NUS-USI
Advisory Board- Lay Member
Share your skills and experience to help change students’ lives
Being a member of NUS-USI’s Advisory Board will be an important and challenging role. Lay members will make a significant contribution to the current work and future direction of NUS-USI by serving the organisation in its ongoing mission to promote, defend and extend the rights of students in Northern Ireland, and to develop and champion strong students’ unions.
Following an ongoing reform process, this is an opportunity to make your own contribution, as we recruit a Board for the first time to serve alongside elected student officers to eventually form a fully functioning Trustee Board for NUS-USI.
Under a new agreement, the Advisory Board will work to ensure a sound, healthy and legally compliant organisation - allowing an elected Executive of students to concentrate on campaigning and representing students with confidence and integrity. In time the advisory board will form a new Trustee Board for NUS-USI.
To help students shape NUS’ future direction, you will need to be able to think strategically, be creative and bring a range of different perspectives to the Board. You will be the kind of person who would feel most comfortable working in a student-led, democratic environment. You will need to use a highly collaborative style to deliver real progress against a challenging, political mission.
Initial tenures will be of one or two years, with the opportunity to volunteer again. The position is unpaid, but reasonable remuneration will be offered for travel and other expenses.
Duties of members of the Advisory Board of NUS-USI
Detailed below are some of the duties that as a lay member you would be expected to undertake. In addition to the duties, each trustee should use any specific skills, knowledge or experience they have to help the Board reach sound decisions.
This may include but is not exclusive to:
scrutinising Board papers, focusing on key issues, providing advice and guidance on new initiatives and/or any other issues in which the member has special expertise.
The key duties of a lay member are:
- To ensure that NUS-USI complies with its governing document, the law, and any other relevant legislation or regulations.
- To ensure that NUS-USI pursues its objects as defined in its constitution.
- To ensure that NUS-USI applies its resources exclusively in pursuance of its objects and the policies agreed by the democratic structures.
- To contribute actively to the Board’s role in giving firm strategic direction to the staff, setting internal budgets, management goals and setting targets and evaluating performance against agreed targets.
- To ensure the financial stability of NUS-USI
- To safeguard the good name, culture and ethos of NUS-USI
Members need to act in a balanced and appropriate manner and some personal principles are useful to bear in mind when considering whether you feel able to volunteer. You should feel able to show:
- a commitment to NUS-USI
- a commitment to democratic structures and principles
- a willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
- a willingness to maximise personal development opportunities
- good independent judgement
- an ability to think creatively
- a willingness to speak your mind
- an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of trusteeship
- an ability to work effectively as a member of a team
- objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership
How to apply
To apply to be a lay member of the NUS-USI Advisory Board, please send a CV and covering note detailing your motivation for the role to HR at NUS by the closing date.
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