Key responsibilities:

• Review and scrutinise management accounts, budgets, and financial forecasts; ensure the Board understands the financial position at each meeting
• Oversee the annual audit process; act as the primary board-level liaison with external auditors; present the audited accounts to the Board for approval
• Ensure BEVA’s reserves policy and investment policy are appropriate, regularly reviewed, and understood by the Board; lead the Board’s thinking on investment strategy, including the deployment and management of the Association’s longer-term funds
• Advise the Board on the financial implications of strategic decisions, including investment, risk, and expenditure commitments
• Ensure compliance with BEVA’s charity governance obligations, including financial reporting requirements under Charity SORP, accountability to the Charity Commission, and the duty to demonstrate public benefit; act as a key, board-level point of accountability for BEVA’s compliance with charity law and the standards expected of a registered charity
• Lead the Board’s approach to financial and governance risk management; ensure BEVA’s risk register adequately captures financial and compliance risks, that mitigations are appropriate, and that the Board is sighted on material risk at each meeting
• Support the Chief Executive and finance staff in the development of a financially sustainable operating model
• Contribute as an active, engaged board member to the wider governance and strategic direction of BEVA

Person specification

We are looking for someone who combines genuine financial and governance competence with an understanding of the equine veterinary world. These qualities are all important. A candidate with deep financial expertise but no feel for BEVA's membership and mission will struggle to contribute effectively to the Board. Equally, sector credibility without the ability to read, challenge and contextualise financial information would not serve the role.

Essential

• Ability to read, interpret and constructively challenge NFP accounts, management information and audit reports
• Understanding of NFP governance frameworks — including trustee/director responsibilities, reserves policy, restricted and unrestricted funds, and the principles of Charity SORP
• Sound board-level judgement: the confidence to raise concerns clearly and proportionately without causing unnecessary alarm, and the discernment to distinguish between structural issues and presentational or timing matters
• Credibility and confidence in a boardroom setting; ability to engage with professional advisers (auditors, lawyers, bankers) on equal terms
• Commitment to BEVA's mission and values, and an understanding of the equine veterinary or broader equine sector

Desirable

• Experience as a Trustee, board member or officer of a not-for-profit, charitable or membership organisation, with active involvement in financial oversight
• Active involvement in the equine veterinary profession — as a practitioner, academic, researcher, or equine industry leader
• Experience of working alongside a professional executive team in a governance capacity, and an appreciation of the distinction between governance and management
• Familiarity with the financial and regulatory landscape for professional membership bodies or learned societies
• Experience of leading or contributing to a finance, audit or risk committee

What BEVA offers

The Honorary Treasurer role offers a genuinely rewarding governance opportunity for the right individual. BEVA is a well-regarded, financially stable organisation with a clear strategic direction and a committed professional staff team. The Treasurer will join a Board of Management that takes its responsibilities seriously and benefits from a culture of open, constructive debate.

Beyond the formal role, BEVA offers access to one of the most connected networks in the equine veterinary and broader equine sector through our congress, journals, and relationships with government, regulators and industry bodies. For candidates who value that connectivity, it is a significant asset.

We recognise that stepping into this role requires time and energy. We are committed to ensuring that commitment is well-used, well-supported, and genuinely valued.

Expressions of interest

BEVA welcomes informal conversations with potential candidates prior to any formal expression of interest.

If you would like to explore this opportunity in confidence, please contact David Mountford, BEVA CEO

BEVA is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion in all aspects of its work, including the composition of its Board. We actively encourage applications from individuals across all backgrounds, career stages and areas of the profession.