Trustee Recruitment Pack 2021 - Jobs at the University of ...
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Trustee Recruitment Pack 2021
When you want Welcome from the Chair
to be a part of Thank you for your interest in the role of External Trustee at Sunderland Students’ Union.
The University of Sunderland Students’ Union’s vision is to provide students with
opportunities to grow, develop and achieve, throughout their life. In addition to a global
our journey. pandemic, our Union has recently undergone a major restructure. Not only did we appoint
a new CEO but we also changed the organisational structure in order to streamline processes
and the way we interact with students, after all everything we do is for the students.
We are seeking an External Trustee with specific expertise in the Higher Education sector
who will bring insights about the student movement and understands what is happening
currently to ensure that collectively we continue to challenge how we deliver the best
student experience for our students, especially post Covid. We need to know what our
students want and aim to undertake research alongside developing a new strategic plan
which can enable us to ensure students are integral to everything we do.
The University student population is diverse however this is not the case within the Students’
Union; we are an inclusive environment and welcome applications from candidates from
under-represented groups including the BAME and LGBTQ+ communities. We would be
particularly interested in those with skills and experience relating to Students’ Unions
and/or Charity Governance. If you truly want to help us to improve student experience
for students at the University of Sunderland, please get in touch.
We hope any questions that you might have are answered in this recruitment pack
however if you have any further enquiries or would like an informal conversation
about the Students’ Union or the role please contact myself, the Chair of the Board,
or Peter O’Brien, the Vice Chair via centralservices@sunderland.ac.uk
Diogo Quintas
Chair of the Board of Trustees, 2020-22
Our Values
Innovation and Energy
• We are passionate about supporting
our members and are driven to achieve
with them
• We are pioneers; challenging current
practice to seek out new ideas
• We are enthusiastic in all that we do
About us
Sunderland Students' Union is an education charity,
Fairness and Equality
dedicated to making the University experience of our
• We promote and act with
members valuable for life. transparency fairness, respect
and dignity
Our Vision: • We are powerful advocates
The University experience provides students with opportunities to grow, of equality
develop and achieve, throughout their life. These academic, social and civic • We strive to understand the
experiences are valuable: to them, alumni, employers, and society more different needs of all our members
broadly. They encourage more equal access to jobs, and to roles in civil
society. Students are central to, and an active participant in, their
University experience.
Our Mission:
Make your university experience valuable to you, for life.
Empowerment and Accountability
• We take responsibility for our
actions and know everyone has an
important role in making this a
leading Students' Union.
• We support our members and staff
to be leaders, decision-makers,
independent and empowered
Your Voice
We will ensure that we are fully
student led, with students directing
their own activities within the Union
and that we represent the interests
of all our members.
Strategic Plan
Every student registered on a course with the University
of Sunderland is a member and we represent students’
interests in all areas of their University experience. Your Course and You
We will support you to stay on your
This includes everything from representing their academic interests to offering welfare course and help you to achieve your
advice and support, from organising fun social activities to help build social capital, to
education goals.
helping students make a positive impact on the city of Sunderland.
We are currently in the process of writing our new strategic plan however our current
strategic plan (2018-2022) considers who our members are, what their motivations,
concerns and aspirations are and how we can as a Students’ Union adapt to meet their
needs and expectations. It will help us to align our services and resources to better meet
student needs and truly fulfil our mission.
Our strategic plan will ensure we support students to not only get the most out of
their course, but also out of the whole University of Sunderland experience, which
Your Place
we want to make personal to our students. Everything we do between now and 2022
will be focused on ‘your voice’, ‘your course and you’ and ‘your place’. We will be positive and proactive
representatives of our university and
city, to help students enjoy living,
studying and belonging to Sunderland
and our University.
Finance & Funding The Students' Union operates as a standalone organisation, with its own independent financial status and is funded by the University through a block grant of £944k. This is supplemented by self-generated income through event tickets, media sales and student group memberships, which takes our total revenue to £1.1m. This enables us to deliver student facing activities and services.
Kirsty Bond
The role of President Education is to be
the lead officer for students on educational
policy development. They ensure students
get the highest academic quality in areas
including teaching, feedback and assessment
and timetabling.
They will campaign to improve education
issues in the University and be the lead
officer on all academic projects.
What we do: Our elected leaders
Every year, members elect a new team of students to be Diogo Quintas
the SU Executive Team – to lead the SU, work on campaigns The role of the President Wellbeing is to be
the lead officer for students on welfare and
they’re passionate about, and to represent students' safety policy development. They will ensure
interests at the highest level in the University. students get the highest experience in areas
including, but not limited to, mental health,
The Exec Team is made up of 3 full-time paid Executive Officers (students who have crime prevention, equality and diversity
either taken a year-out of their studies or have just graduated) and 6 part-time volunteer, and accommodation. They will campaign
Non-Executive Officers (students who carry out their duties alongside their studies). to improve wellbeing within the University
and local area and be the lead officer on all
wellbeing projects.
Our 2020-2021 Full-time Exec Team are:
Chris Davison Part Time Officers
The role of the President Activities is to be We also have 6 Part Time Officers whose • Molly Wroe: LGBTQ+ Officer
the lead officer for students on creating roles primarily support liberation groups. • Victoria Ayedofe:
opportunities for non-academic development. The incoming team are: London Campus Officer
They will ensure students get the best • Ashley Liddle: Mature and
experience in areas including employability, • Anisa Nawaz: Postgraduate Officer
community building, volunteering and provision The Chair of Union Council
of facilities. They will campaign to improve • Nadia Farouch: Further information about these roles
non-academic development opportunities Equality and Diversity Officer and the Officers can be found at:
at Sunderland and be the lead officer on all • Georgios Vasilakis: International Officer sunderlandsu.co.uk/yourexec
student led activities.
What we do: Our services
What we do: Our Services The Students’ Union provides student-facing services,
via our Student Engagement Team, and support services,
Students’ Union provides student-facing services, via our Student Engagement Team, and
including Marketing and Communications, Finance
support services, including Marketing and Communications, Finance and HR. and HR.
Board of Trustees
3 x Presidents
4 x Student Trustees
5 x External Trustees
Chief Executive
Officer
Head of Student Finance Marketing and Operations and
Engagement Manager Communications HR Manager
Manager
Student Student Voice Finance Graphic Operations and
Opportunities Manager Assistant Designer HR Advisor
Manager
Student Media Sales Administrative
Events Advisor Coordinator Assistant
Coordinator
Student Voice Digital Media Minibus drivers
Societies Coordinator and Content x3
Coordinator (Democracy) Coordinator
Volunteer Student Voice Digital
Coordinator Coordinator Communications
(Representation) Intern
Wellbeing
Coordinator
Student Opportunities Student Voice
Events Volunteering Advice Representation
The Students’ Union runs a broad Our team also helps students to make a We offer skilled, professional advice It is important that students have a
events programme to help students difference in the community – whether and guidance to students, helping them formal channel of communication with
connect, have fun and make memories. that’s in the city or in the University. We to represent their interests and access the University so that they can influence
We celebrate a range of awareness days link up with lots of external organisations support. Our expertise includes a variety decisions which will affect them.
and also have events calendars over to create volunteering opportunities for of issues from university policy and
holiday periods to reduce student isolation. our students to get involved in. We’ve procedure, academic issues and housing. The Students’ Union play a vital part in
Whether it’s a beach walk, a night on the made paracord bracelets for NHS staff, Our free, impartial and confidential advice making sure the student voice is heard at
town or a guest lecture, there’s plenty fundraised for Breast Cancer Now, cleaned helps students to explore options, every level and oversee the representation
of events get involved in. beaches and more. enabling them to make informed and structure by electing, training and providing
considered decisions. support to hundreds of elected leaders and
Societies Wellbeing help them to represent students’ interests,
The Students’ Union runs numerous The Student Opportunities team works Democracy influence and communicate with the
great societies, offering a wide variety of hard to help students meet, mix and feel Democracy is at the heart of the Students’ University to create change.
opportunities for students to join and build happy and confident during their time Union decision making mechanisms. The
communities of like-minded people, make at university. staff work with elected Officers to develop Representation is a major part of our work;
friends that last a lifetime, and take part in policy and campaigns work in order to recent campaigns led by the SU on behalf
fun and enriching activities. Our SU Buddies scheme helps students ensure that students can shape their of students have led to changes such
to transition to university life more easily, University experience and the world around as reducing food waste on campus, the
Our list of societies is constantly growing helping them to feel welcomed and make them. It is important that the SU offer high introduction of free sanitary products and
and includes everything from nursing to connections from the moment they arrive. standards, participation and engagement the roll out of a lecture capture service.
community gardening; law to video games, We also work with external organisations in democratic structures such as elections,
ensuring that there really is something to provide useful training sessions for Union Council, referendums and members
for everyone. students to help them develop important meeting and holding our elected Officers
knowledge and skills such as resilience, to account.
time management and healthy living.
Our Board of Trustees:
Understanding your role and remit
Sunderland SU is governed by a Board of Trustees, who ensure that we are operating
properly and in the best interest of Sunderland students.
There are 12 Trustees, in total, each Trustee will bring something different to the
Board meetings.
Relationship with the University The table below offers a brief summary of expectations from the Trustees:
Type of How Term of Recruitment What they bring
Trustee many? Office Method to the board
The Students’ Union’s relationship with the University of Officer 3 One year – Cross campus ballot Elected mandate from
Sunderland is continually improving. Trustee two if - Trustee by virtue students
re-elected of this representative • Understand the issues
The formal relationship is managed via the Memorandum of Understanding document position affecting the Union
which was recently agreed by the Joint University and Union Leadership Meeting, a termly • Understand the University
meeting chaired by the Vice Chancellor with attendance from the University Executive landscape
Team and the Presidents, CEO and management team of the Students’ Union.
Student 4 Two years Appointed by Voice of current students
The Presidents also have regularly catch ups with the Vice Chancellor. We have a strong Trustee trustees on Knowledge of issue affecting
working relationship with the University, with the Pro Vice Chancellor for Learning and recommendation students
Teaching being the main liaison contact between both the Union and the University and of an Appointments
consequently she attends the Board of Trustees as an observer. Panel
External 5 Four years, Experience and skills from
One of the Presidents is also a member of the University’s Board of Governors, alongside Trustee can serve a wider world
the Chair of Union Council, and the Presidents are all members of various university maximum of • Potential specialist areas
committees and groups. two terms of knowledge
(campaigning, charity
The Students’ Union and University have created an open, honest and supportive dialogue or media law, accounting,
and understand the importance of working together to ensure that students get the best social policy, etc.)
from their university experience. • Possible previous
Trustee experience
Key responsibilities
The key responsibilities for the role are:
• To ensure that the Union complies with its governing document, charity law,
company law and any other relevant legislation or regulations
• To ensure that the Union pursues its objects as defined in the Articles of Association
• To ensure the Union uses its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects
• To contribute actively to the board of trustees’ role in giving firm strategic direction
to the Union, setting overall policy, defining goals and setting targets and evaluating
performance against agreed targets
• To safeguard the good name and values of the Union
• To ensure the effective and efficient administration of the Union
The Role • To ensure the financial stability of the Union
• To protect and manage the property of the charity and to ensure the proper
investment of the charity’s funds
• To appoint the CEO, as and when necessary, and monitor their performance
What are we looking for? Additionally as a Trustee, you will be required to:
We are looking to recruit a motivated individual with experience of Students’ Union and an • Actively participate in the meetings
understanding of the higher education landscape. The successful candidate needs to have • Prepare for Board meetings by reading through materials and Board papers beforehand
an appreciation for the wonderful and fluid world of Students’ Unions. • Keep in regular contact with the other Trustees and provide feedback and input on
issues when they arise
You should be passionate and enthusiastic about making a real difference to the lives of • As an Officer Trustee or a Student Trustee, be mentored by an External Trustee; as an
students and willing to help take the Union to the next level of success. You will help external Trustee, mentor an Officer Trustee and/or Student Trustee
manage the strategy and finances of the organisation and be willing to work collectively
to ensure that we will be able to deliver positive change for its members year after year.
Trustee eligibility
We expect there will be between seven and nine meetings a year, as well as one or more You will be required, by law, to declare that you are able to become a charity Trustee.
training/induction sessions. This will include the Board meetings and any sub-committees Before submitting your expression of interest, please determine that you are not
to which you are appointed. In a post-Covid world there is no expectation for meetings to prevented from becoming a Trustee because you:
be held in person however if you are able to we would like you to attend a few meetings
each year on campus; travel expenses will be paid. • have an unspent conviction for one or more of the offences listed here
• have an IVA, debt relief order and/or a bankruptcy order
• have been removed as a trustee in England, Scotland or Wales (by the Charity
Commission or Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator)
• have been removed from being in the management or control of any body in Scotland
(under relevant legislation)
• have been disqualified by the Charity Commission
• are a disqualified company director
• are a designated person for the purposes of anti-terrorism legislation
• are on the sex offenders register
• have been found in contempt of court for making (or causing to be made)
a false statement
• have been found guilty of disobedience to an order or direction of the Charity CommissionWhat do others say about the role?
Chris Davison, Officer Trustee, Shina Zdravcheva, Student Trustee,
outlines his experiences of the role. outlines her experiences of the role.
Not every job provides the opportunity Being a Student Trustee at the University
to shape the direction of the Students’ of Sunderland Students’ Union has been a
Union and ensure accountability on behalf great pleasure for me. I feel privileged to
of the approximately 20,000 students. work alongside experts in different areas
I have personally enjoyed this and have and senior managers from the Union
benefitted from working with the range of enhanced my knowledge and have made
Trustees, learning more about them and me more confident in expressing my
myself at the same time. thoughts and views. Although the role is
voluntary, it gives plenty of opportunities
The Nolan Principles Sunderland Students' Union is on an for developing new skills and improve the
The Seven Principles of Public Life (also Accountability: Holders of public office exciting journey, Student Trustees are ones already present.
known as the Nolan Principles) apply to are accountable to the public for their a recent addition to the Board but their
anyone who works as a public office-holder. decisions and actions and must submit insight is proving invaluable. As a Trustee, I am able to contribute to
themselves to the scrutiny necessary to the success of the Union and therefore
These principles are: ensure this We recruited a new CEO last year and are to ensure that students are heard and
about to embark on a new strategic plan they will get the best possible experience
Selflessness: Holders of public office Openness: Holders of public office that involves liaising with our stakeholders in the University of Sunderland. Being
should act solely in terms of the public should act and take decisions in an open in a meaningful way and trying to ensure a Trustee also gives me insights of how
interest and transparent manner. Information that they are at the heart of our decisions. the organisation works, and the actual
should not be withheld from the public Students studying in London will play a impact it has on students’ lives, which is
Integrity: Holders of public office must unless there are clear and lawful reasons large part in our vision for the future and really huge, and at the same time I believe
avoid placing themselves under any for so doing Covid has given us the opportunity to the experience I am getting from being
obligation to people or organisations that think differently about how and why we do a Trustee helps me not only to improve
might try inappropriately to influence Honesty: Holders of public office should things. We're going from good to great myself but I feel more prepared for what
them in their work. They should not act be truthful and hope to inspire you to join us on is coming in my professional development
or take decisions in order to gain financial this journey. after University.
or other material benefits for themselves, Leadership: Holders of public office
their family, or their friends. They must should exhibit these principles in their own I recommend to anyone who has the
declare and resolve any interests and behaviour. They should actively promote opportunity to become a Trustee to do it,
relationships and robustly support the principles and as is interesting position, enables you to
be willing to challenge poor behaviour work with different people, some of them
Objectivity: Holders of public office must wherever it occurs experts in different areas, and is also very
act and take decisions impartially, fairly rewarding when you are able to see the
and on merit, using the best evidence and positive outcome for students from the
without discrimination or bias decisions you make!Person specification
Essential Desirable
Qualifications
Evidence of ongoing CPD ✓
Skills, abilities, knowledge and expertise
Experience of the Students’ Union movement ✓
Understanding of the current issues affecting students ✓
What we do: Our services Awareness of issues surrounding higher education
Excellent interpersonal skills
✓
✓
Offer challenge to the SU management ✓
The Students’ Union provides student-facing services, and other Trustees
A commitment to the development of others; ✓
via our Student Engagement Team, and support services, being supportive and enabling them to be empowered
including Marketing and Communications, Finance Ability to work effectively in a team as well as ✓
and HR. work independently
Experience of working at a board level and of governance ✓
Have expertise in one or more of the following: ✓
• Social policy campaigning and advocacy
• Digital communications with regard to
membership engagement
• Democratic governance
• Company and/or charity law
Experience of recruitment ✓
Values and behaviours
Act with integrity ✓
Value student leadership; understand the importance ✓
of students actively shaping how we operate and
what we do
A demonstrable commitment to our ✓
organisational values
Be an ambassador of the Students’ Union; ✓
a critical friend to both the SU and, indirectly,
the University
Be able to network on behalf of the Students’ Union ✓
Contribute to Board meetings and value the opinions ✓
of others
Strong commitment to, and understanding of, the ✓
principles of equality, diversity and inclusionCycle of business Activity
FRR2
Schedule
November
Business to be conducted
October Management Accounts
Responsible Person(s)
Director of Finance
Audit management letter and Finance Manager
The table below sets out a proposed schedule for meetings, established around the key action plan
governance moments of the calendar year, incorporating the proposed sub-committees Draft audited accounts
of the Trustee Board. The scheduling is designed to ensure that sub-committees have a SUSS pension update
clear steer regarding their business purpose as at the time of their meeting. Likewise, the Finance KPI’s review
overall schedule is intended to provide ample preparation, consideration and discussion Risk Register review and CEO
ahead of key known annual decision-making points. action plan
Annual data protection report CEO
and action plan
Activity Schedule Business to be conducted Responsible Person(s) CEO Man. Review of CEO objectives Chair, Vice Chair, CEO
TB1 June Approval of Cycle of Business Chair Comm
Budget approval Director of Finance TB3 December Approval of Audited Accounts Director of Finance
Final meeting/handover of Chair Auditors’ report and Director of Finance
Officer Trustees management letter
Appointment of roles: Chair of Presidents Members’ Meeting preparations CEO
the Board, University Board of MM January Overview of SU activity over the CEO, Chair
Governors’ Representative, previous year
Chair of Exec Committee Affiliations
Sub committee appointments Chair, CEO Update January Staff engagement survey review CEO
Strategic progress report CEO Equality and diversity review
Risk register review CEO Human Resources update
Confirm away day plans/agenda Chair, CEO FRR3 February January Management Accounts Director of Finance,
CEO Man. July Approve CEO objectives Chair, Vice Chair, CEO Mid-year financial performance Finance Manager
Comm report/review and Budget
T and D Trustees’ away day CEO reforecast
T and D July/August Trustee Training, including CEO, Director of Finance University budget submission
finance briefing/training TB4 February Strategic progress report CEO
Presidents’ training CEO /March
FRR1 September Year end management accounts Director of Finance Update:
Finance Procedures Review Finance Manager University budget submission Director of Finance
Update September Presidents’ plans/objectives for Presidents Mid-year Presidents’ progress Presidents
the academic year ahead update
CEO objectives Chair, CEO Elections report, review and CEO
Welcome/induction update CEO action plan
Annual staff pay award CEO NSS Action plan progress report CEO
TB2 October CEO performance review Chair, Vice Chair Gov. April Good governance review CEO
Review delegation of authorityy CEO Comm Review of Arts. of Association, CEO
matrix bye-laws
Update: NSS review and action CEO Board performance review and Chair
plans. Annual member survey skills audits
results and action plans Policy reviews CEOActivity Schedule Business to be conducted Responsible Person(s)
FRR4 May April Management Accounts Director of Finance
Year-end forecast Director of Finance
Draft Budget Director of Finance
Compliance register review CEO
Annual Health and Safety report CEO
Update May/June Staff Engagement survey review CEO
Equality and diversity review
Human Resources update
As and when required
App. To recruit any new Student Chair
Comm
Trustees and External Trustees
required for the coming year
How to apply
Key To express an interest in this role please provide:
TB Trustee Board
App. Comm Appointments Committee • A covering letter (max 1 side of A4) Please send completed expressions
CEO Man. Comm CEO Management Committee that sets out your motivating factors of interest to:
FRR Finance, Risk and Resource Committee in your application centralservices@sunderland.ac.uk
Gov. Comm Governance Committee by 2pm on 6 August 2021; interviews
MM Members’ Meeting • A personal statement (max 2 sides of A4) are expected to take place online on
T and D Training and Development that demonstrates how you meet the 25 August 2021.
CEO Chief Executive Officer experience requirements set out in the
Chair Chair of Trustees Person Specification. For an informal discussion about the role
Vice Chair Vice Chair of Trustees please contact Diogo Quintas, the Chair,
• An up to date, detailed CV including or Peter O’Brien, the Vice Chair via
all relevant employment history and centralservices@sunderland.ac.uk
expertise.
• A completed Equality Monitoring
form, which can be downloaded from
our website: sunderlandsu.co.uk/jobsYou can also read
