1.1.3.8 Treasurer

The following job description for the Treasurer of The Cochrane Collaboration was approved by the Steering Group in July 2004, and updated in December 2010.

General Description
The Treasurer is an Officer of the Collaboration. The role of the Treasurer is one of oversight, defined by the Charity Commission for England (the Collaboration’s regulatory body) as being “to ensure that proper accounts are kept, and to help set financial and investment policies”.

The Treasurer of The Cochrane Collaboration (the charity) and the Collaboration Trading Company Limited (the trading company) must be an elected member of the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group, and be appointed by that Group to be Treasurer. The Treasurer usually assumes office at the Annual General Meetings of the two companies during the annual Cochrane Colloquia.

Responsibilities
The Treasurer is expected to:

- Discuss the budget and cash flow forecast with the Co-Chairs of the Steering Group and staff of the Cochrane Operations Unit, as and when required.

- Speak to the Profit and Loss Statements and Balance Sheets showing the Collaboration’s financial position, during Steering Group teleconferences and face-to-face meetings, and respond to related queries.

- Advise the Cochrane Operations Unit on the authorisation of expenditure if necessary.

- Participate in telephone conferences of the Trading Company Directors as and when required.

- Give input to the annual audit of accounts, and participate by telephone conference in the ‘audit clearance’ meeting with the accountants and Cochrane Operations Unit staff, as necessary.

- Attend the Annual General Meetings of The Cochrane Collaboration and the Collaboration Trading Company Limited, at which their Report and Financial Statements are presented to the membership for adoption, and be prepared to answer queries about these.

- Sign off on the Report and Financial Statements of The Cochrane Collaboration and the Collaboration Trading Company Limited, on completion of the annual audit, after these have been approved at the Annual General Meetings.

Accountability
The Treasurer is accountable to the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group and the Directors of the Collaboration Trading Company Limited.

Background/Qualifications
The Treasurer must be an elected member of the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group, with budgeting, financial and spreadsheet skills.

Recruitment Process
On the impending resignation of the Treasurer, the Co-Chairs of the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group will assess the current membership of the Steering Group and approach the person they consider has the most appropriate skills to take over the responsibilities of Treasurer. There should be overlap between the outgoing and incoming Treasurers, for the purposes of training and ensuring continuity.

Term of Position
The Treasurer relinquishes these responsibilities on leaving the Cochrane Collaboration Steering Group.