Bristol SU Co-opted (external) Trustee (non-student)

What’s the role?

Hours: Meetings are during working hours. The role requires a level of flexibility.

Voluntary: Reasonable expenses reimbursed when carrying out trustee duties.

Location: Bristol and Online.

Requirements: Trustee meetings and subcommittees occur in person (some opportunity for online as well) but the events (training and awayday) are in person in Bristol.

Duration: 3 years (with potential for another 2 terms of 3 years).

Closing date: Friday 27 February 2026, 5pm.

Help shape our future and improve the lives of over 30,000 students. This is an exciting time to join Bristol Students’ Union. We are starting the second year of a strategy that will see us become a Union for all Bristol Students; we have a new Co‑opted Trustee Co‑Chair; recently undertook a Board Effectiveness Review and will be reviewing and amending our Articles next year. We’re more digitally connected, and embracing the opportunities and challenges that our new Temple Quarter campus and Mumbai Enterprise Campus brings us in September 2026.

As a Trustee, you’ll be crucial in helping shape this journey as well as addressing pressing issues such as:

• Access to education
• Mental Health
• Accommodation
• Race inequality
• Poverty
• Inclusivity
• Internationalisation

Ultimately, you’ll be involved in providing strategic, financial and governance oversight to help achieve our vision of “a Union for all students”.

What will you bring?

Experience as a trustee, a member of a commercial board, or in a senior management role with leadership or governance responsibilities is essential. This is due to the nature of our board: as a membership organisation, we have a strong representation of student voice through officers and student trustees. They are almost always first‑time trustees and will benefit from co‑opted trustees with strong insight and experience in leadership, governance and strategic decision making. We value and are looking for committed and engaged trustees. However, whilst we’re relatively open in terms of skillsets, ideally, you’ll have expertise in one or more of these areas:

• Legal especially charity or company law
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity
• Charity governance

Most importantly, you’ll be committed to making a difference to the lives of our 32,000 members and around 400 clubs and societies.

Please note, this role is not open to current University of Bristol students or anyone who has been one within the last two years. Student trustee opportunities and other student leadership roles will be available in the March 2026 election.

Who are we?

Part business, part charity, part membership body. Bristol SU is an enjoyable and rewarding organisation to be part of. Our professional staff do something extraordinary every day: they support student leaders to give students a voice in their education and help shape their academic experience, help students get the most out of their student experience and help them make the change they want in the world. We have over 30,000 members, 400 clubs and societies, a diverse range of professional services, and an innovative strategy that will help to create an inclusive and supportive University community. We’re a registered charity, and company limited by guarantee. We have a turnover circa £7 million and have a diverse team of 94 salaried staff, also with a team of student staff working alongside our student leaders to make change happen. 87% of our staff recommend us as a great place to work.

We are accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, we have opened a new base in Senate House, launched new services and spaces, and diversified, empowered our staff team, our elections turn out has been among the best in the sector and we have high satisfaction rates and high levels of participation and engagement from our members. Bristol SU strives to have an inclusive culture and an environment for all, underpinned by respect and compassion. We want to be a place where everyone feels welcomed, included, supported, valued and safe. We recognise that people from some backgrounds/ identities may face additional barriers. We are committed to taking positive action to expand the diversity of our staff team by offering two guaranteed interview schemes – a guaranteed interview scheme for people of colour and a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled people.

The Bristol SU Board

You can see our current board here. It consists of:

• 4 elected students
• 7 elected full‑time officers
• 4 co‑opted trustees
• 1 nominated trustee (through university).

Key dates and how to apply

Closing Date: Fri 27 February 2026

Shortlisting: w/c 2 March 2026

Interviews: w/c 16 March 2026

Please visit our website to download our Applicant pack for more information before submitting your application. For general enquiries, or to arrange an informal chat with one of our Co‑Chairs, please email Suzanne Doyle, Governance and Learning & Development Manager and clerk to the Board of Trustees – suzanne.doyle@bristol.ac.uk