What Is The Election
The Students' Union is the recognised representative body for all ARU students. We run elections each year so students can choose the members of the Officer Team. These are students elected to lead the direction of the Students' Union and campaign for the best student experience on your behalf. There are no interviews for these roles; instead applicants will campaign for students to vote for them during our voting week 1st - 7th March 2024.
How can I be part of The Election 2024?
As a student you have the opportunity to get involved in many different ways! This includes recommending a friend if you know someone who you think would be fantastic in one of these roles. You can cast your vote during voting week so you can have your say in who runs the Students' Union and represents you. You could even put yourself forward for one of these positions by applying below! It's simple - Click on the link and submit a photograph and manifesto telling students why they should vote for you. We'll send you an eligibility form and arrange a meeting with a member of the SU elections team to help you through the elections period.
Purpose of the role:
As Students’ Union President, you will be representing ARU students at the highest level. Supported by the Students’ Union professional staff team, you will work closely with the senior management team to ensure that ARU Students’ Union is delivering its vision and values.
What are the benefits to you?
New skills
We’ll support you to learn a host of transferable skills, including confidence speaking in public, planning and delivering successful campaign events, problem solving, project working and strategic decision making. Working within the Students’ Union team will also support you to work effectively as part of a team and develop practical office skills.
Experience as a Trustee
The Students’ Union is a registered charity. As a member of our Officer team, you’ll be leading the Students’ Union, gaining valuable experience as the Trustee of a charity.
Stand out!
Your experience as an Officer with the Students’ Union will help your post-University applications to stand out from the crowd! Your time as an Officer will help you to demonstrate your strengths to future employers, as you’ll have a wealth of experience to draw on.
Be part of something bigger
You’ll participate in national conferences and events for Officers, offering you the chance to make connections with officers from Students’ Unions located across the country.
Support with visa costs
International students can apply for financial support towards the cost of visas and immigration healthcare charges for the duration of role only (maximum 12 months).
Responsibilities of the role of Students’ Union President:
- Be the spokesperson and figurehead for the Union; you will be responsible for speaking on behalf of the Students’ Union;
- Be a trustee of the Students’ Union. For more information about the duties of a trustee please visit: The Essential Trustee
- Be available for students; as the Students’ Union’s representative, you will receive a high volume of communication from students who want to raise a concern or share feedback with you;
- Be responsible for gathering feedback from ARU students. This may include holding drop-in sessions, online feedback, in-person meetings;
- Lead and take an active role in significant campaigns and projects to improve the student experience; through a series of memorable and impactful experiences across the academic year, you’ll support our vision to make a difference to every student;
- Prepare for and attend meetings, committees and working groups. This will include reading all documentation and researching as needed in advance, as well as speaking in the meeting to contribute to the discussions. As a guide, this will take approximately 5-7 hours each week;
- Act as the Student Governor on the University Board of Governors and relevant sub-committees. The University Board of Governors is the most senior decision-making group of the University, mandated to determine the educational character and mission of ARU and the setting of our general strategic direction. More general responsibilities cover finance, property and staffing of the University. As President of the Students' Union your role will be to ensure that the student voice is heard at this senior group;
- Chair meetings; the President is the Chair of the Executive Committee, our elected team of student representatives, and the Board of Trustees, the group responsible for meeting our legal and charitable requirements and strategic direction. As Chair, you will be responsible for encouraging participation, directing the conversation and good time management;
- Line management of the Chief Executive; this will include ongoing performance management and annual appraisal of the Chief Executive’s performance;
- Work as an effective member of the Officer team, supporting their individual campaigns and projects, as well as working together on team campaigns;
- Work with the Communications Team to maintain regular and varied content and an active social media presence, sharing key messaging with ARU students;
- Take an active role in recruitment of Students’ Union staff. Play a role on the interview panel, shortlisting and interviewing potential candidates;
- Represent the ARU Students’ Union at the annual National Union of Students National Conference;
- Act as the main point of contact with the National Union of Students.
View the full Job Description
Purpose of the role:
There are 4 full time Vice President roles available:
- VP Arts, Humanities, Education & Social Sciences,
- VP Business and Law,
- VP Health, Medicine & Social Care
- VP Science and Engineering
As Students’ Union Vice President, you will be representing ARU students at the highest level. Supported by the Students’ Union professional staff team, you will work closely with the senior management team to ensure that ARU Students’ Union is delivering its vision and values.
What are the benefits to you?
New skills
We’ll support you to learn a host of transferable skills, including confidence speaking in public, planning and delivering successful campaign events, problem solving, project working and strategic decision making. Working within the Students’ Union team will also support you to work effectively as part of a team and develop practical office skills.
Experience as a Trustee
The Students’ Union is a registered charity. As a member of our Officer team, you’ll be leading the Students’ Union, gaining valuable experience as the Trustee of a charity.
Stand out!
Your experience as an Officer with the Students’ Union will help your post-University applications to stand out from the crowd! Your time as an Officer will help you to demonstrate your strengths to future employers, as you’ll have a wealth of experience to draw on.
Be part of something big
You’ll participate in national conferences and events for Officers, offering you the chance to make connections with officers from Students’ Unions located across the country.
Support with visa costs
International students can apply for financial support towards the cost of visas and immigration healthcare charges for the duration of role only (maximum 12 months).
Responsibilities of the role of Students’ Union Vice-President:
- Act as the lead student representative for a faculty and provide effective academic representation for the students of the Faculty;
- Be a trustee of the Students’ Union. For more information about the duties of a trustee please visit: The Essential Trustee
- Be available for students; as the Students’ Union’s representative, you will receive a high volume of communication from students who want to raise a concern or share feedback with you;
- Be responsible for gathering feedback from ARU students. This may include chairing feedback forums, holding drop-in sessions, online feedback, in-person meetings;
- Lead and take an active role in significant campaigns and projects to improve the student experience, supporting our vision to make a difference to every student;
- Lead and support elected course reps and volunteers;
- Prepare for and attend Students’ Union, University and Faculty meetings. This will include reading all documentation and researching as needed in advance, as well as speaking in the meeting to contribute to the discussions. As a guide, this will take approximately 4-5 hours each week;
- Work as an effective member of the Officer team, supporting their individual campaigns and projects, as well as working together on team campaigns;
- Work with the Communications Team to maintain regular and varied content and an active social media presence, sharing key messaging with ARU students;
- Take an active role in recruitment of Students’ Union staff. Play a role on the interview panel, shortlisting and interviewing potential candidates;
- Champion societies, Students’ Union events and opportunities.
View the full Job Description
Purpose of the role:
As Students’ Union Vice President Healthcare Practice, you will be representing ARU students at the highest level. Supported by the Students’ Union professional staff team, you will work closely with the senior management team to ensure that ARU Students’ Union is delivering its vision and values.
What are the benefits to you?
New skills
We’ll support you to learn a host of transferable skills, including confidence speaking in public, planning and delivering successful campaign events, problem solving, project working and strategic decision making. Working within the Students’ Union team will also support you to work effectively as part of a team and develop practical office skills.
Experience as a Trustee
The Students’ Union is a registered charity. As a member of our Officer team, you’ll be leading the Students’ Union, gaining valuable experience as the Trustee of a charity.
Stand out!
Your experience as an Officer with the Students’ Union will help your post-University applications to stand out from the crowd! Your time as an Officer will help you to demonstrate your strengths to future employers, as you’ll have a wealth of experience to draw on.
Be part of something bigger
You’ll participate in national conferences and events for Officers, offering you the chance to make connections with officers from Students’ Unions located across the country.
Support with visa costs
International students can apply for financial support towards the cost of visas and immigration healthcare charges for the duration of role only (maximum 12 months).
Responsibilities of the role of Students’ Union Vice-President Healthcare Practice:
- Act as the lead student representative for healthcare practice students and provide effective academic representation;
- Be available for healthcare practice students; as the Students’ Union’s representative, you will receive a high volume of communication from students who want to raise a concern or share feedback with you;
- Be responsible for gathering regular feedback from ARU students. This may include chairing feedback forums, holding drop-in sessions, online feedback, in-person meetings;
- Lead and take an active role in significant campaigns and projects to improve the experience of healthcare practice students and the student body across ARU, supporting our vision to make a difference to every student;
- Prepare for and attend Students’ Union, University and Faculty meetings, committees and working groups. This will include reading all documentation and researching as needed in advance, as well as speaking in the meeting to contribute to the discussions. As a guide, this will take approximately 2-3 hours each week;
- Lead and support elected course reps and volunteers;
- Work as an effective member of the Officer team, supporting their individual campaigns and projects, as well as working together on team campaigns;
- Work with the Communications Team to maintain regular and varied content and an active social media presence, sharing key messaging with ARU students;
- Take an active role in recruitment of Students’ Union staff. Play a role on the interview panel, shortlisting and interviewing potential candidates;
- Champion societies, Students’ Union events and opportunities.
Please note that the Vice President Healthcare Practice is a part time role only open to students on specified courses and will not be a member of the Trustee board.
View the full Job Description
What is Recommend a Friend?
Do you know someone who would make a fantastic Officer? You can anonymously recommend them to encourage them to apply by completing the form below. Please include as many details as you can and we’ll contact them with further information about how to stand.
This does not count as a nomination or a vote. We will send the student the recommendation and it is then down to them if they wish to officially stand as a candidate.