External Trustee of Keele Postgraduate Association (The KPA)

An exciting opportunity to be involved in governing a small charity that exists for the benefit of postgraduate students studying at Keele University

At Keele Postgraduate Association (The KPA), we are passionate about supporting and representing our thriving community of postgraduates at Keele University. We are a small but specialist charity with big ambitions, seeking experienced external trustees with at least three years' prior experience as a charity trustee. We are a unique organisation, as we are now the only PG-dedicated student body in the country. This places us well to represent the interests of around 5,000 postgraduate students in the heart of Staffordshire. We are a team of two full-time Sabbatical Officers, one part-time Sabbatical Officer and a team of voluntary officers. We also employ a small staff team. We operate a thriving Clubhouse in the centre of campus, which has become the place to be for great company, great events and great food and drink. Our quirky and inviting space is home to a team of staff who tell us that the culture and atmosphere of their working environment is the best it has ever been. Whilst we provide a great night out, we are a lot more than just a bar! We have a dedicated team of elected officers who work hard to represent the postgraduate community within committees across the University, ensuring that postgraduate voices are heard, listed to, and acted upon. Our elected committee organises many events throughout the year to foster a sense of community amongst our postgraduate students; such as weekly Coffee Mornings and Study Sessions. regular social events such as craft evenings, language/culture exchange events, sports evenings, trips to the nearby places, and wellbeing/mindfulness/yoga sessions. Each year we also hold our Postgraduate Celebration Evening, which celebrates the incredible achievements of our postgraduate community and the KPA as a whole over the year. At this event we also present a number of awards, including our own KPA Bob Beattie Postgraduate Recognition Awards. We award a total of £1,000 in prizes each year. Our celebration evening last year saw four brilliant students receiving a prize for their contributions to postgraduate life at Keele. Another initiative we have is the KPA Bursary, a scheme that aims to help postgraduates engage in extracurricular activities. Any individual postgraduate at Keele University can apply for between £50-£500 to engage in enrichment activities outside of their course which will help their personal and academic development. In 2022-23, we awarded £9,086 in bursaries, enabling 31 postgraduates to participate in conferences, training courses and other extracurricular activities.

We are seeking supportive, enthusiastic applicants with specific expertise or interest in governance; including risk management, finance, HR, employment, accountancy, hospitality or the licensed trade industry. They need to be able and willing to commit to at least one day per month on KPA matters - this would include attendance at a minimum of four Trustee meetings per year, (currently being held mainly online quarterly (although occasional meetings will be in person), with availability to respond to emails, attend Induction and take part in any other required training sessions and / or social events. Prior experience - at least three years of being a charity trustee.

Your leadership and commitment will ensure we continue to provide and extend our range of much-needed support and services to the postgraduate community. External trustees play a vital role in setting the strategic direction of the charity and supporting the elected Officers to deliver the day-to-day operations of the charity.

Please apply through Reach in the first instance. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete our additional application form. Please contact us via Reach with any questions. Interviews will be via an informal online chat.