is decided by the Board and fluctuates due to need and priority.

The Treasurer may be required to meet with senior executive staff around EOFY to support additional reports, and potentially in an ad-hoc capacity during key moments of organisational change and advancement.

As Treasurer of the Board you will have additional, specific leadership responsibilities in relation to our financial management and performance, including reviewing and assessing:

• Annual budgets and financial forecasts
• Steps taken to protect the organisation’s overall financial position, manage cash-flow, and meet its debts as and when they fall due
• The adequacy and appropriateness of adopted accounting policies
• The organisation’s financial sustainability and efficiency (particularly taking into account non-profit status)
• The independence and performance of internal and external audit processes
• Leading the finance committee
• The preparation and delivery of the finance report for ordinary Board meetings with support from the Operational Director and accounting services provider.

This means that in addition to the core competencies required for all Board Directors, this role requires qualifications in accounting, book-keeping and / or statutory reporting.

About You

In this round of recruitment, we are seeking candidates to take up the mantle of Treasurer and are interested in hearing from applicants with the following core-competencies:

• Bookkeeping, financial management and budget forecasting experience
• Grasp of financial strategy
• Good organisational skills

We are led by and for people of colour (multicultural or non-white people). We are committed to ensuring that its governance represents the diversity of our communities, and encourages applicants from all intersections.

All staff and volunteers at Democracy in Colour are expected to embody our values.

The Board skills matrix outlines the desired competencies for Directors. The Board does not expect any one individual to possess all the desired skills, and selection will aim to achieve the best possible balance of competencies, lived experience and behavioural capabilities across the full Board.

Competencies

• Governance, including of risk

• Finance and accounting

• Governance, including of risk

• Racial justice

• Senior organisational leadership (prior Board or senior executive experience)

• Advocacy and influencing

• Fundraising and philanthropy

• Organisational culture and development, including volunteer management

• Legal

• Understanding of campaigning and community organising 

About Democracy in Colour

Too many decisions about people of colour are made without us - from laws and corporate policies, to the social service not-for-profits who seek to ‘help’.

Through consultation with values-aligned impacted communities, through leadership development of people of colour, and through storytelling, the people of colour closest to the problems can determine their solutions.

Our campaigns and training work provides targeted, culturally safe capacity building so that people of colour can develop the skills they need to organise and dismantle structural racism. And they have the opportunity to put that into action through our community organising program where we build the political power of communities of colour.

We don’t centre the needs of white people, we can put our energy into building solidarity across the various migrant groups on this continent, from the already values aligned to the soon to be politically activated.

Please click Apply Now to submit your application.

For further information or a confidential conversation about the role, please contact Operations Director at Democracy in Colour, Izabella Antoniou, with the subject line ‘Board Director - Treasurer Application’ to [email protected], using the subject line: Board Director - Treasurer (Voluntary) - Flexible Location enquiry via EthicalJobs.

A position description is attached.