Job Title: Development and Training Officer

JOB DESCRIPTION

Main Details

Grade: PO1 plus company car

Department: NUS Wales (Membership Development)

Responsible to: Director, NUS Wales

Responsible for: Membership developmentproject staff as required

Place of Work: NUS Wales office

Hours of Work: 36 hours per week, Monday to Friday plus additional hours as required. Extra hours will be expected as necessary to carry out the requirements of the post.

(The post holder will be paid an allowance in recognition of unsociable hours – occasional weekend and evening work).

Additional Hours: Attendance at Wales Conference and Council

Attendance at National Conference

Attendance at staff training events

Purpose of Job

To work with Students’ Unions to develop strong and active students’ unions across Wales
To promote the policies and priorities of NUS Wales and, where appropriate, NUS UK, to local Students’ Unions and other relevant organisations throughout Wales.
To support and develop NUS Wales’ strategy for developing activism in students’ unions.
To provide advice and support to members of the Welsh National Executive Committee, both with regard to the implementation of policy and the organising of activists, elected officers and member unions.
To contribute to NUS UK’s training and development work.
To recruit and maintain student organisations into membership of NUS
To support the NUS Wales strategic plan and be responsible for the delivery of appropriate objectives as identified in the plan.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Promote the mission, vision and values of NUS by contributing to the delivery of the NUS Wales strategic plan
Manage the NUS Wales training, provide targeted and appropriate training for constituent members (students’ unions) on a range of issues including structure, governance, organisation, administration, financial operations and electoral matters
Contribute to the NUSUK training programme, delivering accessible and high quality events at a local and national level.
Ensure NUS Wales has up to date information on the state of its constituent members including support and development needs.
Develop knowledge and understanding of the campaign needs of constituent members and support NUS Wales to develop relevant priority campaigns
Advise WNEC on issues relating to membership development
Develop communication resources including copy for online resources, briefings for WNEC and constituent members.
Develop funding opportunities that help deliver the NUS Wales strategic plan on issues surrounding membership development

Promote the policies and priorities of NUS Wales and, where appropriate, NUS UK, to local Students’ Unions and other relevant organisations throughout Wales.
To support and develop NUS Wales’ strategy for developing activism in students’ unions.
Ensure that the purposes of the post are pursued in a manner that is strategic, with progress is consistently reviewed in appropriate ways.
To promote local co-operation between Students’ Unions with regard to local campaign issues, sharing best practice and providing useful and relevant networks.

Job activities

Job activities will be conducted within the relevant NUS office, but the post holder will also be required to visit NUS HQ and other NUS officers and external venues throughout the UK. The post holder will be required to work evenings and weekends to carry out duties.

Training

Analyse training needs, prepare, organise and deliver in-house training to constituent members (CM’s) and local NUS Democratic Structures on request, ensuring that programmes are mutually agreed and tasks allocated appropriately
Be responsible for the planning, promotion and co-ordination of NUS Wales training programmes.
Keep members in Wales informed of NUS training opportunities and encourage attendance on these programmes as appropriate
Participate in the planning and delivery of NUS UK's training with specific reference to the National Summer Training Programme
Prepare and issue reports of training events to appropriate staff and executive members.

Development

To assist and advise CMs on all matters relating to their structure, governance, organisation, administration, financial operations and electoral matters, ensuring that they are kept informed of best practices in relation to their own organisation and delivery of services to students.
Visit/meet with elected officers of CMs to encourage, advise and assist in organisational development. Providing direct practical support and coaching as appropriate.
Provide direct assistance to CMs in furtherance of their plans, including participation in presentations and negotiations with appropriate bodies as required.
Ensure that reports of all visits to/meetings with CMs by all staff and executive members are recorded and maintained in an accessible form and that any follow-up action is undertaken.
Ensure that, where appropriate, there are regular meetings of local NUS Democratic Structures and other similar organisations to enhance local campaign development, to share information on the development of CMs and agree respective roles in relation to such matters.
Attend meetings as appropriate to maintain relations with CMs and be informed of their concerns and needs.
Act as returning officer for CMs where this would be of direct assistance in meeting identified development needs or other priorities.

Membership

Deliver a local membership strategy centered around the recruitment of new members and the retention of existing members
Support the work of the WNEC on any affiliation and disaffiliation campaigns providing timely information, advice and support. Participate in the design and production of materials for use in any affiliation/disaffiliation campaigns within allocated budgets.
To maintain analyse and circulate as appropriate accurate and up-to-date membership data including maintaining records of elected officers, activists, services provided, staff, finances, student profiles, training and development records.
Respond to requests from NUS UK concerning membership and assist, as required, in resolving any issues related to any CM's affiliation/disaffiliation.

Campaigns

Attend meetings as required to be informed of priory campaign plans for NUS Wales or NUS UK and to advise of such plans; carry out tasks allocated.
Advise and assist local student unions and in the promotions of their campaigns in furtherance of the policies of NUS Wales and NUSUK
Visit/meet with CMs to advise of NUS priority campaigns and to promote the policies of NUS Wales and NUS UK CM's campaign activities.
Contribute to the design and production of campaign materials

Promotion and Communication

Develop practical plans around NUS Wales’s strategy to develop activism in Students’ Unions
Work with local students’ unions to develop, strengthen and improve students’ union activism
Maintain up-to-date information on NUS Services Ltd, Endsleigh Insurance Services and other service providers, ensure effective working relationships and promote these services to local student organisations.
Provide structured networking opportunities on a local level to engage CM’s in local and national campaigning activities and allow the opportunity to share ideas and best practice

Management

Proactively give input to the furtherance of the NUS Walesstrategic plan.
Supervise the work of any membership development project staff, allocating projects with them and agreeing work plans.
Carry out regular appraisals and meetings with membership development project staff.
Take part in management team meetings as appropriate.

Other duties

Carry out duties as may be required to assist in the running of NUS Wales Council and Conference including training, document and election processes.
Be responsible for budgets and other resources as may be allocated
Communicate regularly and work effectively with other staff in NUS to achieve the strategic goals of NUS Wales and NUS UK.
Maintain an awareness of developments in statutory requirements and best practise related to all areas of work associated with the post and on which advice may be required to be provided to CMs.
Consult regularly with other staff of NUS in order to ensure effective communication and co-ordination.
Attend events and meetings as required.

General

The post holder may be required to perform other duties analogous to the post, and to carry out duties on behalf of NUS where specialist skills or knowledge apply.
As the post holder may be the first point of contact for some external organisation, individuals, media and the membership, she/he is expected to remain conversant with and aware of developments within NUS' work, and prioritise customer care at all times.

As the post holder will often be representing the policies of NUS and the WNEC to students’ unions and a wider audience, an absolute priority is the need to do so with discretion that ensures the proper balance between the respective roles of elected officers and members of staff
As the post holder may handle, the processing and recording of information related to financial and personnel matters therefore strict confidentiality is required to be maintained at all times
Use IT applications (word processing, email etc) to service the posts administrative needs.
Work towards the achievement of organisational goals and quality standards.
Attend to all correspondence and calls and ensure they are answered and dealt with in a prompt and efficient manner.
Participate in the staff appraisal and development process.

Updated: August 2010

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

An appropriate qualification or experience.
Successful involvement in recruiting and/or organising members, volunteers or other types of activists in students’ unions, trade unions, youth, community or other type of voluntary organisations.
Successful experience of delivering outcomes in a comparable role
Proven successful experience in designing, delivering and evaluating training programmes
Evidence of success in providing high quality services to diverse customers and partners.
Evidence of success representing a service to diverse customers and partners
A current clean driving licence

Desirable

A proven track record of project management
Line management experience

Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Awareness of representation through direct involvement within a representative structure or organisation.
Demonstrable knowledge of higher and further education student issues or ability to develop knowledge quickly
Excellent communication and presentational skills, with the ability to communicate ideas and procedures successfully at all levels to a variety of audiences, including the use of PowerPoint etc.
Ability to effectively manage resources to deliver organisational objectives and targets within agreed parameters.
Ability to deliver diverse projects and deliver objectives to meet departmental plans.
Ability to draw on knowledge from other sectors/environments to ensure freshness and creativity.
Ability to work in an environment with frequently changing circumstances and conflicting priorities and the ability to work alone.
Ability to lead and develop a team culture that is high performing, outcome and customer focussed.
Flexible approach to any additional tasks requested to ensure smooth and successful outcomes.

Fluency in the Welsh Language or a willingness to learn

Personal Characteristics & Behaviours

Political sensitivity & diplomacy
An articulate and energetic individual.
Self-motivated and able to motivate a team.
Professional & credible, with impact.
Able to develop and deliver new and imaginative ideas and have a positive attitude to problem solving
An understanding of and commitment to working effectively within a democratic environment.
Commitment to the creation of an environment that promotes equality of opportunity whilst recognising and valuing diversity.
Willingness to attend regional and national events
Commitment to excellent customer service.
Commitment to the Mission, Vision, Values & Beliefs of NUS
A positive attitude towards both people and work