The term of this Office is five years with the possibility to be re-elected for a second five-year term.

This is a senior position and requires significant commitment in terms of time and intellect. An annual stipend is provided, details of which can be obtained from the Executive Director.

Council delegates management and oversight of the Society’s financial matters to the Treasurer. The relevant extract from the Byelaws (revised 2015), copied below sets out the role.

Ideally the incumbent should:

• Have experience of managing budgets and providing strategic assessment of organisational finances to the management board, and of developing future strategic financial plans.
• Have significant general management experience (at Head of Department level)

The position requires a time commitment of at least two full working days per week plus significant (almost daily) email engagement with RAS staff, publishers, other committees (e.g. RAS 200 Steering group, Fellowship panel etc.)

In addition the Treasurer chairs the Finance Committee, Grants panels and the Publication Management Committee and attends many other meetings.

SECTION XIV of the Byelaws (revised 2015) - the role of the Treasurer

54. The Treasurer shall cause to be made records and accounts of all sums of money due to the Society and paid by the Society, and shall present annual summary accounts, through Council, to the Annual General Meeting for approval, and then to the Government as required by law.
55. The Treasurer shall present prospective budgets for the financial affairs of the Society, including for the financial management of the publications, and report at each meeting of the Council on financial matters.
56. The Council may set a limit on sums of money which may be authorised by the Treasurer and the Executive Director for specific items above the agreed budgets without express approval by the Council. No sums of money in excess of such limit shall be paid without a resolution of the Council, recorded in the minutes. Notwithstanding the limit, the Council may delegate the Treasurer to agree with the Society’s publisher for expenditure necessary for the in-year management of the publications, for example to maintain short publication times, provided the Treasurer reports on these financial matters to Council as provided in Byelaw 55.
57. The accounts of the Society shall be inspected annually by professional auditors.
58. A Treasurer whom the Council has deemed to have grossly neglected or misconducted their duties shall be removed from the post.