The Cathedral is seeking to appoint a new Chair of the Finance Committee, to succeed the current Chair who is retiring after seven years in the role. The outgoing Chair is remaining in post until his successor is appointed and is keen to offer a handover. The Chair of the Finance Committee must have recent and relevant financial experience. S/he is likely to possess a recognised accountancy qualification. The role may either suit someone who is currently working in a financial field or who has very recently retired from such.

 

In addition to the Chair, the Finance Committee is made up of between four and five members and usually meets four times a year. The 2024 meetings are scheduled to be held in March, May, June and November. The existing Finance Committee is well established and its lay membership has current professional experience within the accountancy, investment management, legal and property sectors. With the Chief Operating Officer and Head of Finance, the Finance Committee also holds an annual review meeting with the Cathedral’s Investment Managers.

 

The Chair of the Finance Committee works closely with the Head of Finance with regular communication between committee meetings. The busiest time of year for the Chair is April/ May when, following the production of the annual accounts by the Head of Finance and their review by the Cathedral’s Audit and Risk Committee, the Chair of the Finance Committee works with the Head of Finance in the reporting of key financial messages to Chapter and the Cathedral’s Annual Meeting.

 

Towards the end of this calendar year, the Cathedral will adopt a new governance structure and become a registered charity with the Charity Commission. The revised Chapter under the Cathedrals Measure 2021 consists of up to twelve members, led by the Dean as Chair. The current other members are four residentiary canons, the senior non-executive member, and five lay non-executive members. The Chair of the Finance Committee is one of the five lay non-executive members of Chapter. Under the new governance structure, the role and function of the Finance Committee remains unchanged. The other statutory committees under the Cathedrals Measure are the Audit and Risk Committee, the Nominations Committee, and a new committee, the Mission and Ministry Committee.

 

We seek expressions of interest for this position. Chapter is advised by its Nominations Committee, who will invite selected candidates to meet for a short interview so that you can discuss your interest in serving at the Cathedral and we can tell you a little more about the role, reflecting together on what you might bring to it.

 

Expressions of interest should be emailed to the Dean’s PA, Penny Fray, Email: [email protected] by the end September 2023.

 

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