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candidates

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DEEPSHIKHA PATANGAY

MADHOO PREETHA DAMARAJU

MUHAMMAD SABOOR YAQOOB

SABARNI MUKHOPADHYAY

SIDARTH TEWANI

VISHAL PARIHAR

 

 

job description


Start date: 1st July 2024 *Please note: there will be some training before the start date for University Council.


End date: 11th July 2025


Hours of work: Full-time, working 37 hours per week Monday – Friday (with commitment required to work outside regular working days on occasion as required)


Contract: Fixed term contract starting on 1st July 2024 and ending on 11th July 2025 (with option to stand for one further year)


Induction: 1st July – 29th July, compulsory


Salary: Spinal Point 11 which is £25,189 per annum (inclusive of London Allowance)


Benefits:

  • 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays and university closure days
  • Pension scheme
  • Free TOTUM card
  • Opportunity to develop key leadership and negotiation skills, whilst acting to deliver positive impact on the experience of more than 15,000 student members
  • Guest list access to Union club nights
  • Free Union Sport Membership


Training:

  • Full month-long induction period
  • Summer training courses provided by NUS
  • Access to University training programme
  • Role specific learning and development opportunities


Time required for the role:
This is a full-time paid position with a monthly salary.


Term of office:
54 weeks, commencing at the end of the academic year. This includes a 2-week transition period.


Qualifications for the role:
Must be a current student at the Brunel University London when elected and be a Full member of the Union of Brunel Students. Must also be able to declare legal capacity to serve as a Trustee and Company Director under Charity Law and Company Law.


Each Sabbatical Officer has three related roles they must fulfil:


1. FT College Education and Welfare Officer:The Officers are the senior representatives of students to the University, helping ensure that the university understands students’ views and that students’ have the best possible university experience.

2. Union of Brunel Students Trustee: Sitting as a member of the Students’ Union’s Board of Trustees which oversees the strategic direction, financial stability, and legal/reputational risks of the organisation.


3. University Council: As an elected full time officer, you may be nominated by the Union of Brunel Students to sit on University Council. The Union of Brunel Students elections are conducted on the basis that the successful candidate may also be appointed as members of the University Council. Therefore, if you decide to nominate yourself for this role then you should be prepared to fulfil this role and meet the "fit and proper persons" requirements for members of university governing bodies and charity trustees (detailed further below).

While each role has distinct responsibilities (outlined in the detailed job description) sabbatical officers have a range of general duties and work as a team to help each other solve the challenges they face.


Main purpose of the role:
The College Officers are the senior representatives of the three Colleges at Brunel and are responsible for ensuring that each student within those colleges is effectively represented and supported and that issues facing those students are appropriately escalated. They should work together to solve educational and welfare issues facing all students as well as well as contributing to Union wide campaigns and initiatives.


Working closely with the College Officers to ensure that both the Union and the University is functioning effectively, is well supported and providing a welcoming community to all.


General Duties

  1. To represent the views and interests of Brunel students to Brunel University and any other relevant parties by: A. Attending and contributing to university meetings, B.Organizing and supporting campaigns and activities for the benefit of students, C. Working the University senior leadership to help them understand students views and needs, D. Ensuring that marginalised groups are appropriately represented and supported.
  2. To engage with the relevant teams within the Union to achieve their goals and aims as officers.
  3. To attend and contribute to all appropriate democratic meetings.
  4. To attend and contribute to all appropriate team/planning meetings.
  5. To hold other student officers accountable and to support them in their roles.
  6. To contribute to the wider work of the Union of Brunel Students
  7. To engage with the roles assigned mentor.
  8. To support the Community Living Officer run key union campaigns on issues including but not limited to: housing, money, health, safety, wellbeing, liberation, and equality and diversity. To work in conjunction with the relevant officers and liberation groups to do so.
  9. To work with local and national political bodies including but not limited to the NUS, BUCS and Hillingdon Council.
  10. To attend misconduct and appeal hearings as and when required.

 

College Officer Specific Duties (within the Union):

  1. To lead on the development of education policy, campaigns, initiatives, and improvements, with a specific focus on their college.
  2. To lead on the development of welfare police, campaigns, initiatives and improvements, with a specific focus on their college.
  3. To source feedback/data to understand student experience and the issues impacting them.
  4. To work with the Rep Coordinator to ensure the rep system is as effective as possible by: A. Supporting the delivery of rep elections, B. Delivering at least 1 rep congress a term, C. Delivering the rep congress, D. Advertising and delivering rep training
  5. To be the key point of contact for reps on issues they are struggling to get resolved
  6. Within the University: A. To attend University, B. College and occasionally department level meetings on student’s welfare and the academic experience, C. To be the lead student representatives on major education projects or policy changes at the University


As Trustee:

  1. Ensure that the Union of Brunel Students acts in accordance with its charitable objects, constitution and other guiding documents and, in particular, remains true to its Mission, Vision and Values.
  2. Help the Union of Brunel Students achieve its objectives.
  3. Ensure that the Union of Brunel Students complies with all relevant legislation and regulations, including relevant charity acts and education acts.
  4. Ensure that the Union of Brunel Students does not undertake activities that put its financial stability, members or reputation at undue risk.
  5. Work with other trustees, staff and volunteers in a constructive manner and for the greater good of the Union of Brunel Students.
  6. Participate fully in Board meetings and join one of the Board’s Committees.
  7. Use their personal skills and experience to ensure the Union of Brunel Students is well run and efficient.
  8. Seek external professional advice where there may be material risk to the Union of Brunel Students or where the Trustees may be in breach of their duties, or at any other appropriate moment.
  9. Add value to the Board and the Union of Brunel Students through generating ideas, challenging the status quo, broadening thinking, and supporting and promoting innovation and creativity.

Student Trustees and Officer Trustees have a particular responsibility to:

  • Ensure decisions of the Board and its Committees take account of the needs and views of the Union of Brunel Students members.
  • Ensure the Union of Brunel Students is considering the needs and views of all student groups, for example postgraduate, international and part-time students.
  • Ensure effective communication between the Union of Brunel Students and its members.


University Council

  • A member of the Council is a representative of the University and is expected to act appropriately with due regard for the reputation of the University. There is an expectation that Council Members will:
  • Safeguard the good name and values of Brunel University London.
  • Maintain the legal obligation to act in the interests of the University as a whole.
  • Act in accordance with the principles of public life drawn up by the Committee on Standards in Public Life (the “Nolan Principles”) which embrace selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.


Elected Officer Members
Elected Officer Members of Council must, as with all Council members, put the needs of the University first; they are not there specifically to advance the interests of students. They are full members of Council and will be required to attend all meetings of Council and all meetings of some of its committees such as the Finance Committee and the Governance and Nominations Committee.


Elected Officer Members are required to produce a report for every Council meeting setting out the work and key priorities of the students’ union.


Specific Undertakings of all Members of Council
Nominees for Council Membership are required to note that there are legal restrictions on who may be a Member of Council and additional restrictions placed by the University as set out in the Charter, Statutes and Ordinances. Before appointing a new Council Member, Council must make sure that the appointment meets the requirements of the University's governing regulations and the law. As part of this process nominees for Council Membership are required to declare:

  • They are willing to assume the full responsibilities of a charitable trustee, as set out below, and are fully aware of the University’s regulations as set out in the Charter, Statutes, Ordinances and other provisions as may be described in other governing or regulatory documents.
  • They meet the OfS definition of a fit and proper person.
  • “A fit and proper person:
  • Is of good character.
  • Has the qualifications, competence, skills and experience that are necessary for their role.
  • Is able by reason of their health, after reasonable adjustments are made, to properly perform the tasks of the office or position for which they are appointed.
  • Has not been responsible for, been privy to, contributed to, or facilitated any serious misconduct or mismanagement (whether unlawful or not) in their employment or in the conduct of any entity with which they are or have been associated.”


This is also a requirement of charity trustees and, because the University is a charity, Council Members are also charity trustees. Charity Commission guidance on the fit and proper persons test refers to the HMRC guidance and provides some examples of situations that might give rise to a trustee not meeting the test. If an individual is bankrupt, removed or disqualified from being a trustee by a regulator or has been involved in tax avoidance, they may be considered not to be fit and proper.


As charitable trustees, under the Charities Act 2011 they are required to perform the following duties:

  • Act reasonably and prudently in all matters relating to the University.
  • Always act in the best interests of the University.
  • Apply the income and property of the University only for the purposes set out in the governing document.
  • Protect all the property of the University.
  • Invest the funds of the University only in accordance with their power of investment.
  • Regularly review the effectiveness of the University.

 

In addition to the above declaration Council Members are required to confirm:

  • That they are not disqualified from acting as a charity trustee or removed from trusteeship of a charity (including, without limitation, another university) by any regulator, the Court or the Commissioners for misconduct or mismanagement.
  • They do not have any unspent convictions for offences involving deception or dishonesty.
  • They are not an undischarged bankrupt.
  • They are not under a disqualification order under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.
  • They are not and have not been involved in any tax fraud or tax avoidance schemes or arrangements.


Confidentiality
All appointees must agree to maintain the confidentiality of the Confidential Information of the University and not disclose it to any third parties. This extends to information about individual members of the University.
You will be required to sign a form to confirm you understand the responsibilities of a Council Member at Brunel University London.

View this page as a PDF here.