An exciting opportunity has arisen for an individual to join our newly established Student Communities Team based in Sunderland. The team supports a wide range of student leadership activity, including officer support, societies, student representation, volunteering, and campaigns.

The successful candidate will be responsible for working with a wide range of student leaders to mobilise the community organising model for a particular faculty within the University of Sunderland, harnessing their talents and enhancing student skills development.

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain a variety of skills through being involved in a varied role across different areas of Student Engagement at Sunderland Students’ Union.

We have undertaken a Democracy and Governance Review to revitalise the way our students interact with their Students’ Union across both the Sunderland and London campuses. The findings highlighted the need for a clear shift away from the more traditional models of SU democracy towards a community organising approach.

The post holder will need to demonstrate how they meet the essential criteria outlined in the job description and person specification within their application statement, providing clear examples of relevant experience.

Informal conversations regarding the post are encouraged with our Student Communities Manager, Kara-Jane Senior, ahead of application.

Please email Kara-Jane kara-jane.senior@sunderland.ac.uk to arrange an informal and confidential discussion.

How to apply:

If you have an interest in this role, please view the job description for further details. We are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape a brand-new role at Your SU. A review of our democratic structures indicated the need for Your SU to make a clear shift from the more traditional styles of SU democracy, facilitating instead, a community organising model.

Community Organising within a Students’ Union context is the mobilisation of students to collectively address common issues or areas of passion e.g. catering on campus, housing crisis, environmental sustainability, and transport. It aims to foster a sense of community, belonging, and self-advocacy, both on and off campus.

Student Communities Officers will work with staff and student volunteers to deliver the vision of engaging students through community organising and mobilisation within their faculty, resulting in an expansion and deepening of engagement between the broad range of students at our institution and Your SU.

These roles will work closely with other student leaders, including the President (Sunderland), and Student Voice Reps, Course Reps and academic society leaders within their relevant Faculty - and beyond - to listen to students' experiences and bring people together to effect positive change to the student experience.

There are three positions available:

• Student Communities Officer - Business and Technology
• Student Communities Officer - Education, Society and Creative Industries
• Student Communities Officer - Health Sciences and Wellbeing

These positions are only open to students whose studies are based in Sunderland. You are only eligible for the position relevant to your faculty. 

Working hours:

Part-time, up to 15 hours on average per week, term-time. Some hours will need to be worked during vacations for training and student inductions. This role can be delivered flexibly around your studies and other commitments, though attendance at certain events and meetings necessary for success in the role will be expected.

Support and training:

You will receive thorough training, along with ongoing support through meetings with your line manager.

Successful candidates will be required to attend training on the following dates:

• In person induction - weeks commencing 29 June and 6 July 2026 (dates and times to be confirmed)
• RAISE Conference in Newcastle: 9-10 September 2026

Application process:

Please apply using the Application and EDI form below. Shortlisted applications will be invited to an interview, which will take place in person at City Campus. The interview panel will consist of a group of 3-5 students, supported by an SU staff member.

If you have any questions about the role, please email yourcommunities@sunderland.ac.uk

Top Tip - Use the STAR technique to help your application stand out:

Situation - The situation you had to deal with.

Task - The task you had to do.

Action - The action you took (the emphasis here is on what you specifically did).

Result - What happened because of your action and what you learned from the experience. This part is very important but can often be left out by candidates.

We strongly recommend that you make use of resources and support provided by Graduate Prospects

Eligibility:

To apply, you must be a currently enrolled student at the University of Sunderland in the academic year 2026/27 with a course end date of June 2027 or beyond. Once you graduate, you can no longer be a Student Communities Officer. You are only eligible for the position relevant to your faculty (please ask before applying if you are unsure which faculty your course fits within).

Engaging with our students is fundamental - everything we do is for them. We are now seeking to appoint two Student Trustees with passion and enthusiasm to help shape the future of the organisation.

Your perspective as a current student is essential to ensuring student voices are represented at a strategic level. As a Trustee, you will play a key role in both supporting and constructively challenging how we deliver the best possible student experience.

To continue improving what we do, we must understand what matters most to our students and ensure they are at the heart of every decision.

If you are passionate about enhancing the student experience at the University of Sunderland, we encourage you to apply.

You must be a current student to apply, studying in the academic year 26/27; no further experience is required, and training will be provided.

The role is for an initial term of one or two years, as agreed by the Appointments Committee, and commencing in accordance with the Byelaws. The term of office may be shorter or longer on a transitional basis to coincide with the alteration of the year start or end. A Student Trustee may serve a maximum of two consecutive terms, subject to remaining a student for the duration. You will no longer be able to be a trustee once you graduate.

For an informal discussion about the role, please email centralservices@sunderland.ac.uk

To apply for this role, please provide:

• A covering letter (max 1 side of A4) outlining your motivation for applying. Include your course and expected start and end dates.
• A personal statement (max 2 sides of A4) demonstrating how you meet the criteria in the Person Specification.
• An up to date CV including relevant employment history and experience.
• A completed EDI Monitoring form.

Please send your documentation in Word or PDF format to centralservices@sunderland.ac.uk, by clicking on the 'Apply Now' button below or emailing directly.