Executive leadershipExpression of interestHIF-BLD-CFO
Chief Financial Officer (Volunteer)
Build proportionate financial stewardship, reporting and controls for a growing volunteer-powered charity.
Location
Australia
Arrangement
Hybrid
Commitment
5–7 hours per week
Duration
Ongoing, 12-month preference
Level
Executive / board-facing
Contribution track
Build HIF
01
Role mandate
Build proportionate financial stewardship, reporting and controls for a growing volunteer-powered charity.
Why this role exists now
HIF needs reliable financial visibility and clear decision rules before programs, fundraising commitments or international work expand.
02
Outcomes you would own
01
A board-approved annual budget and monthly reporting rhythm.
02
Documented delegations, expense controls and restricted-fund tracking.
03
A live risk view of cash, commitments and project affordability.
04
Clean records and an accessible finance handover pack.
Core responsibilities
Maintain an annual budget, rolling forecast and board-ready finance dashboard.
Set proportionate approval, purchasing, reimbursement and cash-handling controls.
Coordinate statutory, tax, audit and fundraising-finance obligations with qualified advisers.
Advise project leads on realistic budgets, restrictions and financial risks.
Develop a finance function that can be safely handed to future volunteers.
03
Your first 90 days
Days 1–30
Listen, learn and locate the work
Complete HIF induction, role boundaries and required checks.
Review the Executive leadership brief, evidence, partners and unresolved decisions.
Agree a 90-day workplan, communication rhythm and escalation map.
Days 31–60
Build the first useful thing
Prototype the priority system, policy or operating rhythm.
Invite review early from the people who will use or be affected by the work.
Record changes, risks and decisions instead of hiding uncertainty.
Days 61–90
Deliver, learn and hand over
Complete the agreed first milestone or document why it should change.
Review progress against success measures with your supervisor.
Publish a next-quarter plan and keep files ready for another volunteer.
04
What you need
Essential criteria
Senior finance, accounting or financial-governance experience.
Ability to explain financial trade-offs to non-finance colleagues.
Strong judgement, confidentiality and conflict-of-interest awareness.
Desirable, not required
CA, CPA or equivalent qualification.
Australian charity, grant or international-program finance experience.
05
How good work will be judged
Success measures
Reports are accurate, on time and understandable to decision-makers.
No program proceeds without a documented, affordable financial plan.
Finance processes remain proportionate enough for volunteers to follow.
Decision rights & escalation
Set day-to-day priorities within the approved role brief and agreed hours.
Recommend changes to scope, timing or method and document the rationale.
Pause your own activity and escalate when safety, consent, quality or capacity is unclear.
Escalate budget commitments, external promises, partner agreements and material changes to Founder & Managing Director / Board.
Clinical, safeguarding, privacy and public-claim decisions remain with the named qualified approver.
Role boundaries
This is an unpaid volunteer role. It does not create an employment relationship or expectation of future paid work.
Do not represent HIF publicly, sign agreements or commit money unless authority is explicitly documented.
Use only approved systems for personal, partner or program information.
The agreed weekly commitment is a ceiling to manage, not a minimum to exceed silently.
This role does not provide clinical advice, diagnosis, treatment or unsupervised patient contact.
No travel is assumed. Any future travel would require a separate brief, risk review and written approval.
06
Support, learning and wellbeing
Direct access to the Founder and executive team.
Agreed board reporting calendar and secure document access.
External professional advice where approved and necessary.
Scope and safety
Volunteers must not work outside their competence. Clinical, safeguarding and community-facing work requires role-specific supervision and escalation pathways.
Checks before you begin
Identity and right-to-volunteer confirmation.
One or two role-relevant references for leadership or higher-trust appointments.
Confidentiality, conflict-of-interest, privacy and code-of-conduct declarations.
07
How selection works
Evidence to include
A short statement explaining why this role and HIF’s health-equity mission fit your experience.
One specific example showing how you handled work relevant to finance.
Your realistic availability against the published commitment of 5–7 hours per week.
Any required qualifications, registrations, portfolio links or work samples.
Conflicts, access needs or support adjustments you want the selection panel to consider.
Selection stages
Eligibility and completeness review
Assessment against the published essential criteria
Structured interview or practical conversation, if required
Relevant reference, credential and safeguarding checks
Outcome, induction and role-specific onboarding
Final selection decisions are made by people. AI is not used to automatically reject applicants.