About the organisation
The Hope Foundation for Street Children UK (HOPE UK) is a UK-based charity working to support street-connected and slum-dwelling children in Kolkata, India. Through trusted local partnerships in India, we deliver education, healthcare, protection, vocational training and emergency response services that enable children to build safe, independent and hopeful futures.
About the role
As we enter an ambitious new phase of our organisational growth, we are seeking to appoint an exceptional Trustee with financial expertise to strengthen our Board.
This is an exciting opportunity to contribute meaningfully to the next stage of our development and to help ensure the financial resilience and integrity of our work. We are seeking a values-driven, financially skilled Trustee who will:
• Act as the charity’s Treasurer
• Bring fresh perspectives and contribute actively to Board discussions
• Support and strengthen the charity’s governance framework
• Provide financial oversight, guidance and challenge to the Board
• Champion financial sustainability, responsible stewardship and sound internal controls
• Advise on financial reporting, budgeting and financial policy at Board level
• Demonstrate inclusive, respectful and professional conduct at all times.
• Fulfil statutory duties in line with OSCR, the Scottish Charity Regulator
We are particularly interested in individuals who combine governance strength with financial acumen, analytical rigour and a genuine commitment to our mission.
Key Responsibilities:
Governance & Strategy
-Ensure compliance with legal and regulatory requirements
- Contribute to risk management, financial oversight and long-term planning
- Support strategic development, particularly in financial planning and long-term resilience
- Uphold the highest standards of integrity, accountability and transparency
Financial Oversight
- Oversee the preparation and presentation of management accounts, annual
reports and statutory accounts
- Advise onreserves strategy and financial risk management
- Liaise with auditors and finance staff to ensure robust financial governance
Our ideal candidate
Person Specification
Essential
• Governance & Leadership
- Previous Board-level or general governance experience
- Good understanding of charity governance and fiduciary responsibilities
- Sound judgement and discretion
• Financial & Accounting
- A professional accounting qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
or equivalent senior financial experience
- Proven ability to analyse and interpret financial statements, management
accounts and budgets
- Experience of financial governance, risk management and internal controls
in an organisational context
• Approach & Values
- Demonstrable commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
- Emotionally intelligent, collaborative and respectful in style
- Commitment to transparent, responsible and ethical financial management
- Commitment to safeguarding and ethical conduct
- Cultural sensitivity and global awareness
Highly Desirable
• Familiarity with charity SORP (Statement of Recommended Practice) and Charity
Commission reporting requirements
• Experience overseeing or working with external auditors and managing audit
processes
What’s in it for you
This is a rare opportunity to put your financial expertise directly to work for street-connected children in Kolkata — and to do so at a pivotal moment in HOPE UK's journey, as we approach our 20th anniversary in 2027.
As Treasurer, your impact will be immediate and tangible. You won't be one voice among many on a large board overseeing a faceless budget line; you will be the financial conscience of a small, focused charity where funds are traceable to a child fed, sheltered, or educated. Sound financial governance is what allows our programmes on the ground to operate with confidence and our donors to give with trust — your stewardship directly underpins both.
You'll also be joining at a stage where you can genuinely shape how we grow. As we look toward the next decade, we are strengthening our financial reporting and thinking carefully about how we scale sustainably. A new Treasurer won't be inheriting a fixed playbook — you'll have real influence over how our financial governance evolves as the organisation matures.
For the candidate, this role offers:
- Strategic board-level experience: a genuine seat at the table of a charity board, not a sub-committee — full visibility into strategy, risk, and governance, not just the numbers.
- International financial exposure: oversight of funds flowing from UK fundraising to programme delivery in India, giving you experience of cross-border management and financial controls.
- Networking and connections: the chance to work alongside trustees and ambassadors with backgrounds across finance, philanthropy, law, media, and the charity sector, as well as our Irish and India-based programme team.
- Skills development: experience translating technical financial oversight into board-level narrative and decision-making, plus first-hand exposure to charity SORP reporting and Charity Commission requirements if these are new to you.
- A close-knit, low-bureaucracy environment: as a smaller charity, decisions move quickly and your contribution is visible — you will see the results of your input far faster than in a larger, more layered organisation.
- Flexibility: our board operates mostly remotely, with one in-person meeting and gathering each year, making this a genuinely accessible role for a busy professional.
Above all, you will know that your expertise is helping keep vulnerable children safe, fed, and in school — and that the financial discipline you bring is what makes that possible, year after year.
Apply for the role
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