At a glance

Position

External Trustee: Marketing & Commercialisation

Responsible to

Board of Trustees; Charity Commission

Salary

Unremunerated voluntary position but qualifies for reasonable expenses in line with Students’ Union expenses policy.

Period of Office

3 Years, 2 terms

Key Relations

Sabbatical Trustees, Student Trustees, External (Lay) Trustees, Chief Executive Officer, Head of Business and Finance, Head of Membership Services, Governance and Administration Manager.

Reasons to become our Trustee

Vibrant, People-focused, Collaborative

Students’ Unions are unlike any other organisation — they’re dynamic, fast-paced, and constantly evolving to reflect their membership. No two days are ever the same: one moment we are supporting a major student campaign, the next we are celebrating student wins. We’re vibrant, people-focused - a place where creativity and collaboration thrive, and where every idea has the potential to make a real difference to student life.

Make A Difference

Being one of our Trustees means you’ll help set our direction to ensure we achieve our charitable mission. You’ll play a key role in making sure we’re well-run, financially secure, and focused on delivering positive change for its members. Every decision you make contributes to a legacy of improving the student experience.

Contribute Your Skills, Enhance Your Knowledge

Being one of our Trustees is a brilliant opportunity to gain real-world experience in leadership, governance, and strategy. You’ll work alongside both student and external trustees, gaining insights into how charities operate and learning how to make decisions at board level. It’s experience that looks great on a CV — but more importantly, it’s a chance to contribute your expertise.

Broaden Your Network

Trustees come from different backgrounds, but all share one goal: making the Students’ Union the best it can be. You’ll collaborate with staff and student leaders to ensure the Union stays true to its values and purpose, balancing ambition with accountability. It’s a rewarding, team-driven role where your perspective genuinely matters.

---

Download our Trustee Pack

Becoming one of our trustees is an amazing opportunity to develop yourself, contribute your skills, and help out a great cause. Download our Become Our Trustee booklet where we deepdive into what we are all about, and check out the Trustee Personal Specification for all the role details.

---

On the Carmarthen campus we have a venue which is split into ‘Y Llofft’, Carmarthen’s on-campus student social space and bar located on the first floor of the Students’ Union building, and Y Clwb is Carmarthen’s on-campus club, located on the ground floor of the Students’ Union Building. The capacity for the venue is 400 with a student population on site of just over 300.

The Y Llofft Social Space is the place for students to go outside of lectures to meet up with friends, chill out, play a few games, and study somewhere with a more relaxed vibe. There are pool tables (on both floors), a PlayStation and cosy seating along with traditional board games and books/DVD’s as well as table tennis. Y Llofft Student bar serves up drinks and refreshments on a student-friendly budget. It’s open on select week nights and runs events from time-to-time such as Quiz nights, Karaoke or Open Mic Nights.

Y Clwb is a big venue on the ground floor bringing you club vibes, with powerful speakers to get things bouncing. What type of events do we run? Think live music gigs, freshers balls, summer balls, silent discos. Y Clwb is open exclusively for planned events and for external hire.

Main Responsibilities

1. Ensuring that the work of the Students’ Union reflects its aims, mission and values and is of benefit to all students at UWTSD.
2. Determining the overall strategic direction of the Students’ Union and develop the organisation in line with the principles of good governance.
3. Assisting the development of the Students’ Union by overseeing clear strategic planning based on a coherent understanding of the environment in which the organisation operates.
4. Ensuring that the Students’ Union operates in an effective, responsible and accountable manner within the legal and financial requirements of a charitable organisation.
5. Maintaining sound financial oversight and control of funds and resources to ensure that the organisation remains viable.

Specific Duties

1. Attending at least five meetings of the Trustee Board per academic year. Options for attendance include by electronic means with one meeting in person (year-end meeting in June each year).
2. In conjunction with other Board members, setting the direction for staff and make decisions on matters relating to the strategy, policy, financing, and functioning of the Students’ Union.
3. In conjunction with other Board members, setting strategic objectives for, and review the work of, the Students’ Union Chief Executive.
4. Participating in the recruitment of Board members and Students’ Union staff as required.
5. Undertaking induction and any other training identified to support you to carry out the above duties.
6. Reading thoroughly in advance of meetings all papers sent out for discussion and prepare ideas and contributions.
7. Monitoring the performance of the Students’ Union using key performance indicators, project reports and management accounts.
8. Participating in sub-committees and project groups relevant to your expertise (3 meetings per year of the Marketing & Commercialisation Committee).
9. Being involved in matters of appeals as required by the governing document.
10. Assess, evaluate and highlight revenue and income generating opportunities and activities for the Union.
11. Support and give advice on executing income generating activities. • Guide and support marketing to benefit income generating activities.
12. Work with the CEO and Head of Business and Finance on suitable avenues to generate income and marketing opportunities and strategic direction.
13. Advise, guide and support in creating opportunities to revenue generation. • Promoting the values and work of the Students’ Union, and act in its best interests, at all times.
14. Ensuring that the Students’ Union operates in an effective, responsible and accountable manner within the legal and financial requirements of a charitable organisation.

Person specification

A number of issues have hindered progress of developing the venue. The continued challenges in the higher education landscape and hospitality industry are contributing factors. In addition the building has had maintenance setbacks.

However, an exciting opportunity has now arisen where the Venue can act as a social space for students living on campus, and to begin creating a hub of vibrant events which create a sense of community among students. With accommodation at capacity on campus, now is the perfect time to build a rapport with the students and make the venue the centre of student life on campus, whilst creating a stable second income for the Students’ Union which can re be reinvested into Student activities and experiences.

A Marketing & Commercialisation Trustee plays a crucial role in guiding and overseeing a charity’s design and communications sub-strategy, ensuring it aligns with the organisation’s overall goals and values. They provide strategic direction, offer expertise, and help broaden the charity’s reach to increase visibility and engagement from a marketing perspective. Broadly, the commercialisation aspect of the role focuses on providing strategic oversight and guidance to ensure the organization’s financial sustainability and growth through commercial activities. This involves providing robust knowledge to be constructive of any developed commercial plans, analysing operational efficiency, and ensuring effective financial governance of said plans. The trustee will also play a key role in performance measurement and risk management related to commercial ventures.

In essence, the Marketing & Commercialisation Trustee acts as a bridge between the organization’s charitable mission and its commercial activities, ensuring that these activities are financially sound, strategically aligned, and ethically managed as well as marketed successfully.

The ideal candidate for this role will bring the following qualities, skills and experience.

1. Enthusiasm for Organisational Values: Demonstrate a genuine enthusiasm for the democratic, participative, and student-led nature of UWTSD.
2. Independent Judgement: Exhibit the ability to make and express independent judgements when necessary, considering the best interests of the organisation and its members.
3. Strategic Direction: Working with the Board and management to develop and refine commercial approaches that align with the organization’s mission and values, fostering long-term sustainability and growth. Supporting the in-house design and communications team by being a ‘critical friend’ in relation to the development of a comprehensive marketing and communications plan. This includes advising on digital marketing, social media strategies, and traditional marketing methods.
4. Brand Building & Stakeholder Engagement: Contribute to the development and maintenance of the charity’s recognisable brand, ensuring it effectively communicates the organization’s values and impact. Guide the teams of the SU to broaden awareness of the Union’s mission among various stakeholders including students, University partners, staff, and the wider community.
5. Legal and Ethical Compliance: Ensure that the staff team’s marketing and communications activities adhere to legal and ethical guidelines, including data protection and fundraising regulations. Ensuring all commercial activities comply with relevant charity law, company law, and other relevant legislation.
6. Financial Sustainability: Ensuring effective financial governance, monitoring, and risk management, including oversight of budgets, accounts, and financial statements (as per all trustees’ responsibilities).
7. Performance Measurement: Championing mechanisms to measure the success of commercial activities, ensuring they align with the organisation’s goals and add value to the student community.
8. Risk Management: Proactively working with the Design & Communications Team and SMT to manage the risk register in relation to commercial ventures, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations and legislation.
9. People Support: Providing expert guidance and mentorship to the management team, fostering alignment and best practices across the organization.
10. Marketing Expertise: A strong background in marketing, communications, and digital media is essential.
11. Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are needed to collaborate with other trustees, staff, and external partners.
12. Understanding of the Charity Sector: Experience in the charitable or non-profit sector is often preferred.
13. Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and implement long-term strategic plans.
14. Financial Literacy: Strong understanding of financial management, budgeting, and risk management.
15. Analytical Skills: Ability to analyse data, identify trends, and make informed decisions.
16. Communication Skills: Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with stakeholders.
17. Leadership and Mentorship: Ability to provide guidance and support to the management team.

---

Location and times

The Board meets four to six times per year. The sub-committee meets up to three times per year. All these meetings can be held virtually, with the exception of one in-person Board meeting on a UWTSD site.

Board Meetings

1. Thursday 16 October from 17:15
2. Tuesday 9 December from 13:00
3. Wednesday 18 February from 17:15
4. Thursday 21 April from 17:15
5. Friday 25 June from 14:00 – in-person, rotating between campus locations each year All meetings are held online via Microsoft Teams unless otherwise specified.

Marketing and Commercialisation Committee Meetings

1. Thursday 6 November from 10:30am
2. Thursday 16 April from 10:30am
3. Tuesday 11 June from 10:30am

However, if the chair would prefer meetings to be held over a lunch time rather than after the ‘regular’ 9am to 5pm this can be facilitated. All meetings are held online via Microsoft Teams unless otherwise specified.

---

Terms of appointment

This role is unremunerated, and reasonable, pre-agreed domestic travel expenses will be reimbursed. Board meetings last for approximately three hours with papers being shared the week prior for reading and preparation. Sub-committee meetings last about an hour. We are flexible with timings and all meetings are minuted and recorded if people want to catch up due to missed meetings.

---

Appointment Process

Applications are made via email. Send your CV to our Governance and Administration Manager at laura.smart@uwtsd.ac.uk by 17:00 on Monday 05th January 2026. 

Shortlisting of potential candidates will be completed between the 6th -10th January 2026

Interviews are scheduled for the week commencing 19th January 2026  and held online via Microsoft Teams.

We will always get in touch to let you know the outcome of your application.

We will select a group of the most suitable candidates to present to the appointments committee, who will then be able to view the full application. The appointment committee will be made up of at least 1 Lay Trustee, 1 Student Trustee and 1 Sabbatical Trustee. 

The successful applicant will be formally appointed at the Board of Trustees scheduled for the 25th February 2026. The successful applicant will be expected to attend that meeting. 

---

Eligibility

You need to meet certain criteria in order to apply for a Trustee position; You must meet the Charity Commission’s eligibility rules for Trustees.

It is recommended that all applicants read the Charity Commission’s guide to being a trustee: The Essential Trustee: What you need to know, what you need to do.