NUS Services Director | SU Staff member

We are pleased to invite Students’ Union staff members to apply to become a Director of NUS Services Ltd. The position is open to those in senior roles within their organisation.

How will it help you?

Develop yourself - use your knowledge and gain new skills and experience in management, strategic planning, decision-making, budget/financial management, and fundraising.

Widen your horizons – meet new people, new challenges and better understand how to run a cooperative enterprise along with other students’ unions.

Give something back to the community – Share your knowledge and experience with others in the student movement, helping improve the way we run some of our work and enterprise activity.

What does the Board do?

The NUS Services Board has authority to consider, make decisions and recommendations on a range of subjects. This will include, but not exclusively:

  • Oversee and scrutinise the planning and implementation of commercial and revenue generating programmes or activities for the group.
  • The management and administration of the company– this is delegated on a day to day basis to the Chief Executive and the senior leadership team at NUS.
  • Approve and monitor performance of the Enterprise plan and KPIs;
  • Approve the Leadership Report outlining key areas of progress and activity;
  • Receive updates from the Direction and Oversight Boards and approve recommendations;

You can read more about our work in the current year, the plans for next year and our governance here.

What is the role about?

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. Directors are expected to have oversight of the risks that may threaten the organisation or prevent it from succeeding its goals, with this Directors are expected to advise management on the identification and mitigation of risks.

You will be the kind of person who is comfortable working in a student-led, democratic environment and who values equal opportunities. You will use a highly collaborative style to deliver real progress in achieving challenging commercial targets whilst keeping the needs of students and members at the heart of our thinking.

This is a non-political role and Directors are not in place to shape the political and campaigning decisions, but they are in place to ensure we have a sound organisation with the best resources and finances in place to enable us to campaign.

  • As a Director of NUS Services Ltdyou will be expected to contribute fully within and outside (where required) of meetings.
  • You will be expected to bring an external perspective to our thinking around key, strategic commercial decisions and to challenge and question our practices and plans.
  • You will also be expected to bring a level of commercial experience and knowledge to the organisation and be willing to share that knowledge to support NUS to fulfil its potential.
  • You will be expected to liaise with the wider membership to sound out their views in order to seek the best outcomes for the movement. You will not just reflect the views or interests of your own Students’ Union.
  • You will sit on one of the Direction and Oversight Boards, as directed by the Chair, supporting the student officers in running it and ensuring its overall effectiveness.
  • The Chair of the NUS Services Board is the VP Union Development.

Outside the meetings

Directors’ experience and expertise is valuable outside of the Board meetings to and where Directors can commit the time and resource we ask for their support in other areas of the organisation such as within strategic review projects like Project100 and the Commission on costs and benefits.

The Directors also support the Direction and Oversight Boards, this involves attending four meetings (one each quarter). You can find out more about what each of these Groups do here.

What is involved?

  • Meetings will be around 3-4 hours and there will also be a day of pre-reading/meeting preparation.
  • You will need to attend 3-4 meetings per year held in our Macclesfield office plus another 3-4 meetings of the Direction and Oversight Boards.

(Total meeting commitment is approx. 8 days per year plus pre reading.)
Meetings will take place on:
14 September 2017
23 November 2017
1 February 2018
31 May 2018

  • You will also be asked to provide your views and guidance outside of meetings where appropriate.
  • The term of office is for 3 years, renewable once, and begins on the 1st July.
  • Travel and accommodation together with reasonable expenses will be provided should you require it.
  • Meetings can be attended by video conference if you are unable to attend each one in person, though there is an expectation that one per year is attended in person.

In the event of you being successfully appointed you will be required to sign that you have read and understood:

  • NUS Code of Conduct
  • Conflicts of interest policy
  • Confidentiality agreement
  • Adhere to NUS’ policies and procedures.

Candidates should agree the commitment with their Students’ Union in advance of the application.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible to apply you must be an employee or someone seconded to work for any affiliated member of NUS. If you cease to be employed or seconded then your position as a Director will cease.

Directorsmust be aged 16 and over and must not be disqualified as a company director.

Directors must be able to declare that they:

  • Are capable of managing and administering my own affairs;
  • Do not have an unspent conviction relating to any offence involving deception or dishonesty;
  • Are not an undischarged bankrupt nor have I made a composition or arrangement with, or granted a trust deed for, my creditors (ignore if discharged from such an arrangement);
  • Are not subject to a disqualification order under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 or to an Order made under section 429(b) of the Insolvency Act 1986;
  • Have not been removed from the office of charity trustee or trustee for a charity by an Order made by the Charity Commissioners or the High Court on the grounds of any misconduct or mismanagement nor am I subject to an Order under section 7 of the Law Reform(Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990, preventing me from being concerned in the management or control of any relevant organisation or body.
  • Are not subject to a disqualification Order under the Criminal Justice and Court Services Act2000.
  • Are not disqualified under the Protection of Vulnerable Adults List.

What do we expect you to have?

Essential / Desirable
Knowledge / experience / Strategic & operational experience within a students’ union;
Strategic commercial services experience; / Digital media expertise/experience within the Union.
Experience of working on all aspects of a large commercial asset.
Skills / qualities / Capacity to contribute within a committee environment;
Ability to maintain confidentiality;
Assertive, challenging and questioning;
Team-player and ability to work collaboratively. / Presentation skills.
Values / Commitment to:
Student led environment
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Democracy

Submit an application

We are accepting cover letters and CV’s until 31May 2017please send yourcover letter and CV to us at .

If you would like to chat before submitting an application you can contact us at d we will arrange for a member of the Board or the a relevant NUS colleague to call you back.