Lay Trustee Role Description

• Help ensure RSU works to fulfil its charitable purpose and acts within its Articles of Association.
• Support RSU’s compliance with charity law, company law, and other applicable legislation and regulation.
• Contribute to ensuring RSU is financially sustainable, with appropriate oversight of income, expenditure, and long-term resourcing.
• Support effective strategic planning and engage with processes for monitoring and evaluating RSU’s performance against its goals.
• Help ensure that effective governance policies and procedures are in place across RSU’s activities.
• Contribute to identifying and managing risks to the organisation.
• Actively participate in the work and decisions of the Board.
• Support a culture of scrutiny and accountability in relation to RSU’s senior leadership, including the Chief Executive.
• Uphold and demonstrate RSU’s values and protect the reputation of the organisation.
• Adhere to the Nolan Committee’s seven principles of public life: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty, and leadership.
• Help ensure robust safeguarding frameworks are in place and that any safeguarding risks are identified and acted upon.

• Provide mentorship, scrutiny, and support in relation to financial matters.
• Contribute to RSU’s finance, fund raising, and reserves 
  strategies and provide support in setting objectives and evaluating performance.
• Support senior leaders to ensure the charity is in a sound financial position and meeting regular targets relating to commercial income, fundraising, and reserves.
• Ensure structures are in place to enable the Board to have effective oversight of RSU’s finances, so that its use of resources aligns with the strategic plan and the needs of 
  members.
• Work closely with the CEO and Finance team to ensure sound 
  financial management of RSU.

• Provide mentorship, scrutiny, and support in relation to people, culture, and employment matters.
• Contribute to RSU’s approach to workforce strategy, including pay, wellbeing, and staff development.
• Support senior leaders to ensure RSU has effective people management frameworks and that the organisation is a healthy, high performing place to work.
• Help ensure the Board has appropriate oversight of HR policies and practices, including those relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion.
• Work closely with the CEO and senior leadership team on matters relating to organisational culture and people.

What We’re Looking For

• The ability to challenge the status quo, test perceived wisdom, and question decisions constructively.
• A good understanding of, or genuine curiosity about, the issues impacting Higher Education, students, and students’ unions.
• The ability to think strategically, ask good questions, and weigh competing priorities.
• The ability to provide support, guidance, and mentorship to elected officers, student leaders, and the senior leadership team.
• Confidence to contribute to group discussion and collective decisionmaking.
• An ability to be a ‘critical friend’ to the organisation -scrutinising policies, procedures, and frameworks where appropriate and ensuring issues, concerns, and risks are identified and addressed.
• Knowledge and understanding of, and a commitment to, good charity governance, safeguarding, equality, diversity and inclusion, and sustainability.
• The ability to work and communicate effectively as part of a high-performing team, and to collaborate with people outside the trustee group.

• A commitment to RSU’s values, mission, and charitable purpose.
• Enthusiasm for student wellbeing, student empowerment, and a desire to contribute to improving the student experience.
• Willingness to take an active role in the leadership of RSU, including contributing to board meetings, engaging in 
  committees, and participating in forums and working groups.
• A passion for learning and personal development - keen to enhance your own skills, engage in development opportunities, and share knowledge with others.
• A strong sense of integrity and a willingness to communicate with transparency, owning the decisions you make and being willing to explain them to the beneficiaries of the Charity.
• A commitment to the collective decisionmaking principles of the Board.
• A dedication to championing equity, diversity, and inclusion through the work of RSU and in all board decisions

• You’ll receive an induction from the Chief Executive before your first Board meeting.
• Your development will be guided by regular skills reviews, and you’ll receive training tailored to your needs.
• You’ll have ongoing support from the Chief Executive throughout your term.
• Reasonable travel expenses will be reimbursed.

How to Apply

• Tell us why you’d like to join RSU as a Trustee. Make sure to explain how your personal values align with RSU’s.
• What knowledge, abilities, and experience can you contribute to our Board’s collective skills? 
• Tell us about your professional background, whether in finance, HR, or another field, and how your specific expertise would add value to RSU’s Board and support the staff team in maintaining effective and sustainable practices in your area.

• Applications close: 17:00 Friday 6 November 2026. 
• Shortlisting: Week commencing 9 November 2026.
• Interviews: Week commencing 23 November 2026.