Role of Treasurer

The Treasurer is charged with overseeing the management and reporting of EACD’s finances. Since EACD’s financial management is directly tied to the Treasurer’s responsibilities, the Treasurer’s execution of her responsibilities will have a strong impact on the public’s perception, trust, and assurance in the EACD as a whole. With this in mind, EACD seeks a Treasurer with desirable skills such as financial literacy, attention to detail, timeliness in completing tasks, clear and accurate record keeping, and a willingness to ask questions.

The Treasurer is elected by the EACD members during the Annual General Meeting for a term in office of three years, with the possibility of one renewal.

The Treasurer is part of the EACD General Management Committee (GMC) and has wide-ranging responsibilities, requiring much more than simply being present at all GMC meetings. The Treasurer participates in GMC Meetings as a voting member. The Treasurer reports to the GMC on the state of EACD’s finances, and provides input in regard to any matter from financial point of view as appropriate.

The Treasurer is also part of the EACD Executive Committee, together with the Chairperson and Secretary. As such, the Treasurer works closely together with the Chairperson and Treasurer regarding all strategic EACD issues.

Duties and Responsibilities of the Treasurer

The Treasurer’s duties include the following:

• Financial management and/or oversight. The Treasurer is responsible for the management and oversight of the financial affairs of the EACD. This includes basic tasks as selecting a bank, reconciling bank statements, reimbursement of expenses, and managing cash flow. The Treasurer should be knowledgeable about who has access to the EACD’s funds, and any outstanding bills or debts owed. The Treasurer should ensure the creation and maintenance of systems for ensuring the EACD’s ongoing solvency and oversee the development of the EACD’s financial policies.
• Annual Budgets. The Treasurer is responsible for preparing, or facilitating the preparation of an annual budget, as well as regularly monitoring and comparing the actual revenues and expenses incurred against such budget. The development of a budget that supports the organization’s goals and drives decision-making is an important part of an organization’s success in effectuating its mission. The budget should be reviewed and approved by the board; however, the Treasurer should be prepared to explain and justify the document.
• Reports. The Treasurer should have thorough knowledge and understanding of the EACD’s financial reports and important financial ratios. The Treasurer should keep the GMC and AGM apprised of key financial events, trends, and concerns, and her assessments of the EACD’s fiscal health. The Treasurer is also generally responsible for completing, or ensuring the completion of, required financial reporting forms in a timely manner and making these forms available for the GMC.

The Treasurer may be designated by the GMC and/or Executive Committee as one of the signing officers for certain documents. In this capacity, the Treasurer may be authorized or required to sign or countersign checks, correspondence, applications, reports, contracts or other documents on behalf of the EACD organisation.

Accountability

The Treasurer is accountable for the stated duties and responsibilities in this document to the GMC, but it is not necessarily the Treasurer who carries out the activity. Ultimately, however, while financial management is the primary focus of the Treasurer, the entire GMC shares the responsibility of financial oversight and accountability to the members of the EACD (via the Annual General Meeting).