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- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team to enhance student democracy and influence at UAL.
- Company: Arts SU, a vibrant student union dedicated to empowering student voices.
- Benefits: Enjoy a 4-day summer work week, generous holidays, and flexible working arrangements.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on student engagement and experience while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in student unions or higher education, with strong leadership and communication skills.
- Other info: Join a supportive team committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 ÂŁ per year.
Do you have demonstrable experience of leading a high performing team? Can you facilitate political debate and support student leaders? Have you got experience of campaigns, research, policy and influencing? Then, we have an exciting new role for you at Arts SU. We are looking for an Interim Democracy and Influencing Manager who is responsible for developing our democracy and influencing work at UAL, who will build engagement levels, impact, and visibility with a variety of stakeholders. This is an exciting new role in a busy student-facing team working to support and deliver year-round democracy and campaign activities and events which seeks to engage students on the feedback and issues they want to act on.
Key tasks will include:
- Coordinating team meetings
- Facilitating student debate and democracy
- Delivering training
- Writing papers
- Supporting research
The role involves significant partnership working with students, our full-time officers, various teams in Arts SU and University of the Arts London. You’ll work closely with teams overseeing Education Quality, Student Communities and Advice.
Who are we looking for?
This role is ideal for anyone with experience of working in Students’ Unions or Higher Education. You will have demonstrable experience of planning, delivering, and evaluating plans to a successful conclusion with the ability to manage others to deliver to deadlines, within agreed budgets and to a consistently high standard. You should have an enthusiastic approach to your work with excellent organization and communication skills. You will be keen to collaborate with other teams across Arts SU and UAL to deliver the organization’s strategy and vision. As a new role you will need initiative to collaboratively develop and adapt to new ways of working. Attention to detail, flexibility and time management will be key as the role requires you to be able to adapt to the needs of various operational needs and student priorities as and when required. You will be committed to our values of equity, diversity, and inclusion. You will be passionate and dedicated to increasing student engagement, improving the student experience and have a good understanding of the needs of our students.
Job Purpose:
To lead and set the strategic direction for the team responsible for democracy and influencing at Arts SU. Develop and lead ambitious plans to evaluate and develop democracy and influencing at UAL, building engagement levels, impact, visibility year on year.
Key Responsibilities:
- Leading a high performing team: Provide leadership, strategic direction and day-to-day operational management of the Democracy and Influencing team; motivating, supporting and developing team members to ensure that they have the necessary skills and knowledge for their roles as well as manage performance. Develop succession plans and identify training and development requirements within the team. Develop a proactive results-driven culture within the team, ensuring agreed objectives and targets are delivered, whilst promoting a collaborative approach to working with internal departments. Identify the need for as well as recruitment and management of student staff as necessary. Be accountable for the quality of outputs of the team. Provide support to the student officer team helping and equipping them to be knowledgeable and informed representatives. Ensure the whole organization is aware of and understand the work of the Democracy and Influencing team.
- Strategic Development: Support elected officers and student staff to maximise their effectiveness and impact with key stakeholders. Oversee the development of systems and processes for capturing, tracking and sharing student feedback, issues and the impact of student representation. Lead the analysis of student feedback to advise and support student representatives to lobby and influence the University’s policies, procedures and practice. Lead the promotion of the Union’s democracy and influencing work within UAL, building relationships with relevant stakeholders and making it easy for staff and students to understand the purpose of the team and its work.
- Financial and Resource responsibility: Manage a sustention Democracy and Influencing team budget, being responsible for resources that are allocated to the department and ensure these are effectively managed and controlled. Support elected officers with the planning, oversight, and responsible use of their allocated budgets. Review and establish processes, systems and policies and where appropriate standard operating procedures for activities to maximise efficiency, ensure deadlines are met and ensure a positive return on investment.
- Oversight and development of Democracy and Influencing functions: Oversee the Union’s Democratic processes and student representatives. Oversee the Union’s planning, coordination and analysis of research into student feedback and trends at UAL and across the sector to enhance the student experience. Oversee the creation and support of high-profile student-led campaigns based on evidence and insights. Deliver the cycle of all-student Union elections (including Spring Elections and Autumn By-Elections) and support the Community Development Manager in the delivery of Sports Clubs and Societies Elections. Deliver the cycle of democratic events and activities (including the Student Ideas Platform, Student Forums and Annual Members Meeting). Work to further develop our partnership with the University to establish the Democracy and Influencing team as expert practitioners and a source of good practice on student engagement, representation, policy and influencing.
- Policy and Research: Lead the Democracy and Influencing team’s work in providing comprehensive policy support to elected officers and representatives on student experience issues developing effective lobbying strategies to influence policies that impact students’ lives. Support engagement in central University committees and working groups by maintaining an up-to-date record of representatives and staff committee responsibilities, accompanying representatives where appropriate and coordinating a system for committee briefing and de-briefing. Manage how the Union works with UAL and its Colleges to ensure that feedback positively impacts the student experience. Oversee the Union’s planning, coordination and analysis of research into student feedback and trends at UAL across the sector to enhance the student experience. Convene and attend relevant committees and time-limited working groups (including Officer Priority Working Groups). Where appropriate the post-holder will act as the meeting or project administrator. Provide regular and structured briefings, reports and presentations to support strategic decision making throughout Arts SU.
Benefits and Perks:
- A summer 4-day working week – we have a four day working week during the months of July & August
- Generous holiday entitlement – 25 days holidays per year, increasing at the rate of one day per full year served after the end of your second year of employment up to a maximum of 5 days
- A three-week closure during the festive period incorporating the three UK bank holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day). This is approximately 12 additional leave days.
- A six-day closure during spring incorporating the two UK bank holidays (Good Friday and Easter Monday). Therefore, closure dates are from Thursday before Good Friday to Tuesday after Bank Holiday Monday. These are 2 additional leave days.
- Birthday Leave
- 2 days of Volunteering Leave
- Religious Festival Leave (up to 2 days)
- Cycle to Work scheme, enabling significant savings on bicycle purchase
- Flexible/ hybrid working arrangements
- Access to UAL staff training courses
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Family-friendly employer
Recruitment Timeline:
- Application closes: 15th February 2026
- Interview Date: 24th February 2026
Please Note: To be considered, you must have the right to work in the UK or a valid work permit/visa.
Check our website for the full Job Description and Person Specification, you will need it for your application! – Job Description and Person Specification
Democracy and Influencing Manager (Fixed Term 12 Months) employer: Arts Students' Union
Contact Detail:
Arts Students' Union Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Democracy and Influencing Manager (Fixed Term 12 Months)
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups, and don’t be shy about reaching out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation and its values. Understand their mission and how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out and show that you’re genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Do mock interviews with friends or family to get comfortable with common questions. The more you practice, the more confident you’ll feel when it’s time to shine in front of the real interview panel.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up after your interview! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in leaving a positive impression. It shows your enthusiasm for the role and keeps you fresh in their minds.
We think you need these skills to ace Democracy and Influencing Manager (Fixed Term 12 Months)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Know the Role Inside Out: Before you start writing, make sure you really understand what the Democracy and Influencing Manager role is all about. Dive into the job description and highlight key responsibilities and skills. This will help you tailor your application to show how you fit the bill!
Show Off Your Experience: When you're putting together your application, don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant experience. Whether it’s leading teams, managing campaigns, or facilitating debates, make sure you provide specific examples that demonstrate your skills and achievements.
Be Authentic and Passionate: Let your personality shine through in your application! We want to see your enthusiasm for student engagement and democracy. Share why this role excites you and how your values align with ours at Arts SU. Authenticity goes a long way!
Check Your Details: Before hitting send, give your application a thorough once-over. Check for typos, ensure your formatting is consistent, and make sure you’ve answered any questions posed in the application process. Attention to detail is key, and we love a polished submission!
How to prepare for a job interview at Arts Students' Union
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the key responsibilities of the Democracy and Influencing Manager role. Brush up on your knowledge of student engagement, policy influencing, and campaign strategies. Being able to discuss these topics confidently will show that you’re serious about the position.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've led high-performing teams in the past. Think about specific situations where you motivated team members or developed training plans. This will demonstrate your ability to manage and inspire others, which is crucial for this role.
✨Engage with the Values
Arts SU values equity, diversity, and inclusion, so be ready to discuss how you embody these principles in your work. Share experiences where you’ve promoted these values, especially in a student-facing context, to align yourself with their mission.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
Prepare some insightful questions to ask at the end of your interview. This could be about their current campaigns, how they measure student engagement, or what challenges they foresee in the upcoming year. It shows your genuine interest in the role and the organisation.
