About the job
Do you have demonstrable experience of leading a high performing team? Can you facilitate political debate and support student leaders? Have you got experience of campaigns, research, policy and influencing? Then, we have an exciting new role for you at Arts SU.
We are looking for a Interim Democracy and Influencing Manager who is responsible for developing our democracy and influencing work at UAL, who will build engagement levels, impact, and visibility with a variety of stakeholders.
This is an exciting new role in a busy student-facing team working to support and deliver year-round democracy and campaign activities and events which seeks to engage students on the feedback and issues they want to act on. Key tasks will include coordinating team meetings, facilitating student debate and democracy, delivering training, writing papers, and supporting research.
The role involves significant partnership working with students, our full-time officers, various teams in Arts SU and University of the Arts London. You’ll work closely with teams overseeing Education Quality, Student Communities and Advice.
Who are we looking for?
This role is ideal for anyone with experience of working in Students’ Union’s or Higher Education. You will have demonstratable experience of planning, delivering, and evaluating plans to a successful conclusion with the ability to manage others to deliver to deadlines, within agreed budgets and to a consistently high standard.
You should have an enthusiastic approach to your work with excellent organization and communication skills. You will be keen to collaborate with other teams across Arts SU and UAL to deliver the organization’s strategy and vision.
As a new role you will need initiative to collaboratively develop and adapt to new ways of working. Attention to detail, flexibility and time management will be key as the role requires you to be able to adapt to the needs of various operational needs and student priorities as and when required.
You will be committed to our values of equity, diversity, and inclusion. You will be passionate and dedicated to increasing student engagement, improving the student experience and have a good understanding of the needs of our students.
Description
JOB PURPOSE
- To lead and set the strategic direction for the team responsible for democracy and influencing at Arts SU.
- Develop and lead ambitious plans to evaluate and develop democracy and influencing at UAL, building engagement levels, impact, visibility year on year.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
1) Leading a high performing team:
- Provide leadership, strategic direction and day-to-day operational management of the Democracy and Influencing team; motivating, supporting and developing team members to ensure that they have the necessary skills and knowledge for their roles as well as manage performance.
- Develop succession plans and identify training and development requirements within the team.
- Develop a proactive results driven culture within the team, ensuring agreed objectives and targets are delivered, whilst promoting a collaborative approach to working with internal departments.
- Identify the need for as well as recruitment and management of student staff as necessary.
- Be accountable for the quality of outputs of the team.
- Provide support to the student officer team helping and equipping them to be knowledgeable and informed representatives.
- Ensure the whole organization is aware of and understand the work of the Democracy and Influencing team.
2) Strategic Development:
- Support elected officers and student staff to maximise their effectiveness and impact with key stakeholders.
- Oversee the development of systems and processes for capturing, tracking and sharing student feedback, issues and the impact of student representation.
- Lead the analysis of student feedback to advice and support student representatives to lobby and influence the University’s policies, procedures and practice.
- Lead the promotion of the Union’s democracy and influencing work within UAL, building relationships with relevant stakeholders and making it easy for staff and students to understand the purpose of the team and its work.
3) Financial and Resource responsibility
- Manage a sustention Democracy and Influencing team budget, being responsible for resources that are allocated to the department and ensure these are effectively managed and control.
- Support elected officers with the planning, oversight, and responsible use of their allocated budgets.
- Review and establish processes, systems and policies and where appropriate standard operating procedures for activities to maximise efficiency, ensure deadlines are met and ensure a positive return on investment.
4) Oversight and development of Democracy and Influencing functions
- Oversee the Union’s Democratic processes and student representatives.
- Oversee the Union’s planning, coordination and analysis of research into student feedback and trends at UAL and across the sector to enhance the student experience.
- Oversee the creation and support of high-profile student-led campaigns based on evidence and insights.
- Deliver the cycle of all-student Union elections (including Spring Elections and Autumn By-Elections) and support the Community Development Manager in the delivery of Sports Clubs and Societies Elections.
- Deliver the cycle of democratic events and activates (including the Student Ideas Platform, Student Forums and Annual Members Meeting).
- Work to further develop our partnership with the University to establish the Democracy and Influencing team as expert practitioners and a source of good practice on student engagement, representation, policy and influencing.
5) Policy and Research
- Lead the Democracy and Influencing team’s work in providing comprehensive policy support elected officers and representatives on student experience issues developing effective lobbying strategies to influence policies that impact students’ lives.
- Support engagement in central University committees and working groups by maintaining an up-to-date record of representatives and staff committee responsibilities, accompanying representatives where appropriate an coordinating a system for committee briefing and de-briefing.
- Manage how the Union work with UAL and its Colleges to ensure that feedback positive impact the student experience.
- Oversee the Union’s planning, coordination and analysis of research into student feedback and trends at UAL across the sector to enhance the student experience.
- Convene and attend relevant committees and time limited working groups (including Officer Priority Working Groups). Where appropriate the post-holder will act as the meeting or project administrator.
- Provide regular and structure briefings, reports and presentations to support strategic decision making throughout Arts SU.
Benefits and Perks :
In return for your passion and experience, we offer:
- A summer 4-day working week – we have a four day working week during the months of July & August
- Generous holiday entitlement – 25 days holidays per year, increasing at the rate of one day per full year served after the end of your second year of employment up to a maximum of 5 days
- A three-week closure during the festive period incorporating the three UK bank holidays (Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day). This is approximately 12 additional leave days.
- A six-day closure during spring incorporating the two UK bank holidays (Good Friday and Easter Monday). Therefore, closure dates are from Thursday before Good Friday to Tuesday after Bank Holiday Monday. These are 2 additional leave days.
- Birthday Leave
- 2 days of Volunteering Leave
- Religious Festival Leave (up to 2 days)
- Cycle to Work scheme, enabling significant savings on bicycle purchase
- Flexible/ hybrid working arrangements
- Access to UAL staff training courses
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Family-friendly employer
Recruitment Timeline :
- Application closes : 15th February 2026
- Interview Date : 24th February 2026
- Please Note: To be considered, you must have the right to work in the UK or a valid work permit/visa.
Check our website for the full Job Description and Person Specification, you will need it for your application! –https://www.arts-su.com/pageassets/union/jobs/careers/INAL-Democracy-and-Influencing-Manager-JD-and-PS.pdf