University of Plymouth Students Union

Role Description for SUBU Vice President Community

This role description has been put together to help you get a better feel for the role of SUBU Vice President Community. If you would like more information or would like to discuss anything in more detail then please contact any of the Union Officers in SUBU who will be able to share a more personal view on the appropriate role.

Post: Vice President Community

Salary: £20,624 Fixed term of office. 54 weeks from Monday 19th June 2017 to Friday Contract type: 6th July 2018 Hours: Full time, with some requirement to work evenings and weekends.

Responsible to: The membership of SUBU The democratic decision-making processes of the organisation, in line Accountable to: with the Core Constitution.

What you can expect from the experience: Whether you are planning on being a journalist, engineer, nurse, social worker, midwife, hotel manager, sports coach, events promoter, lawyer, business leader, physiotherapist, screen writer, animator, or any one of the hundreds of other careers that BU graduates choose… we believe the experience of being a Union Officer in SUBU will help you learn more about working with other people and within organisations than almost any other graduate level opportunity. We know, because our past officers tell us so!

SUBU is a high trust organisation that encourages freedom and empowerment of people to use their best judgement to always do the right thing for students. Within this role you will be encouraged and supported to achieve this. Specifically, you can expect to:

 Be trained to do your role over the summer and mentored throughout the year, both within SUBU and by attending external training events around the country.  Be given plenty of scope to explore and develop your ideas for improving the student experience at BU.  Be supported in your ambitions, both in this role and beyond.  Be given the freedom to scope your role as you see it, without the need for detailed job descriptions. We recognise that this can sometimes be quite a daunting prospect, and we will support each person according to their needs.  Have a year that has many highs but equally expect some lows as you navigate your way through a role with huge opportunity, but sometimes frustrating challenges. You will get support at every stage of this journey.  Have an impact on the lives on many people across BU, which can last into the future.

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Key purpose and responsibilities of all SUBU Union Officers:  Represent Bournemouth University students to the University, and lead campaigns and projects to improve the student experience.  Represent Bournemouth University students on a national level, working with other students’ unions, NUS and other sector organisations.  Always act in the best interests of the students of Bournemouth University when representing them both internally in the university and externally to the wider community.  Work closely with the other SUBU Union Officers, SUBU General Manager, and SUBU managers to help develop the strategic direction of SUBU.

Some key expectations of this role:  To work with the other Union Officers to collectively represent the best interests of students within SUBU, BU and beyond.  To work with BU staff and attend necessary University meetings to represent and act in the best interests of students.  To work with SUBU staff to ensure the provision of SUBU services meet student needs.  To engage fully in the SUBU democratic process and to be accountable to the SUBU membership.  To find out what students want and act on the findings of SUBU research, Senior Reps, and through other channels, to ensure SUBU effectively represents BU students.

Specifically, the Vice President Community will also be expected:  To be the principal representative of Bournemouth University students in relation to community engagement (Community Council, volunteering, Community Wardens, Green Task Force, housing), both internally at BU, and on a national level.  To attend training events and build specialist knowledge and competence in this role.  Attend key university meetings relevant to your role (explained on handover) and work with BU staff on behalf of SUBU as the principal student representative for community engagement.  Work with the Student Executive Officer team and, working as a team, take part in the collective decision making of the Student Executive Committee.  To support the campaigns of the President, other Vice Presidents and Community Council to improve the student experience.  To work with SUBU staff members, particularly the SUBU Community staff team, to ensure the delivery of appropriate services to students.  To be the primary point of contact and voice for students for external relations and internal membership communication, specifically relating to community engagement.  To lead SUBU on national representation and campaigns relating to community engagement.  Where possible, work with the other Union Officers, SUBU staff, and BU staff to deliver your election promises to students.  Work with other Union Officers and SUBU staff to help deliver SUBU services in respect of the Values, Mission and Aims of the SUBU Strategic Plan.