Why becoming a charity treasurer is a strategic career move for finance professionals
For Accountants, Finance managers, Auditors and those working in Major Accountancy Firms, becoming a Charity Treasurer offers a unique opportunity to apply high value skills in a way that strengthens both your career and the wider charity sector.
Treasurers play a vital role in safeguarding financial sustainability and improving governance — areas where UK charities consistently report gaps. Below, we explore why your financial expertise is urgently needed, using insights from the UK Government’s Research with Trustees: 2025 report, and how stepping into a treasurer position can elevate both your professional development and your community impact.
1. Your Finance Expertise Is in Short Supply — and High Demand
National research by the Charity Commission for England and Wales and Pro Bono Economics found that only 59% of trustees report their board has significant finance skills and experience — meaning over 40% of charity boards lack strong financial capability.
(Source: Charity Commission & Pro Bono Economics, 2025) [gov.uk]
The Government’s Research with Trustees: 2025 report underscores this point, showing that while trustees feel confident overall, managing finances is one of the areas with the lowest confidence levels (89%) compared with other responsibilities. [charitycom..]
This highlights a clear skills deficit and an opportunity for finance professionals to add immediate value.
You can directly improve a board’s effectiveness by:
Strengthening financial controls and governance
Improving budgeting, cashflow, reserves and forecasting
Enhancing risk management and audit oversight
Providing clarity for CEOs, managers and fellow trustees
Supporting long‑term financial sustainability
For finance professionals, this is an unmatched opportunity to make a measurable difference.
2. Build Strategic, Board Level Leadership Experience
Trusteeship offers exposure to governance responsibilities often only encountered at senior levels within large firms.
The Research with Trustees: 2025 report found that 99% of trustees feel confident in their role overall, and confidence in strategic decision‑making is consistently high. [charitycom...log.gov.uk]
As Treasurer, you become the board’s key financial adviser — an experience that mirrors the responsibilities of CFOs, Finance Directors and Partners.
This is precisely the type of experience valued in career progression to:
Director
CFO
Partner
Senior audit or advisory roles
3. Strengthen Your Influence, Confidence and Professional Standing
Finance professionals stepping into treasurer roles often experience rapid growth in:
Confidence presenting to boards
Influencing organisational strategy
Translating financial information for non‑finance colleagues
Exercising judgement on compliance, financial risk and governance
Government data shows that trustees’ confidence in managing finances has increased (rising from 87% to 89%), but still lags behind other areas such as safeguarding and general responsibilities — reinforcing the need for strong financial leadership. [charitycom...log.gov.uk]
This makes the Treasurer role particularly influential and highly respected.
4. Enhance Your Network Across Multiple Sectors
Charity boards bring together leaders from industry, government, finance, law, education, philanthropy and beyond.
Treasurers work especially closely with:
Chief Executives
Chairs and Board Members
Funders and grant‑makers
Auditors and regulatory bodies
The government study found that nearly half (47%) of trustees spend time together socially, demonstrating the relationship building and networking benefits of joining a board. [.log.gov.uk]
For finance professionals, this cross sector network can unlock new opportunities and broaden commercial perspective.
5. Use Your Employer’s Volunteer Days for High Impact Work
Many large accountancy firms offer paid volunteer days as part of their CSR (corporate social responsibility). Serving as a Treasurer allows you to use this time for strategic financial leadership, rather than low impact or ad-hoc volunteering. It enhances both your firm’s social value and your own professional credibility.
6. Contribute Meaningfully to Your Local Community
Treasurers help charities remain financially resilient, compliant and able to deliver essential services — whether that’s hospice care, homelessness support, animal welfare, social inclusion or education.
Your expertise plays a central role in ensuring charitable work continues effectively and ethically.
Example Treasurer and Trustee Profiles
Across the charity sector, people at different career stages are already using their finance skills to make a difference. Here are just a few examples.
Dan Constable: Active Gloucestershire – Board Member
Dan is a Finance Director at Arcadis, leading international teams responsible for commercial management, financial accounting and long‑term strategy. He is ACCA‑qualified with fellowship status and previously gained over 20 years of global finance experience at Dyson. As a Board Member at Active Gloucestershire, Dan contributes senior financial oversight and strategic input to an organisation focused on improving physical activity and wellbeing across communities.
Chris White: Underfall Yard Trust – Honorary Treasurer
Adam joined the Underfall Yard Trust, a charity that preserves and operates Bristol’s historic working boatyard, as Honorary Treasurer, supporting financial stability, robust governance, compliance, and long‑term sustainability.
John Swarbrick: Sight Research UK – Trustee
John qualified as a Chartered Accountant and built an international career across the UK, Canada and Belgium, holding senior roles with Deloitte, Ernst & Young and Nationwide Building Society. He is Chair of the Treasury committee at YMCA’s St. Paul’s Group and as a Trustee at Sight Research UK, he brings extensive experience in audit, risk and governance to support Sight Research’s treasurer and the organisation’s work.
Further examples can be found in our Charity Practice case studies.
A useful resource for new trustees with financial responsibilities is the Government’s Trustee Financial Toolkit.
Final Thoughts
Becoming a Charity Treasurer gives finance professionals the rare chance to simultaneously:
Strengthen their strategic leadership skills
Gain significant board level experience
Apply financial expertise in a high impact environment
Build cross sector networks
Contribute to a charity whose mission aligns with their values
And with UK government findings showing both a significant finance skills gap on boards and lower trustee confidence around financial responsibilities, your expertise is not just helpful — it is essential. [charitycom...log.gov.uk]
If you’d like guidance on pursuing a trustee role — or attracting outstanding board talent — the Moon Executive Search team is here to help.