Lay Trustees (Finance & HR)

Join the Board of a growing £1m charity that serves 11,500 students. We're recruiting a Finance Trustee and an HR Trustee to help deliver our five-year strategy, with early-evening meetings and no previous board experience needed.

Roehampton Students' Union (RSU) is here to make student life better at Roehampton, and we're an organisation with real momentum. We've just grown past £1 million in turnover, and our National Student Survey score has risen three years in a row. In 2025 we launched Foundations for the Future, our five-year strategy through to 2030. Now we're looking for two senior professionals to help us build on that success.

As a Lay Trustee, you'll bring an outside perspective that no student or staff member can. You'll sit alongside elected student officers to set strategy, scrutinise decisions and hold the organisation to account. You'll share full legal responsibility as a trustee and Company Director. This is an active role for someone who asks good questions.

Finance Trustee
You'll help keep RSU financially sound and sustainable as we grow. That means shaping our finance, fundraising and reserves strategies, and scrutinising performance against commercial and fundraising targets. You'll make sure the Board has real oversight of how resources are used, working closely with the Chief Executive and senior staff team.

HR Trustee
You'll help make RSU a healthy, high-performing place to work. That means contributing to workforce strategy, including pay, wellbeing and staff development, and making sure the Board has proper oversight of HR policy and equality, diversity and inclusion practice. You'll work closely with the Chief Executive and senior leadership team on culture and people.

Who we're looking for
You'll need senior-level professional expertise in finance, or in HR and people management. You don't need previous board experience, because we'll support you to become an effective trustee. We're looking for people who:

• Challenge constructively, and act as a critical friend
• Think strategically and weigh competing priorities
• Care about students and are curious about Higher Education and students' unions
• Enjoy supporting and mentoring others, including young student leaders
• Are committed to good governance, safeguarding, and equity, diversity and inclusion

A Board that reflects our students
Black and Asian people remain significantly under-represented on charity boards, and we're actively working to change that. We particularly welcome applications from Black and Asian candidates, from people who identify as women or non-binary, from disabled candidates, and from anyone who feels under-represented in leadership spaces. If you need any adjustments to apply or interview, just let us know.

What's in it for you

• Real influence over an organisation that serves 11,500 students
• Board-level experience as a Company Director. Many trustees find it valuable for their careers.
• Insight into the world of Higher Education and students' unions
• The chance to mentor and learn from elected student leaders
• A full induction with the Chief Executive, tailored training, and ongoing support throughout your term
• Reasonable travel expenses reimbursed

Time commitment

• Four to six Board meetings a year, held early evening (typically 17:00-19:00) so they fit around your working day, in person in London
• Around two hours of reading before each meeting
• Occasional optional invitations to away days, working groups and staff events

The term is four years, with the option of a second term (up to eight years in total).

Not sure if it's for you?
Get in touch with our Chief Executive, Michael Bailey, for an informal conversation.

How to apply
Apply online with your CV, and answer three short questions (up to 300 words each):

1. Why would you like to join RSU as a trustee, and how do your values align with ours?
2. What knowledge, abilities and experience can you contribute to the Board's collective skills?
3. Tell us about your professional background and how your expertise would add value to RSU's Board and support our staff team.

Please read the full recruitment pack before applying. Applicants must meet the Charity Commission's eligibility criteria for trustees and agree to our Trustee Code of Conduct.

Key dates

• Applications close: 17:00, Friday 6 November 2026
• Shortlisting: w/c 9 November 2026
• Interviews: w/c 23 November 2026
• First Board meeting: Tuesday 15 December 2026