We’re a democratic organisation where students can step into leadership positions such as officers, presidents, trustees, or chairperson. Each role offers a unique opportunity to make a real impact on student life.
Some positions are paid, while others are voluntary, and the time commitment varies. You can take on a role part-time alongside your studies, or full-time by taking a year out or starting after you graduate.
Explore our current opportunities below and find the role that’s right for you.
Full-time, Paid
Our Presidents (Sabbatical Officers) lead the Union on a daily basis. We have four positions - one Group President that's open to all students, and three Campus Presidents which are open to students on Cardiff and Swansea, London and Birmingham, and Carmarthen respectively. You should run for this position if you have ideas and enthusiasm and are ready to take on student representation as a full-time job for a year.
Together, the team of Sabbatical Officers leads the Students’ Union on a daily basis, providing direction to the Union’s staff team and making sure that the work of the organisation is relevant to the experience of our students. Sabbatical Officers are considered to be the primary student representatives by the University and provide student ideas, issues and opinion on a variety of topics by participating in project, partnership and committee work within the University.
Sabbatical Officers set the agenda in terms of new ideas and activities for the Students’ Union to try, and work hard to make sure that all students know what their Union is for, and how they can get in touch. Sabbatical Officers automatically serve as trustees of the Students’ Union, and any candidates should read the Student Trustees section to make sure they are eligible.
Responsibilities of all sabbatical officers include...
Responsibilities of the campus presidents include...
Responsibilities of the group president include...
Part-time, Voluntary
Part-time Officers represent a particular community of students and attend Campus Council. There are five roles on each of our campuses - that's a total of twenty-five (5 in Birmingham, 5 in Cardiff... etc). Each campus has it's own unique line-up of officers. The positions represent either a particular demographic of students or an area of interest.
You should run to be a part-time officer if you are passionate about one of the roles and have lots of ideas about how you can get students involved, campaign for change, or make students’ lives better.
These are voluntary positions, which exist to make sure that SU decision-making is representative of our students and to help create a lively and active campus culture. Each of our Swansea, Cardiff, Birmingham, London, and Carmarthen campuses have a Campus Council, which is populated by their respective Part-time Officers. Campus Council meets once a month during term-time and discusses and implements student ideas. Each of the Campus Councils has the following positions up for election:
Birmingham
Cardiff
Carmarthen
London
Swansea
What do these roles entail?
Ethics and Environment Officer :This role exists to promote ethical and environmental issues, alongside sustainability, engage students in sustainable activity, and campaign for a more ethical, environmentally friendly, and sustainable University and the wider community.
Gender Identity Officer: This role exists to extend and defend the rights of Trans students, promote Trans issues, and support Trans students. This role also exists to represent students who identify as trans men, trans women, trans non-binary, non-binary, and other genderqueer identities.
International Officer : This role exists to represent International Students, seeking to enhance the international student experience and promote their issues and ideas. The role has opportunity to facilitate conversations around culture and community, and work to ensure all UWTSD students are included, especially those far from home.
LGBT+ Officer :This role exists to extend and defend the rights of LGBT+ students, promote LGBT+ issues, and support LGBT+ students. The role has the opportunity to facilitate conversations and events of an inclusive nature and can collaborate with sabbatical officers in lobbying for change.
Multicultural Officer :This role exists to represent the interests of underrepresented students and works to ensure that their voices are heard both within the Union and the University. The role represents the interests of underrepresented students and works to combat prejudices.
Students with Disabilities Officer :This role exists to extend and defend disabled students’ rights, promote relevant issues, and support disabled students. This includes support for visible and invisible disabilities, including physical disability, mental health conditions/distress, chronic illness, sensory disabilities, neurodiverse students, and learning difficulties/disabilities.
Wellbeing Officer: This role exists to represent the needs and concerns of students in relation to student mental health and general wellbeing, advocating for improved services and initiatives, and signposting to existing services where appropriate. The role can collaborate with sabbatical officers in lobbying for change.
Welsh Language Officer :This role exists to represent the interests of Welsh speaking students. The role can raise awareness and promote the interests of students they represent; can lobby for change across the university, can plan and run campaigns, as well as create and facilitate inclusive events showcasing the Welsh language and culture.
Women’s Officer :This role exists to extend and defend women’s rights, promote women’s issues, and support women students. The role can represent and campaign on issues affecting women and can collaborate with sabbatical officers in lobbying for change.
Part-time, Voluntary
Trustees sit on our board and are our final decision-makers and have responsibility for our success. This is our highest level of management and governance.
You should run to be a student trustee if you are interested in how organisations make decisions, are keen to ensure that the Students’ Union works for the benefit of UWTSD students, and want to help shape the strategy and future direction of the organisation.
These are voluntary positions, through out-of-pocket expenses are available to enable trustees to attend Trustee Board meetings. Student Trustees help to ensure that the Union is being run in the best interests of students at UWTSD by scrutinising performance and making sure that the Union is complying with the law and being run in a financially sustainable way.
Trustees have legal control over and are personally responsible for, an organisation.
A full induction to the Board and trustee training is provided to all successfully elected Student Trustees. The Board meets four times a year (usually 10 am - 3 pm) and each Trustee is also allocated a sub-committee which meets three times a year (usually for 90 minutes a time).
To be eligible to become a Trustee:
Voluntary, Part-time
The Union Chairperson provides direction during talks at our Annual General Meeting, Union Councils, and other student forums of discussion.
The Union Chairperson provides direction during talks at our Annual General Meeting, Union Councils, and other student forums of discussion.
Open to all students. The Union Chairperson provides direction during talks at our Annual General Meeting, Union Councils, and other student forums of discussion. They ensure talks are fair and balanced, so all students are heard.
You should run for this position if you are not currently a Students' Union officer or Trustee, are interested in the work of the Students' Union, and are keen to make sure that the Students' Union is acting in the best interests of its members. You will be provided with meeting chairing training on successful election to the role.
This is a voluntary position. The Chairperson role chairs the Students’ Union Annual General Meeting and each meeting of the Union Council. The role exists to make sure that debate at the meetings is fair and balanced, and that everyone has a fair opportunity to speak and share their thoughts and ideas. Training is provided!