Treasurer for Sea Cadet Unit - Volunteer

Use your financial skills to make a real difference! Join our Sea Cadet Unit in Chester-le-Street as Treasurer. Manage funds, support some amazing young people, and help shape a successful, community‑focused charity, in a rewarding, flexible trustee role.

As Treasurer of Chester‑le‑Street Sea Cadets, your impact will be both immediate and long‑lasting. By ensuring strong financial oversight, you will help secure the resources that allow young people to access experiences they might not otherwise have—particularly those from less advantaged backgrounds. Our unit supports young people aged 10–18, helping them develop confidence, teamwork, leadership and resilience through nautical training, community activities and personal development opportunities. Behind every parade night, sailing session, qualification, or residential course is careful financial planning—and that is where your role makes a real difference.

By keeping accurate accounts, reporting clearly to the trustee board and guiding budgeting decisions, you will enable the unit to operate sustainably and responsibly. Your work ensures that subscriptions remain affordable, equipment is maintained, and activities can continue safely and consistently. This is especially important at a time when many families face financial pressure and youth services are under increasing strain.

You will also help us plan for the future. Whether it is supporting fundraising efforts, managing grants, or helping the board make informed decisions about investment in new equipment or facilities, your contribution will directly shape the opportunities we can offer. With your support, we can continue to grow the unit, expand access, and reach more young people in the Chester‑le‑Street area.

The impact extends beyond the unit itself. Sea Cadets contribute to broader social outcomes—improving young people’s wellbeing, building employability skills, encouraging community engagement and fostering a sense of belonging. Many cadets go on to further education, apprenticeships or careers with greater confidence and direction because of their time with us.

Quite simply, your work as Treasurer will help turn ambition into reality—ensuring that every pound is used effectively to give young people a safe, supportive environment where they can thrive, achieve and realise their potential.

What are we looking for?

• We’re looking for a motivated and dependable individual who wants to use their skills to make a meaningful difference to young people in Chester‑le‑Street.
• Our ideal Treasurer is someone who is comfortable working with numbers and has a good eye for detail. You don’t need to be a qualified accountant, but you should have experience of managing finances, budgets or record‑keeping—whether through your professional life, volunteering, or personal experience.
• Confidence using spreadsheets or simple accounting tools will be important, as well as the ability to keep clear and accurate financial records.
• Reliability and integrity are essential. As Treasurer, you will be trusted with oversight of the unit’s finances, so we are looking for someone who is organised, transparent in their approach and able to manage tasks such as tracking income and expenditure, preparing reports and ensuring deadlines (such as annual returns) are met.
• You should also feel comfortable communicating financial information to others. This means being able to present clear updates at trustee meetings, highlight any issues or risks, and help fellow trustees understand the financial position so they can make informed decisions. An ability to explain financial matters in a straightforward, accessible way is highly valued.
• Beyond technical skills, we are looking for someone who is collaborative and committed to working as part of a team. Our Unit Management Team is made up of volunteers who bring a wide range of perspectives, and the Treasurer plays an important role in supporting the Chair and contributing to collective decision‑making. A willingness to engage, share ideas and support the wider aims of the unit is key.
• An interest in supporting young people and your local community is at the heart of this role. While you don’t need prior experience with Sea Cadets or youth organisations, a genuine enthusiasm for helping young people succeed will help you get the most from the role.

The most important qualities are:

• Confidence with basic financial management and record‑keeping
• Strong organisation, accuracy and attention to detail
• Reliability and a high level of integrity
• Clear communication and the ability to support Unit Management Team decisions

If you bring these qualities, we will support you with induction, guidance and ongoing training to help you succeed and grow in the role.

What will you be doing?

We are looking for a Treasurer to join our Unit Management Team (trustee board) and take the lead on overseeing the unit’s financial health and sustainability. Our board is made up of committed volunteers who support the safe and effective running of a Sea Cadet unit, with a focus on providing life‑changing opportunities for young people in our community. Like many volunteer‑led charities, we are balancing increasing costs with the need to keep activities accessible, while continuing to grow and develop the unit.

As Treasurer, you will play a key strategic role by maintaining clear, accurate financial records and providing regular updates on income, expenditure and overall financial position. You will present monthly reports to the trustee board, prepare annual accounts and returns, and ensure we meet our charity compliance requirements.

You will work closely with the Chair and fellow trustees, helping to shape financial planning and ensure funds are used effectively to support cadet activities. You may also support budgeting, fundraising oversight and long‑term planning. This is a vital role at the heart of the unit—your contribution will directly enable us to deliver safe, high‑quality experiences that help young people gain skills, confidence and opportunities they might not otherwise have.