The University of Bradford Students’ Union is looking for an external trustee to join its Trustee Board. This is an opportunity to make a real difference to a charity that represents over 8,000 students and is going through a period of significant change.
The University of Bradford Students’ Union is looking for an external trustee to join its Trustee Board. This is an opportunity to make a real difference to a charity that represents over 8,000 students and is going through a period of significant change.
About us
The Students’ Union is an independent charity established under the 1994 Education Act. We exist to advance the education and welfare of students at the University of Bradford. We provide representation, run student activities, and support student communities across one of the most diverse universities in the country.
We are honest about where we are. The Students’ Union is in the early stages of a turnaround programme that began in June 2026, following serious governance, financial, and cultural failings. An independent governance review identified significant weaknesses, and the organisation has been working to address them systematically. An Interim Chief Executive and Change Director is leading the operational turnaround, a constitutional and governance review is under way, and new elections will take place in early 2027. There is a great deal still to do, but the direction is clear and the board is committed to getting this right.
The role
External trustees bring independent, professional expertise to the board. You will not be expected to run the organisation day to day, but you will be expected to provide genuine scrutiny and constructive challenge. The turnaround means there is more to read, more to question, and more to decide than in a settled organisation, and we need someone who has the time and willingness to engage properly with that.
The board meets regularly and you would be expected to attend meetings in person in Bradford where possible, with some meetings held online. Including preparation time and involvement in at least one sub-committee or working group, the role requires approximately 10 days per year. You will work alongside the other trustees to support and hold to account the Interim Chief Executive and Change Director as they deliver the turnaround programme.
Meeting dates
The Trustee Board meets five times a year on Thursdays from 2pm to 5pm, in person in Bradford. The remaining meetings in 2026/27 are Thursday the 10th of December 2026, Thursday the 18th of February 2027, Thursday the 29th of April 2027 and Thursday the 24th of June 2027. Additional meetings are held online during the year where turnaround decisions cannot wait for the next scheduled meeting.
It is vital that whoever is appointed can attend the board meeting on Thursday the 10th of December, from 2pm to 5pm. That meeting takes the decisions the turnaround turns on including the draft constitution and by-laws that go to students in February, the officer model, and whether the Students’ Union incorporates as a charity.
What we are looking for
Our 2026 Board Skills, Knowledge and Diversity Audit identified specific areas where the board needs to strengthen its collective capability. We are particularly looking for candidates who can bring one or more of the following:
- Charity law and governance expertise. Respondents named this as their leading development priority, the board rated itself at 3.5 out of 6 collectively, and it is central to the turnaround.
- Strategic and financial scrutiny. The turnaround brings significant financial decisions that need proper challenge.
- Partnership and stakeholder management. The relationship with the university is critical to the Students’ Union’s future.
- The confidence to provide constructive challenge. We need a trustee who will ask the difficult questions, hold the executive to account, and contribute to robust collective decision-making.
- Experience of being part of a charity or third-sector turnaround. We value candidates who understand the pace and demands of a change programme.
You do not need to be an expert in all of these areas. We are looking for candidates who are strong in at least one and who bring the professional judgement and independence that a charity board needs. Experience of the higher education or charity sector would be helpful but is not essential, provided you bring relevant professional expertise. We are actively seeking candidates with no prior connection to the University of Bradford or the Students’ Union, in line with our commitment to bringing genuinely independent perspectives to the board.
Please click here for the role description for the position
Diversity
The University of Bradford has one of the most ethnically diverse student populations in the country, and we want our board to better reflect the communities we serve. We actively encourage applications from candidates from backgrounds that are currently under-represented on the board.
Terms
The role is voluntary and unremunerated. Reasonable travel and out-of-pocket expenses incurred in connection with board duties are reimbursed. The initial term is three years, with the possibility of reappointment for one further three-year term. Under the Students’ Union’s constitution, external trustee appointments are ratified by a meeting of student members, and the term runs from the date of ratification.
How to apply
Please submit a CV and a supporting statement of no more than two sides of A4, explaining how your skills and experience meet the person specification. Applications should be sent by e-mail to a.morwood@bradford.ac.uk by 5pm on Friday the 16th of October 2026.
For an informal conversation about the role, please contact the Interim Chief Executive and Change Director, Andy Morwood, at a.morwood@bradford.ac.uk.
Key dates
- Applications close at 5pm on Friday the 16th of October 2026.
- Shortlisting takes place in the week beginning the 19th of October and interviews are held online in the week beginning the 26th of October.
- The appointments are ratified by a meeting of student members on the 3rd of December, and confirmed by the trustee board when the new trustees join the Trustee Board meeting on the 10th of December 2026.