9th March 2016
Student Trusteevacancy 2016-2017
Thank you for your interest in the role of student trustee of Northumbria Students’ Union.
Northumbria Students’ Union represents all students at Northumbria University and partner institutions delivering Northumbria degrees. The Union is athriving member led democratic organisation and registered charity.
One of only eight Union’s awarded NUS’ Silver standard for Students’ Unions we won NUS Society of the Year 2013, National Council Voluntary Youth Services Young Partners Award 2013, People and Environment Award 2012 and were voted Student Union of the Year in 2011.
In 2012 we were 25th on the Sunday Times Best 100 Not for Profits To Work For, in 2015 retained Silver Accredited Investors in People and gained Gold Award in Raising the Bar.
Above all we pride ourselves on the impact we have on students at Northumbria.
Satisfaction with the Union in the National Student Survey has risen regularly over the past few years and the Union is ranked 5th in the International Student Barometer amongst UK Student Unions and 18th in the Times Higher Satisfaction Survey. This year saw a record breaking turnout for our student elections with 3,572 votes cast.
From our representation of students, to investment in developing student skills and employability to providing outstanding customer service in all our services from bars to supporting 115student societies and projects, the Union is constantly seeking to improve student experience.
We are proud of the wins we have achieved for students in the last 12 months alone
- University commitment to off set government cuts to Disabled Students Allowance
- Better timing of bursaries to fit when students need the money
- Additional Stop in the No1 Bus route
- Fair recruitment for postgraduate teaching opportunities
We are seeking new Student Trustees to fill vacanciesby departing trustees at the end of this academic year.
benefits
Experience
As a student trustee you will take part in the senior decision making of a charity with a turnover in excess of £2 million.
You will have the opportunity to use and develop qualities of insight and judgement in making decisions as part of a group as well as how to use governance to ensure accountability and effective decision making.
The Board also has three sub committees student trustees can join; HR & Remuneration, Audit and Risk and Elections Appeals, providing additional opportunities to work on these areas in detail.
Training
As a student trustee you will receive full training in charity governance and finances as well as support to enable you to undertake the role.
Impact
Finally as a student trustee your decisions and perspective will shape how services are delivered to thousands of students next year and for the future, all highly transferable skills for a Northumbria student in whatever field they plan to enter.
commitment
Trustees will be asked to attend six to eight meetings a year, with option of joining the sub committees of the Board who meet in advance of the main Board.
candidate qualities
You will have an empathy with the work of the Students’ Union; possess the skills to be effective in decision-making and a commitment to the principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
You will be able to bring a student perspective to the Board’s decision making. In this respect applications from international, black and minority ethnic and disabled students are particularly welcome as are students studying at Coach Lane, postgraduates and those with caring responsibilities.
This is a tremendous, genuine development opportunity for a Northumbria student.
Trustees begin their term of office from 23rd June 2016 for the 2016/17 academic year. Trustees may request to stay in post for a second term through 2016/17.
Please review the role description and submit your CV & a covering letter showing how you fit the person specification by 12 noon – Friday 15th April 2015. Interviews will be 29th April.
Please e-mail your application to .
For further information please contact myself, on 0191 227 4288 or at .
Adam Crawley
President
Student Trustee Role Description
Key responsibilities:
1)Ensuring that the Union has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction and is focused on achieving these.
2)To secure the support of Student Council and through referendum of full members for the Union’s strategic plan.
3)Being responsible for the performance of the Union and for its behaviour.
4)Ensuring that the Union complies with all legal and regulatory requirements.
5)Acting as guardians of the Union’s assets, both tangible and intangible, taking due care over their security, deployment and proper application.
6)Ensuring that the Union’s governance is of the highest possible standard.
7)To ensure that the Union complies with Charity Law and ensure that the Union prepares reports on what it has achieved and completes and returns its annual returns and accounts.
8)To ensure that the Union does not breach any requirements of rules set out in its governing documents and that it remains true to its charitable purposes and objects.
9)To act with integrity and avoid personal conflict or interest or misuse of charity funds or assets.
10)To respect policy and recommendations agreed by Student Council and only reject them when there are legal, financial or reputational reasons for doing so.
11)Where the Trustees reject policy or recommendations by Student Council on legal, financial or reputational grounds the Chair of the Trustee Board must make an oral statement to the next meeting of Student Council detailing the reasons for the Trustees decision
Duties and tasks to fulfill these responsibilities
The following items are the duties and tasks that the Trustees are expected to undertake:
12)To work in partnership with other Trustees, Student Council the Chief Executive and other senior staff to ensure that the Union has a clear vision, mission and strategic direction and is focused on achieving these. The Trustees are responsible for ensuring and monitoring that:
a)The Union has a clear vision, mission and strategic plan that have been agreed by the Trustee Board, and that there is a common understanding of these by Trustees and staff.
b)Operational and other plans support the vision, mission and strategic priorities.
c)The Chief Executive’s annual and longer term objectives and targets support the achievement of the vision, mission and strategic priorities.
d)Trustee board policies support the vision, mission and strategic priorities.
e)There are effective mechanisms in place to
i)Listen to the views of Student Council
ii)Listen to the views of current and future students
iii)Review the external environment for changes that might affect the Union.
iv)Re-assess the need for the Union and the services it does or could provide; and
v)Review regularly its strategic plan and priorities and engage members in this process at all times
13)To be responsible, with the other Trustees, for the performance and behaviour of the Union.
a)To consider the method for measuring objectively the progress of the Union in relation to its vision, mission, strategic objectives/priorities, plans and annual targets, and to regularly receive reports on the performance of the Union.
b)To ensure that the fundamental values and guiding principles of the Union are articulated and reflected throughout the organisation.
c)To ensure that the views of members on the performance of the Union are regularly gathered and considered by the Trustee Board.
d)To appoint the Chief Executive in accordance with the Union’s Recruitment and Selection Procedures; to set the Chief Executive’s terms and conditions of employment in accordance with the terms and conditions and to ensure that both that individual themselves and the Union as a whole invest in their ongoing professional development.
e)To receive regular reports from the Chief Executive on progress towards strategic priorities agreed by the Trustee Board.
f)To hold the Chief Executive to account for the management and administration of the Union.
g)To ensure that the Chief Executive receives regular, constructive feedback on their performance in managing the Union and in meeting their annual and longer term targets and objectives.
h)To ensure that the Chief Executive develops a learning organisation and that staff and volunteers review their own performance and regularly receive feedback. To articulate the values of the Union. To formulate Trustee Board policies.
i)To ensure that there are mechanisms for students, employees, volunteers, and other individuals, groups or organisations to bring to the attention of the trustees any activity that threatens the probity of the Union.
14)Ensuring that the Union complies with all legal and regulatory requirements.
a)To be aware of, and to ensure the Union complies with, all legal, regulatory and statutory requirements.
b)To maintain familiarity with the rules and documents that govern the Union, to ensure that the Union complies with its governing instruments and to review these regularly.
c)To agree the levels of delegated authority, to ensure that these are recorded in writing by means of minutes, terms of reference for Trustee Board committees and sub-committees, job descriptions for trustees, key staff, and volunteers, and to ensure that there are clear reporting procedures which are also recorded in writing and complied with.
d)To ensure that the responsibilities delegated to the Chief Executive are clearly expressed and understood, and directions given to them come from the Trustee Board as a whole.
15)Being guardians of all the Union assets, both tangible and intangible, taking all due care over their security, deployment and proper application.
a)To ensure that the Union has satisfactory control systems and procedures for holding in trust for the members all monies, properties and other assets and to ensure that monies are invested to the maximum benefit of the Union, within the constraints of the law and ethical and other policies laid down by the Trustee Board.
b)To ensure that the major risks to which the Union is exposed are reviewed annually and that systems have been established to mitigate or minimise these risks.
c)To ensure that the funds, income and property of the Union is applied for the purposes and objects set out in the governing document and for no other purpose, and with complete fairness between persons who are properly qualified to benefit.
d)To avoid undertaking activities that may place the Union’s funds, assets and reputation at undue risk.
e)To take special care when investing funds or borrowing funds for the Union’s use.
f)To act reasonably, prudently and collectively in all matters relating to the Union and always to act in the interests of the Union.
g)To ensure that the Union is and will remain solvent.
h)To be accountable for the solvency and continuing effectiveness of the Union.
i)To exercise effective overall control of the Union’s financial affairs and to ensure that the way in which the Union is administered is not open to abuse by unscrupulous associates, employees or volunteers; and that the systems of control are rigorous and constantly maintained through regular evaluation and improvement in the light of experience.
j)To ensure that intangible assets such as organisational knowledge and expertise, intellectual property, the Union’s good name and reputation are properly valued, utilised and safeguarded.
k)To ensure that all income due to the Union is received and that all tax benefits are obtained and all rating relief due is claimed.
16)Ensuring that the Union’s governance is of the highest possible standard.
a)To ensure that the Union has a governance structure that is appropriate to an organisation of its size/complexity, stage of development, and its charitable objects, and that enables the Trustees to fulfil their responsibilities.
b)To reflect annually on the Trustee Board’s performance and individual Trustees’ performances.
c)To use reasonable skill and care in their work as Trustees using their personal skills and experience as needed to ensure that the Union is well run and efficient.
d)To ensure that the Trustee Board has the skills required to govern the Union well, and has access to relevant external professional advice and expertise, particularly on all matters where there may be a material risk to the Union or where the Trustees may be in breach of their duties.
e)To ensure that there is a systematic, open and fair procedure for the election or recruitment of Trustees.
f)To ensure that there are succession plans for the Trustees and the Chief Executive where possible.
g)To participate in individual and collective development and training of Trustees.
h)To abide by the code of conduct for Trustees.
i)To ensure that major decisions and board policies are made by the Trustees acting collectively.
Person Specification
Commitment to the Students’ Union.Willingness and ability to devote the necessary time and effort. It is anticipated that there will be 6-8 Board meetings per year, lasting 3-5 hours per meeting.
Strategic vision. Trustees will be briefed and receive ongoing briefings on current strategic issues in Students’ Unions and the Higher Education sector.
Able to exercise and take decisions with independent care and judgement.
Ability to think creatively.
Willingness to speak their mind.
Understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of Trusteeship. Full training will be provided to the Trustee Board in the responsibilities and expectations of the role.
Ability to work effectively as a member of a team.
A commitment to displaying Nolan's seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
To be a registered student of Northumbria University for the period of office
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