Dons Trust Treasurer / Board Position

The Dons Trust Board is seeking a Treasurer and a co-opted Board member.

Following the changes to the board arising from the 2018 elections, we currently do not have a Dons Trust Board member with the appropriate qualifications and experience to serve as Treasurer. The board has therefore decided to advertise the following two unpaid positions.

Please note that, for the right candidate, these two positions could potentially be combined into one board-level position – as has been the case in previous years. Both roles require you to be a member of the Dons Trust.

Dons Trust Treasurer

Reporting to (but, unless the two roles are combined, not a member of) the Dons Trust Board, the Treasurer would look after the accounts and banking transactions of the Dons Trust, a Registered Society with an annual turnover of £160,000.

Responsibilities include:

  • Keeping accounts up to date and preparation of annual report;
  • Liaison with auditors to ensure that the annual reports are signed off on a timely basis;
  • Reconciliation of bank balances;
  • Managing the administration of the Dons Trust Bonds;
  • Making payments on behalf of the Dons Trust.

 

The ideal candidate will:

  • Have suitable accounting qualifications;
  • Be proficient with Excel (although the Board would be open to proposals for migrating to a suitable accountancy software package if that were beneficial);
  • Be prepared to spend approximately 15-20 hours per month on average on these activities, including a relatively busy period in the autumn during finalisation of the annual accounts and audit.

As this is not a position on the board, the Treasurer will not be expected to participate in annual board elections in order to continue as Treasurer beyond the year-end. For further background on the Trust’s financial position, see the Trust’s most recent annual report for the year to 30 June 2018.

Dons Trust Board member

The Dons Trust Board intends to co-opt an additional board member to assist the board in carrying out its oversight functions in relation to the Trust’s subsidiaries.

The Dons Trust owns over 90 percent of the shares in AFCW PLC and, through that shareholding, controls AFC Wimbledon Limited and the other group companies (stadium companies and ladies’ football). AFCW PLC’s group turnover is approximately £5 million per year.

You can find the latest published accounts for AFCW PLC here

The Trust Board considers progress reports from the Football Club on a monthly basis, reviews AFCW PLC’s management accounts on a quarterly basis and approves the annual budget. Whilst the PLC’s and Club’s accounts and finances are managed separately from those of the Trust, it is important that the Trust Board exercises its supervisory functions properly, by being able to question the Football Club’s Board about its financial performance and accounts.

This will be all the more important over the coming two years as the Club raises finance for, and constructs, the new stadium.

Besides performing the financial oversight function, the appointee will be expected to play a full role on the Dons Trust Board, including participating in monthly board meetings and other board activities.

Ideally, the co-opted Board member will be a qualified accountant and will bring financial and relatively senior management experience gained within a business environment.

Experience of raising debt and equity finance would also be desirable.

The ideal candidate will be accustomed to providing senior oversight and challenge in a collaborative and collegiate environment, recognising and respecting the appropriate boundaries between the responsibilities of the Trust and its subsidiaries.

As a co-opted board member, the appointee will be required to stand down at the AGM at the end of 2019 but is welcome to seek an elected position on the board at the 2019 election.

Applications

To find out more about the roles or to apply, please email Mark Davis (mark.davis@thedonstrust.org)

If applying, please send your CV and a covering letter or email explaining why you consider yourself suitable for the role(s).

You should also provide the name and contact details of two referees who can be approached before a final appointment is made.

Please remember to make clear which of the two roles you are applying for.

Applications should be submitted by Monday 25 February and shortlisted candidates should expect to be interviewed shortly thereafter. The Board intends to make an appointment during the course of March.